I’ve made a conscious decision to set my personal default emotion to “happy.”
That makes sense to me because, unless there’s something specific to be unhappy about, why not at least start from a happy place?
Today is International Happiness Day, so I thought I’d share some of the things that make me especially happy. By the way, it’s a very incomplete list.
1. When my family is happy
2. Walking through Anthropologie
3. Dogs!
4. My iPod
5. The first glimpse of palm trees when landing in San Diego
6. The first glimpse of the skyline when landing in New York
7. Smiling babies
8. Just knowing Starbucks is nearby
9. Good hair days
11. Fall
12. The Quiet Room at Miraval
13. When things work
14. Knowing who to call when they don’t
15. Warm feet
16. Massages
17. Ocean views
18. Remembering to use my Groupons before they expire
19. My birthday
20. Being told “yes”
21. A large bucket of movie popcorn and a large Diet Coke
22. Binge watching Downton Abbey
23. Great seats
24. When the Yankees win
26. Random acts of kindness
27. Cottages
28. Seeing that cardboard box of cronuts at Vons
29. An empty middle seat next to me
30. Getting screeners at the end of the year
31. Laughing with Michael
32. Sleeping through the night (this has not happened in years but would make me very happy)
33. Sleeping on a long plane ride (this has only happened in business class on SwissAir)
34. Going to lunch with my friends
35. Nice comments from my readers
Only 35, Lois? I would imagine there would be a zillion things that make you happy, because you exude happiness in all that you are. But these 35 will do; I’ll meet you for Cronuts and Starbucks in SD (or Miraval) ASAP! xo
It’s a date, my friend! And, yes, I started with 25 but that wasn’t enough and I could have gone on for pages! You should be on that list, too! xo
Hey! My list is a lot like yours!! I would love to share a few together again soon! Maybe #34! xoxo
YES YES YES! xoxo
That’s a great list. Rally goes to show that, more often that, it is the little things 🙂
YES – set the default to happy!!! That way, no matter what happens you can always “restore default settings” — I love it!
This week happiness is laughing until I my cheeks hurt with people I adore, breathing deeply, and taking the time to find joy in the moments – every single one of them.
Oh boy, I agree with most of your list except the Yankees! I am a die hard Red Sox fan, so I get happy when they lose 🙂
What a great attitude, I love it! This is inspiring and was fun to read…. a Starbucks nearby always induces a smile from me. That’s for sure! Thanks for sharing your happy list with us, I need to make one!
Wonderful list and makes me smile
Great list! I relate to #3 and #9 especially. It’s amazing how good hair and seeing a dog can totally turn my frown upside-down no matter what!
Walking through anthropologie and dogs will do it for me too. I love the groupon one LOL – You have a lot of things that make you happy 🙂
HA! I love this list! Especially that song, that I’ve created a Pandora playlist around. My super happy place is Pier 1. Oh I could spend hours in there and buy nothing at all. Listing this stuff is great…especially when, you’re not so happy – and that, for me will happen next week. Just how it goes!!! 🙂
Dogs. Dogs for sure! Ocean views, oh yes. And..well, you said it well. 😉
It really is a state of mind that is so affected by our choices. Good for you to decide it will be your choice to focus on the happy things and either skip over the negatives or not even see there.
My family loves this song! And my kids jam out to it. I love your #2! Agreed,
What a great list!! When you really stop to think about it, MOST of us have so much to be thankful and happy about!! Your list includes many of the same things that make me happy!!
This is a great happy list! Thanks for this reminder to start every day happy! Just makes sense!
Downtown Abbey for the happy win. And I just took a flight that had one empty seat – and it was next to me! Score.
That’s My Number One Too!! LOL! & This Is My Favorite Song I Sing Cause Mamas HAPPY!!! XO
I didn’t realize today was international happiness day! That is a great list of things. I think I would put Cats and Sheep on my list of things that make me happy.
That’s a totally great list. I need to make one!
Love your list! Simple things make me happy like hugs and smiles.
OH, I totally love these! And man oh man do I love when that middle seat on a plane is empty!
What a fun list to do. I can relate to some of those happy things.
seems like a good shirt slogan, set your default to happy. and i like it.
Such a wonderful idea – the happy list, like a prayer could be chanted – I wish to make you laugh 100 times a day!
I love You happy and sad always.
This is a wonderful list of all things yummy and happy! I so enjoy jotting down all those things which turn my world with joy, it serves as a great reminder for those times when I’m feeling not so ‘up’ 😉
Yes to all of these, especially going to Starbucks when your hair looks good after a full night’s sleep 🙂
What a great way to start a Monday! Thanks for the major upper Lois!!
I didn’t even know I had missed Happiness Day. That’s a day I could get into celebrating. Lots of your happiness things make me happy, too.