Cheer-Inducing Activities by Eleri Grace

When I'm searching for happiness or an uplift in my mood, I often turn to my hobbies. I've got plenty, but I'll spotlight just a few of the activities that bring me joy.

Like most of you I'm sure, turning to reading generally is one of my go-to reflexes. Turning to a tried-and-true favorite novel, series or author is often the key for me -- I'm always a bit nervous about starting something new if what I'm looking for is a sure-fire lift. Some of my personal favorites that I can always return to with joy, in no particular order, are: the Harry Potter series, the Outlander series, WW2 romances by Noel Barber that started me on my author journey, stand-alone historical novels like "And Ladies of the Club" or "Lonesome Dove," romantasy series like my recent obsession with Rebecca Yarros and her Empyrean series, and childhood favorites like Laura Ingalls Wilder, S.E. Hinton's "The Outsiders" or "Where the Red Fern Grows." 

I'm also a lifelong genealogist, and while many people might not understand how someone could derive joy from spending all day in front of a computer or microfilm reader trying to decipher 19th century German handwriting, reading deed books in dusty old ledgers in a county courthouse, or traipsing around country cemeteries -- there's nothing like putting another piece of my genealogical puzzle together! Lately, I've been a little obsessed with WikiTree, which allows me to preserve genealogical facts/relationships along with photos and scanned copies of my sources in an online format that even my kids might one day appreciate (they won't love the stacks of genealogical binders with old-fashioned paper, that's for sure). 

Scrapbooking is another hobby where I can lose track of time and put my worries aside as I unleash my creativity and my desire to preserve and pass on precious memories. Work has kept me busier than before the last few years, so I'm fairly behind with my kids' childhood scrapbooks, but I can always pick up where I left off. Sometimes even just taking the time to put together a page or two can be a relaxing diversion and a boost to those creative juices. I've accumulated (read: hoarded) tons of heritage scrapbooking supplies over the years - holding out for that point in time when my genealogy research would be fairly complete or solid. I've begun to realize that while my research may be ongoing, now is the time to use those supplies and preserve those memories. 

I was never much of a TV person until the advent of Netflix and other streaming services -- allowing me to binge a treasured old favorite series or try something new. Currently, I'm making my way through "The Gilmore Girls" again!

I hope you are all soon enjoying spring weather and tapping into the activities, people, relationships, and other things that bring joy and meaning to your life. 

You can learn more about me and my writing on my website, and you can find my Red Cross Girl novels on Amazon.