I feel like I am often getting caught up in too much activity. I am a busy person and get easily frustrated and overwhelmed. I don’t take enough time to appreciate what makes me happy. Taking the time to recognize the amazing parts of life, no matter how big or small, needs to be done more often. Here are the top 5 things in my life that make me happy.
- Sunsets on the beach
Anyone who knows me knows I love the sunset. It’s my favorite part of the day because I love the colors of the sky. Watching the sky fade from purple to pink, or orange to yellow with all the in between shades is mesmerizing. I grew up on an east coast beach, but for college I moved to Tampa, Florida and now get to experience a west coast sunset. I’m lucky enough to live a 10 minute drive from a beach. I try to go watch the sunset whenever I can. I’ll bring a blanket and a book and just take in the moment.
- Reading a new book
I’m a big reader, always have been. My busy schedule prevents me from reading in my free time, so I love being able to just sit and escape into a new world. I am always looking for new reads because I love getting immersed into wherever my book is taking me. Thankfully, I have great weather where I live, so I like to set up my hammock and read when it’s slightly breezy.
- Late night talks with close friends
My friends and I talk about everything together. Our relationships are open and honest. We strive to make each other comfortable so we have the opportunity to talk about anything. Realistically, our conversations are not that deep, but once it gets late and we’re sleepy we just start listing off anything we can think of—which leads to us having deep belly laughs. They’re my people, so any quality time with them is like no other.
- Car rides with no destination
Sometimes a car ride is the most therapeutic part of my day. I can be myself, listen to my own music, and sing as loud (and awfully) as I want. This helps me explore and find new places with new views, and I have so much fun with that. My friends will join and this ties into my previous happiness influence.
- Listening to new music for the first time
I get so excited when new music gets released and I get to listen to it for the first time ever. I love being able to explore new music and learn more about the artist through song. I like a wide variety of genres, so it’s always fun to find something new. One of my favorite parts of this is when someone sends me a song to listen to that I haven’t heard before. It shows that I was thought about during the song and I get to understand my friends even more.