Meet the expert: Samantha Brook is a happiness coach and author from Ipswich. She's the founder of Happiness Club and author of Happiness Club: Learn to Be Happy and Get What You Want. Both the book and business were born from her personal 26-year journey from depression to happiness.
Ipswich author shares her 26-year journey from depression to happiness
An Ipswich woman who overcame decades of depression is sharing her journey to happiness in a new book. Samantha Brook spent 26 years on anti-depressants before finding alternative approaches to wellbeing.
Her approach: Brook advocates starting small, sharing one of her key principles: "Ask yourself, 'What can I do to bring 5% more joy into my life?' I'll admit, I was sceptical, but I asked myself the question, and I thought, '5% isn't much; how hard can it be?'"
1. Start your day with music and dance
"I started playing an upbeat song from my Music for Manifesting or DJ Samy playlist every morning. I sing and dance along. I don't always do it, but if I'm not in the mood, I just play one song, and I usually end up playing a few. It almost always lifts my spirits and sets a positive tone for the day."
2. Try a cold shower
"I absolutely love the feeling of the cold water hitting my skin. It is so invigorating. The first thirty seconds are the hardest. Once the first thirty seconds are out of the way, the rest of the two minutes is a lot easier."
3. Get outdoors
"As soon as I am by the sea, I can feel a sense of serenity come over me. Sometimes just walking or sitting outside of my house or office and being in the fresh air for even five minutes is enough to lift my mood."
4. Connect with others
"When I have spent time with them [friends], I come away feeling as though my soul has been nourished. I have other more local friends with whom I love socialising because they are fun, and we always laugh together."
5. Spend quality time alone
"It's a paradox that spending time alone is equally important and nourishing as spending time with friends and family. Every day, I aim to spend at least five minutes, with my phone switched off, doing nothing except drinking coffee and cuddling the cats."
6. Create a happiness routine
"Having a happiness routine helps me feel happy on a more consistent basis. Over the years, I have developed many tips, tricks, tools, and techniques that assist with this. I've been off antidepressants for over six years after relying on them for 26 years."
Putting them into practice: Brook's suggestions offer starting points for anyone looking to explore wellbeing improvements through small, daily actions. Those interested in learning more can read Brook's book "Happiness Club: Learn to Be Happy and Get What You Want" or join the Happiness Club Facebook community.
