Happy on a Budget: Top 7 Activities That Bring Me Joy
The financial inconsistency of a freelancer
A year ago, I transitioned from full-time office work to a freelance writing lifestyle. I absolutely love it, but it hasn’t always been easy financially (and sometimes still isn’t). In the beginning, money can be uncertain and inconsistent.
Sometimes I earned enough money, sometimes not.
I’m grateful that I’ve never had any real financial insecurity. Even during months when my income wasn’t great (OK let’s be honest, I wasn’t making ANY money), I still had savings. But I was trying to be careful about how I managed my money.
How I stayed happy
Despite my sometimes terrible income, I managed to stay quite positive (for the most part). I made a list of activities that make me happy, so that I could go back to it when I’m feeling down.
These are not just activities that make me feel better in the moment. They change my emotional state for the entire day, or even for several days. Even when I have no troubles, having these activities in my life on a regular basis simply makes me happy.
And they are either free or very cheap.
1. Walks in nature
Nothing fills me with as much energy as going for a long walk somewhere nice. Walking clears my mind and awakens my muscles, without making me feel tired. I generally walk fast for 1h-1.5h, so I also count it as exercise. Win-win.
It’s important to find some areas that are really peaceful and quiet, so you can recharge. For me, the best places are in nature, places such as green parks, or the beach.
Being close to nature will lift my mood no matter how bad I’m feeling. And it’s free.
2. Reading
I am a huge book lover, and I read every single day. Reading just brings me so much joy!
Especially on a bad day, a captivating book is the only thing that makes me forget my troubles, and gets me out of my own head (without the dangers of addiction, or the pains of hangovers!).
While books can be quite expensive if you buy many first-hand paperbacks, there are many cheaper options. You can check out the local library, and borrow books. You can also shop at second-hand stores, or just swap with friends.
I’m a big fan of e-books. Even if you don’t have a Kindle, you can download the Kindle app (or any other e-reader app) for free on your phone. In my experience, e-books are around 3 times cheaper that their physical counterparts. Many times you can also find classics for free as e-books.
3. Spending time with my boyfriend
Simply spending quality time with my boyfriend makes me happy. We like walking, cooking and sharing a delicious dinner, going to the bookshop to check out books (even if we don’t buy any), or anything else.
I am not talking about simply being around each other. I mean really dedicate time to spend together, actively enjoying each other’s company.
4. Interesting conversations
You know those conversations that just flow easily? Where you talk about interesting topics, until you happen to check the time and somehow 4 hours have passed? (Julie Andrews singing voice:) These are a few of my favourite things!
I’m an introvert, and I prefer hanging out with 1 or 2 friends, instead of large groups. And these conversations just make my day.
5. Being close to the sea and listening to the waves.
OK, this one is only helpful if you happen to live by the sea. But even then, we can forget how amazingly therapeutic the sea is. You can live close to the sea, and sort of forget about it. Don’t.
Appreciate it. Take the time to go for a 20 minute walk by the beach and just listen to the waves. Whenever I do that, I always feel 10 times more fresh.
My instant mood change when I get close to the sea or go for a walk really highlights how important nature is in my life. I believe that to some extent we all crave more contact with nature, without necessarily realising it.
6. Yoga
While I have only been practising yoga for 2 months, I am completely hooked, and it’s now something that I just have to do every day.
It makes both my body and mind feel amazing, and I always feel so at peace following my practice. I can’t wait to see how my relationship with yoga will evolve.
If you are short on money or time, you can find hundreds of amazing tutorials on YouTube, of various lengths, intensity and experience level.
It’s something I can’t recommend enough.
7. Painting
I’m not an amazing painter and I don’t even paint often.
But whenever I do, it relaxes me and unleashes my creativity. I’m guessing there are many other creative activities that work the same way. What’s your favourite?
It’s really no surprise to me that the activities that bring me true happiness are the ones connecting me with nature, other people, or my creativity. I think we could all take some time to focus more on these areas of our lives, for a happier and more fulfilled life.
And if you think you don’t have enough time, try deactivating Facebook for a while. You know what I mean.
I am forever trying to add to this list. However, I’ve only included the activities that are really powerful to me, and this is what I have so far.
What are some of the activities that bring you happiness?
