Everyone wants it. Happiness. It's something we are all trying to achieve. Many think that the path to happiness is complicated or costly. But I am here to tell you that happiness can be found in the simplest of things.
Happiness is...
Getting enough sleep.
Not having to set an alarm. Waking up feeling refreshed. Stretching. Knowing you are in no rush to be anywhere. Getting the chance to lay there and collect your thoughts.
That first cup of coffee not long after you have opened your eyes.
The warmth, the smell, it's like a hug to congratulate you for getting out of bed.
Staying in pajamas, sweat pants, yoga pants, comfy clothes, etc., all day.
Comfort is key.
The sound of rain on your window when you take a nap, or fall asleep at night.
That subtle noise makes sleep that much more enjoyable.
Long drives alone.
You can listen to whatever music you want. You can turn it up as loud as you want. You can sing as amazing or as off key as you want. Or you can sit in silence and think as much as you want. Long drives are good for a stressed out or complicated mind.
Good company.
The kinds of people that are easy to talk to. The ones that you can have a genuine conversation with. They want to know how you have been, what is happening in your life, where you plan to go from here. You can talk about dreams, goals, aspirations, God, anything is free game. But it's also insightful, and makes you think.
Sitting.
That may sound silly but think about it. Sitting in a rocking chair on a porch. The sun is either rising or setting. The wind is blowing softly. It's quiet. Peaceful. Or sitting in a chair at the beach. You hear the waves, feel the warmth from the sun, hear faint music coming from someone's radio, watch children or dogs splashing in the waves. You sit and take in the world around you.
Laughing.
That kind of laugh that brings tears to your eyes, makes your stomach ache, leaves you gasping for breath, and you can't even think about whatever made you laugh in the first place without erupting into enormous giggles all over again. The kind of laugh that seems to make anything that was bothering you, disappear, or forget the stresses of life just for a moment. A good laugh seems to create a clean slate of thought and feelings.
A hot shower.
The kind that is so hot you can hardly stand it, and you're probably sweating but you can't tell or really care. This is the kind of shower you take after a long day. In the winter when you have been outside and every part of you seems to be freezing. When you've been on your feet for hours at work. When your mind is overwhelmed and seems to be shooting in a hundred different directions. When you need a good cry. When your body aches or just feels exhausted. Hot showers wash it all away.
A long hug from someone you haven't seen in a while.
The embrace is warm. The feelings are mutual. You both have missed what the other feels like. It's comfort and it's something familiar that you didn't know you had forgotten.
Ordering your favorite dish at a restaurant.
You can already picture in your mind what it will look like, smell like, taste like. When it finally arrives at your table, it seems to be even better than what you remembered. A leap of excitement jumps from your stomach to your throat. You can't wait to take the first bite.
Holding someone's hand.
This gesture may seem small. But, to me, it is so intimate. Whether it's your best friend, your parent, a grandparent, lover, or small child, the simple act of hand holding makes you feel connected to a person in a way you didn't know you could feel. It's not overbearing or inappropriate. In some ways it's the perfect amount of comfort someone needs to put them at ease or make them feel special.
Handwritten notes.
Cards that are store bought with a person's signature at the bottom are great and all, but just think of how important it makes you feel for someone to take the time to sit down and actually write words meant especially for you. They were thinking about you. They are pouring their heart out onto a page, just for you. They are giving up their time they could have spent doing something else just to let you know how they feel or that you are significant enough that they thought of words you needed to know.
Contentment in being alone.
Be able to get coffee by yourself. Go to a book store alone. Shop alone. Eat alone. Sleep alone. Run alone. Adventure alone. Being alone gives you the chance to have deep thoughts and no distractions. You find out who you are, and what you enjoy because you are calling your own shots, and no one else is there to sway your opinions or choices.
Camp fires.
Something about sitting around a fire at night brings peace to the soul. It's warm. It's entrancing. Normally s'mores are involved, and how could that ever be a negative?
Being in a place or with a person that makes you forget about your phone.
You enjoy the moment, the scenery, and/or the company. The rest of the world can wait.
Noticing a good quality in someone.
Realizing how much you appreciate the person. Giving them a compliment and seeing the happiness leak out of the corners of their mouth and into a smile.
A good book.
One that's story line is so enticing you can't seem to put it down. You get wrapped up in it's contents. Emotions and all. It's like you were really there, experiencing it yourself. A book that makes you feel something. It moves you. It gets the gears in your brain turning. Opens your mind up to new concepts and ideas you had not thought of before.
Crawling into a bed of clean sheets.
That one is pretty self-explanatory.
Breakfast for supper.
Breakfast food is actually wonderful at any time of the day. Simply delicious.
God moments.
You may have to look for them, but God is present in everything, even the smallest of details and circumstances. Whether He helps you pass the quiz you forgot to study for, or keeps you safe in an accident. God moments can be found in everything we do. It's like His reminder to us that we are so loved and He is in control.
Simplicity in happiness could go on and on. I hope this list shed light on the smallest details of life that give you something to be happy about. Life is good, and all good things come from above. We are so blessed.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17
