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say to wisdom, "you are my sister." {prov 7.4}

Make a Happy List

How to be happier? Start thinking consciously. Make a list of things you love, things that bring you joy and pleasure, things that add to your happiness. People. Places. Sounds. Experiences. Make it a long list, and notice how many of those things are already in your life on a regular basis. Stop, and be thankful. Then start adding in more happiness to your life by including those items on your list: cut out the frustrating, irritating things and include happy things instead. It's your life.

{My Happy List}

  • sitting in bed, drinking coffee and reading and writing
  • white bathrooms
  • taking long walks off the paved paths
  • playing outside with my children
  • white, plush bed linens
  • chatty phone calls with my best friends
  • writing letters
  • summer picnics
  • browsing in bookstores
  • music, bands, concerts
  • climbing trees
  • simple, fresh food
  • homemade bread
  • playing soccer
  • coffee and conversation with anyone interesting
  • learning, researching, studying, taking notes
  • reading poetry
  • memorizing and quoting beautiful lines back to myself
  • trips to the farmer's market
  • working in the garden
  • being lost in a novel
  • sitting outside in the morning coolness
  • playing guitar, singing
  • relaxed, unhurried cooking
  • loud-music, windows-down drives in the car
  • breakfast food when somebody else makes it: waffles, pancakes, hot coffee, omelets
  • porch swings
  • making things
  • mowing the yard
  • garage sales, thrift stores
  • making lists
  • dark chocolate
  • being barefoot
  • being outside
  • fresh flowers in the house
  • open, uncluttered spaces
  • giving things away
  • music I can sing with: Ella Fitzgerald, Natalie King Cole, country, opera, musical theatre, Norah Jones, Misty Edwards, the Cranberries, Elvis Costello, Gogol Bordellos, VeggieTales, Carole King, Evanescence, Skillet, Aretha
  • daring, original, get-your-interest, expressive ways of writing, combining genres
  • detailed, imaginative stories about animals, nature, fairies, secret worlds, shipwrecks, islands
  • orchids, hydrangeas, tulips, sweet williams
  • bright colors
  • teaching
  • a warm scone and a latte
  • taking walks with my family
  • talking with Joe
  • unscheduled days
  • the sound of a typewriter

Inconvenience is worthwhile, sometimes.

Put more of this happy stuff in your life. It doesn't inconvenience anyone, and even if it does... well, it might be worth it. All-white bed linens, for example. Not practical when you're a Mom of three kids under three years old. It inconveniences me to have to wash and bleach my sheets and comforter and shams on a regular basis to keep them white. But it's worth it for me every time I walk into my bedroom and see a beautiful, plush, all-white bed. Even more worth it at night when I get to snuggle down into that bed. Aaaaah.

Free to a good home: happiness.

Hardly anything on this list costs money, or any significant amount of money. You could spend a lot on concerts and bed linens, but that's not necessary. I love local bands and the free concerts offered at city parks in the summertime. Those cost nothing.

Great books: free at my local library. Dark chocolate: a few dollars here and there, same with a great cup of coffee to enjoy over conversation. Long walks: free. Climbing trees: free. Kicking a soccer ball around in the front yard: free.

Happy me.

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Category: Women and Life

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