Life isn’t always easy—especially when you’re gluten free, coeliac, and constantly dodging rogue croutons like you’re in some kind of medieval food gauntlet. But amidst the chaos, there are these tiny, brilliant moments that quietly whisper, “Hey, you’re doing okay.”
Here are five everyday things that never fail to bring me happiness:
1. Waking up next to my wife
There’s something grounding about that first sleepy moment of the day—eyes half open, hair doing its own interpretive dance, and there she is: the person I get to face the world with. Whether we’re whispering nonsense, silently competing for duvet dominance, or simply sharing a peaceful silence before Ollie wakes up, those mornings remind me I’m exactly where I should be.
2. Talking with my son
There’s nothing quite like chatting to a three-and-a-half-year-old. One minute we’re discussing dinosaurs, the next he’s asking for a cheese sandwich (which seems to be his comfort food right now). His curiosity, imagination, and accidental wisdom often stop me in my tracks—and sometimes make me snort coffee out my nose.
3. Good food (obviously gluten free)
Look, I’m not saying food is my only personality trait—but if you wave a decent gluten free lasagne at me, I’ll probably follow you home. Cooking, eating, and even photographing (badly) my food has become a ritual of joy. And there’s something especially satisfying about making a banging gluten free pasta dish that surprises even me.
4. My first coffee of the day
I know this one’s a bit basic, but I refuse to apologise. That first sip of hot coffee in the morning is like a soft reboot for my soul. It says: “You’ve got this. You are awake. You are alive. You are… vaguely functional.” I like mine strong, no sugar, and preferably consumed before anyone asks me for anything important. What odd is that I used to hate coffee, funny how your taste buds change.
5. Quiet moments alone
Don’t get me wrong—I adore my family. But those rare pockets of silence (you know, when the house miraculously isn’t echoing with toddler giggles or the distant whirr of a washing machine) are golden. Sometimes I use them to read. Sometimes I just stare out the window with a cup of coffee and a thousand-yard stare that says, “I definitely just heard the bin lorry drive past without stopping.”
Final thoughts
Happiness doesn’t always come with fireworks or grand announcements. Sometimes, it’s a half-asleep hug, a dinosaur rant, or a well-timed bite of lasagne. I’ve learned that joy lives in the details—and I’m grateful for every silly, sleepy, steamy-coffee-soaked bit of it.
What about you? What are the five everyday things that bring you happiness?
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