These days it is so easy to get overwhelmed, tired, cranky. It seems everytime I turn around there is bad news or someone trying to rain on someone else’s parade. I noticed that the past few weeks my usual optimism had taken a vacation and I was bottoming out. I made the conscious decision to stop focusing on the negative and frustrating and work on gratitude and positive thoughts. Then, while helping a friend, I sprained my ankle. Now, I’m not known for my grace, but really? After everything this year and now a sprained ankle (and no health insurance and a stick shift car) on my week at home. Moped for a day and then realized that wasn’t helping so I decided to make a list of things that make me happy/laugh/smile. After 5 minutes, I ended up with 40 items. I’m posting them here so anytime I start going down cranky street, all I have to do is call up the website and see these. What about you? What makes you happy/smile/laugh? Post in comments if you’d like.
- Dinner with D (especially when we make it together)
- Slow mornings
- Reading in front of the fire with a cup of hot tea
- Good cup of coffee
- Dessert
- Winter sunshine
- Summer rain
- The first tomato off the vine
- Skypeing with my sisters
- Playing with my nieces and nephews
- Going somewhere new
- Buffy or Firefly
- Water
- Wine and chocolate
- Backpacking
- Museums
- Libraries
- Baking
- Feeding people
- Musicals
- Cashmere and Merino Wool
- Fall leaves in New England
- New England apples
- The Oatmeal
- Douglas Adams
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- Potlucks with friends
- Visiting with family
- Clam Chowder
- The seashore
- Getting dressed up
- Beers at a pub with live music
- Classical concerts
- They Might be Giants
- Butternut Squash Ravioli
- Neko cuddling in bed in the morning
- Watching D think when he doesn’t know I’m watching
- Phone calls with Ms. B
- Big Bang Theory
- Packages in the mail