A CHRISTIAN woman is trying to inspire others to become more positive by reflecting on memories and occasions that make them happy.

Deborah Marshal started keeping a journal at the turn of the new year noting one thing that made her happy every single day.

Now the 55-year-old hopes that one day she can turn her memoirs into a book to try and help others “realise their happy”.

My Happy Year - currently taking form on her iPad - was started after her husband, Malc, was given the all-clear from prostate cancer last August.

Despite the terrible experience, they decided they would turn it into a positive turning-point and strive to make 2016 their best year yet.

Malc was diagnosed March 15 last year and underwent major surgery three months later.

“It was a huge shock,” Deborah added. “And they told us it was about to [metastasize].”

Deborah also had some personal difficulties the same year - which she prefers not to go into detail about - which led her to her darkest moment.

“I just thought the only way I’m going to get over this is if I was dead,” she said. “I don’t even have these sort of feelings normally. This is that place people get to and they see the line and if they step over it there’s no coming back.

“I chose to live and that’s how all this came about. I thought ‘next year I’m going to make it a really positive year’. I just want to find something, however tiny, to be happy about it every single day. In fact, sometimes I have three or four things.”

Deborah describes her future book as more motivational than self-help - a different take on her previously published works, Violets and Vines.

“Already I’m noticing in myself that I’m motivated just by writing it,” she added. “A month in and I’m in a completely different zone than I was before. I’m seeing the best in things, even in the mundane but it’s up to you how you find your happy. My motivation is to encourage others that, no matter what things life throws at you, there is still usually something to celebrate.”