It's one of those days when there is little distinction between the sea and the sand. The waves rustle gently like whispers from crisp autumn leaves Then stretch languorously across the beach as though basking in warm summer sun. Under the muddy winter sky, the water forms a perfect mirror of the beach, No telling where one begins and the other ends. And somewhere, hidden in the expanse, spring is waiting to rise. - Allegra Chapman
My name means “happy”.
My name is Allegra. In Italian, that means “happy” or “joyful”. So it seems a cruel irony that, for almost all of my life, I have struggled with my mental health.
I was diagnosed with depression at the age of 12, although I now realise that may not have been entirely accurate. Like many neurodivergent women, depression and anxiety were easy labels handed out a little too quickly by doctors unwilling to look deeper. I’m sure I’ll go into this more another time, but, for now, suffice to say that happiness was always something that felt hard to reach, difficult to grasp, and something that I became utterly fascinated by.
But what is happiness, anyway? What exactly does it mean to be happy? Why do we seem to hold this one emotion above all others as something to pursue? Should we be chasing happiness? How can you get it? And how do you keep it?
These are the questions I’ve been obsessed with in recent years, and I hope you’ll come with me on a journey to explore some of the answers. I’ll be looking into what psychology, philosophy and science have to say on the subject, sharing research and writing on the topic, and inviting you to share your views.
The light is overtaking the darkness
As I write this, the Spring Equinox is just a few days away. On Monday 20th March, in the Northern hemisphere, we will have exactly equal amounts of daylight and darkness. This is the start of the astrological year, and signals a movement from the dormant period of winter into the active and creative energy of spring. From then on, the days will continue to grow longer (as they have been doing since the Winter Solstice), with more hours of daylight than darkness until we reach the Summer Solstice in June - the longest day of the year.
It seems a fitting metaphor for the struggle for happiness over mental health issues, but that’s not the only reason I’m writing about the seasons here. The natural world is such a powerful force for our wellbeing, and yet one that we’re becoming increasingly distant from. Humans were built for wide open spaces filled with trees and plants, yet now we live in mostly urban environments and spend much of our time indoors. For most of our existence as a species, we’ve been governed by the changing of the seasons, the cycles of the moon, and the movement of the sun. But now we have electric light, artificial heat, water on tap. Our food and our clothing are processed away from our awareness. We live as if we were separate from nature.
Yet we are part of nature. Research shows that greater connection to the natural world improves our mental health, and, when you consider that we evolved over millennia to be suited to and connected to our environment, it makes sense that restoring that connection would give us a sense of stability and nourishment - and that disconnection would be a source of anxiety and misalignment.
Greater connection with the seasons allows us to build more of a relationship with the natural world. We begin to notice the shifting of the light, we recognise the arrival of different flowers and fruits, we start to feel the changes in the air on a deeper level. And we become aware of our own internal cycles. Of when we need to create and when we're ready to harvest; when we're in full bloom and when we want to retreat. When we listen to our own rhythms and understand that everything moves in cycles, we can fully nurture ourselves and provide the best conditions to allow us to thrive.
Spend some time outside. Be near trees and plants and water. Breathe in the power of the universe. Listen to what's happening all around you. Then listen to what's happening inside you.
What do you need?
Lighting a spark
As we move into this new spring energy, it is a great time to consider another area that we know from extensive research strongly benefits mental health - creativity. Allowing space for self-expression and exploring ideas gives us a sense of purpose, identity and connection. We have a sense of control over our creations, and an opportunity to make a mark on the world.
Creative pursuits are also the ones most likely to allow us access to the elusive state of “flow” - where time melts away, and we are fully in the moment. That has been shown to be a source of joy.
Whether it's writing (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, journaling, whatever floats your boat), drawing, painting, collaging, photography, knitting, baking, playing the piano or anything else you can think of, finding an outlet to create and bring something of yourself out into the world will have a powerful impact on your levels of happiness.
So as part of my journey into what it means to be happy, I want to offer you a spark each time and invite you to look for ways to explore it creatively.
In this season of new beginnings, it feels fitting to think about new shoots and opening blooms. But this growth doesn't come out of nothing. All through the winter, life has been germinating in the dark. The plants have been working, building, beneath the soil, and only now are they ready to share. We’re being asked to prepare the ground for our year ahead, to consider what we want to plant, and how we will nurture it. To consider what we want to share with the world.
So this is it. In these posts I’ll explore the nature of happiness, seek to understand our connection to nature and the seasons, and offer a spark to help you on your own creative journey.
I hope you’ll come along with me.
So much to explore. I feel the same. Looking forward to reading more x
Ahh thanks Laionie! Ooh I'll add that to my reading list. 😊 xx