I suffer from an anxiety disorder so I have focused quite a lot on how to make myself feel happy and relaxed during my lifetime. Here are five things that make me feel happy:

1. Move!

I find that I can make myself feel happier just by changing the way I'm sitting or standing. Having a little stretch or sitting straight up and getting energy into the body makes me feel alert and at ease.

Taking this notion even further I find that exercise is a great way to feel better. I run quite often and feeling this achievement of just putting on a pair of trainers and moving is great for me. I remember my PE teacher yelling at me back in the day that I'd have a heart attack before I was thirty if I didn't jog in my lesson! Infact I run now because I enjoy it, not because I'm trying to lose weight or have a keep fit target or anything.

I also think yoga is a great exercise to make you happy. It can be as challenging as you want it to be physically or just a gentle routine. Stretching out the whole of the body and pumping blood into your organs feels fantastic.

2. Get Outdoors

I have known a few depressed people and when they feel bad they often won't leave the house or get out of bed even. I personally used to be so anxious that I did not want to go outside. Then I realised there is a whole natural world out there waiting to be discovered. Finding out about local areas of natural beauty made me feel so happy and made me want to do something rather than just sit around. I love watching bees, insects, birds and other wildlife. Identifying species can be a distraction if you are feeling at all sad. Feeling the sun on your face and the wind in your hair is fantastic too. Don't shun rainy days either - just get a rain coat and get down to your local woods or park and see what's out there!

3. Pay It Forward

I have often heard this phrase and have often been told that a life of contribution can make you content and happy. I'm not really a people person so I contribute in areas that mean something to me - animals and nature. Whatever you are passionate about find a way to do something useful in this area and do it! Volunteer, campaign, even just doing something small scale can make you feel proud and happy.

4. Celebrate With Family/Friends

One of the best things in life for me is to celebrate whenever and however you can. What I mean by that is I make sure that I try and value my life and to mark it with celebration. I like to see life as meaning something special no matter what I'm doing. I like to get family together and take pictures and videos of our times together. Doing things with likeminded people in your community can also give you a sense of happiness and worth. Parties, fetes, fayres etc. are great fun.

5. Learning

I like to feel like I'm constantly learning something new - this makes me feel happy. Reading new books, learning about culture and politics, viewing new artists or watching films. It's good to feel like you are progressing and becoming a better person.