Happiness

I recently read a blog post by StephJ, Happiness – 101 Simple Things,  and I am inspired to reflect on what happiness means to me.

If you look up happiness in the dictionary you will find, ‘the state of being happy’. That doesn’t really help does it?

There is certainly no shortage of quotes about happiness. Some of my favourites include:

• “Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.”
  ― Ernest Hemingway, The Garden of Eden

Okay Ernest, so if I feel happy I must be…. stupid?

• “Sanity and happiness are an impossible combination.”
  ― Mark Twain

Even better… if I’m happy I must be insane.

• “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”
  ― Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi, I knew I could count on you to be uplifting. Thank you for that.

For me, I think happiness is something we all seek and it comes and goes throughout life, for if it didn’t we could never truly appreciate it. It’s a state of being, of living in the moment and letting the moment flow through you. It can feel big and loud and burst out of you as hearty laughter or in can be small and quiet and warm your heart in quiet reticence.

Here are 101 little things in my life which make me happy, in no particular order:

1. Vacations with my family
2. Sunsets
3. The ocean
4. Sunsets on the ocean (nirvana!)
5. Soft, warm, homemade bread fresh from the oven, slathered with butter
6. A clean kitchen
7. Baking
8. Warm, fuzzy socks
9. Baby animals, particularly baby beavers
10. Chocolate, dark chocolate, 85% or greater
11. A good book that I just can’t put down
12. Sitting by the campfire with family and friends
13. Perfectly toasted marshmallows
14. Dry red wine
15. Funny chemistry jokes, often funny to me but not always funny to other people
16. The fresh smell of clothes after being dried on a clothesline
17. Fish, chips, dressing and gravy
18. Listening to my favorite song
19. Quiet time
20. A good cup of coffee
21. Walking on the sea wall
22. A new pairs of boots
23. Memories of times with my grandparents, I was so lucky to have four special grandparents who were a big part of my childhood
24. Flowers
25. Walking on a beach
26. When someone else plans my vacation and hands me the itinerary
27. Recognition for a job well done
28. Camping with my family
29. Floating on the lake
30. Hiking with my family
31. Leaving town
32. The Minions
33. Window shopping
34. The first light fall of snow, just a dusting, not 5 feet, that I can do without
35. Hugging my parents when they pick me up at the airport
36. Impromptu hugs from my kids
37. Long walks with my husband
38. Sunshine
39. The smell of fresh ground coffee
40. Dinner with friends
41. Gelato
42. Exploring a new place
43. Getting my hair done
44. High speed Wi-Fi
45. Changing into my pyjamas after a long day at work
46. Lazy Saturday mornings
47. Sewing with my mother
48. When I finish knitting a scarf
49. Learning something new
50. Positive comments
51. Eating the blue potatoes that my Dad grows in his garden
52. An empty laundry hamper
53. The smell of fresh basil
54. Hummingbirds
55. Organizing
56. Card making with friends
57. Conversations that challenge me
58. Legging outfits
59. Enthusiastic people who are interested in sharing new ideas and working together
60. Using a router
61. Thunder and lightning
62. The smell of freshly cut grass
63. Gardening
64. Hanging out clothes early in the morning
65. Hitting ‘publish’ when I complete a blog post
66. Hearing a Newfoundland accent
67. Cod fishing with family and friends
68. Disneyland
69. Fireworks
70. Brunch
71. Helping a friend
72. Playing cards
73. The Game of Things with family and friends
74. Laughing until I cry
75. Puppies
76. Watching my kids play their musical instruments
77. Looking at old photos
78. Museums
79. Seeing a light go on in someone’s eyes when they learn something new
80. Reminiscing with friends
81. A comfy bed
82. The smell of Sunday dinner cooking at Mom and Dad’s
83. The smell of bacon cooking outside on a Coleman while camping
84. Picnics
85. Going for a drive somewhere new
86. Hot soup on a cold day
87. Rainbows
88. Starry nights
89. A day with nothing planned
90. Bookstores
91. Trying new foods
92. Catching capelin
93. When the doctor tells you good news
94. The sound of beach rocks moving with the waves
95. The colours of autumn
96. Money in the bank
97. A hot shower
98. Completing a project
99. The beginning of summer
100. Sand between my toes
101. Homemade pie made by someone other than me

So there is my list. Little things that bring me feelings of happiness. I found that compiling this list brought me happiness, made me laugh out loud sometimes, brought specific memories to mind. If you decide to compile your own list please let me know. A big thank you to StephJ for the idea!