One of my best presents ever was given to me this Christmas by my strapped-for-cash student daughter who made all her presents this year. Mine is a decorated jam jar with "Mum's reasons to smile" written on it. Inside are slips of paper rolled up – there must be at least fifty. She has told me that when I feel down I am to take one out at random and read it.

Now, being me, I have been 'peeking' at them ever since.

They vary from the not very modest "Because you have me as a daughter and I am AWESOME", to the more obvious "Because you are always there for us"; from the affirming "Because whatever you are doing right now, you are doing great", to the laugh out loud "Because there is no angry way of saying "bubbles". (Try it!) Many of them are tea-related (my fall-back in times of stress and anxiety) and some are cribbed "Because today is the perfect day to be HAPPY".

So, why not write your own "Reasons to smile"? From the frivolous "Because there is always CHOCOLATE" to the obvious (yes, the obvious) "Because I am loved/wise/respected/caring..." from the cribbed "I have found that if you love life, life will love you back". Arthur Rubinstein, to the homemade "Every day we have choices."

Even the act of writing out affirmations helps: "Because when it is dark, you can look for the stars, and when it rains, you can look for the rainbow."

Why not share your favourite with the rest of us – I bet that between us we can produce an inspiring list of lift-me-ups as varied as the members of this wonderful community.

Frankie

A Moodscope member.