The other evening, inspired by a Facebook community I subscribe to, I made a list of things that make me happy. Here’s what I came up with…

1. Bringing home a large library haul.
2. Listening to honest-to-goodness, turn-the-knob-to-find-the-station radio.
3. Going to the beach on a weekday with Chet.
4. Spending an evening inside with candles lit, blankets piled high, and a really cozy pair of pj pants.
5. Getting brunch with friends the morning after a big event (think: conference, wedding, work party) to rehash all the happenings from the day/night before.
6. Late afternoon walks with a good podcast.
7. Claiming a table outside at a restaurant/bar with a group of friends and proceeding to laugh the night away.
8. One on one conversations over coffee.
9. Eating food after a long day swimming at the beach or hiking in the mountains.
10. 30 minutes of juicy stretching (read: yoga) after a really long and stressful day.
11. Watching true crime documentaries, obscure reality shows, and suspenseful TV.
12. Obsessing over a certain topic until I’ve read every longform article, non-fiction book, and thought-provoking essay on the matter that I can get my hands on.
13. Traveling by train.
14. Solving problems when the stakes feel high.
15. Receiving something exciting or unexpected in my mailbox.

I’d love to know, WHAT’S ON YOUR LIST? It may seem simple, but identifying what makes you happy is a wonderful first step to doing those things more! And Lord, do I feel like we need to do more happy-making things right about now.