Discover the Secret to Happiness: 5 Tips for Cultivating Joy (and a Spring Garden)

Today is International Day of Happiness as well as the first day of spring, making it the perfect time to focus on the little things that bring joy to our lives.

If you remember our #HappierNewYear challenge, you’ll know about Everyday Happiness, the little book filled with inspirational quotes and positivity-building activities for each day of the year.

Today’s entry (above) is fitting, as leading researchers agree that happiness comes from within and is something everyone can achieve. The secret to long-term happiness: cultivating a life of gratitude, love, mindfulness and achievable goals.

Our new spring gardening and lifestyle book, Grow What You Love, embodies this philosophy and puts it to practical use in the garden and the kitchen. In the book, organic gardening expert Emily Murphy shares tips and tricks for growing your own food, bringing health and happiness into your home, and living a full, joyful life.

Here are some of Emily’s top tips for cultivating joy — plus some beautiful images to inspire your spring planting.

Tip 1: Enjoy nature

“When you start planting, you’ll discover that your garden, however small, is your nearest touchpoint with nature. It draws you in, just as it draws in birds and butterflies, and is a place of solace and experimentation.”

Tip 2: Don’t try to do everything

“You don’t need to grow everything under the sun to make a difference in your life. Instead, focus on the plants that provide abundance with less space and time.”

Tip 3: Work with what you have

“I believe that if you have a container that holds soil and allows for drainage, you’ve got yourself a garden. A mint tin, an old washtub, a basket, a trash can or a wine box can all be transformed into homes for plants — just add drain holes to the sides and bottom and fill it with soil.”

Tip 4: Focus on what brings you happiness

“My advice for any garden is to start small and grow what you love… By starting with the plants you enjoy cooking with, or simply love looking at, you’ll quickly transform the mundane into magic.”

Tip 5: Forget about being perfect

“Let go of perfect. Expect one-hit wonders, consistent winners and losing battles. Don’t wait for everything to be just so to start planting — embrace the fact that gardens are the definition of change. Some plants thrive while others die; you and your garden will evolve together.”

BONUS TIP: Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty

“I won’t lie and say planting and growing a garden will be effortless, but the rewards make every minute worth it. You may face a myriad of challenges, from weather to seed-eating birds, but these challenges are often incredibly valuable — and have an uncanny way of helping us grow along with our gardens.”