Twenty-One Things That Make Me Happy

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It’s been all doom and gloom here lately, so I thought I would take the opportunity to adopt my inner Monty Python, look on the bright side of life and think about the things that make me happy:

1. Running. I haven’t been for a while, but I always enjoy being able to run around the park with some sort of heavy metal music blasting in my ears.

2. Surprise gestures. Lots of people I know dislike surprises, but I love them – I often receive little surprises from my nearest and dearest and they always make my day!

3. Spontaneity. An unplanned evening often turns out to the most interesting.

4. Succeeding at something that I almost believed that I was unable to do. Similarly, I’m also happy when I witness other doing this too.

5. Gut chords. This may sound a little graphic, and as a music teacher I can categorically state that this is not a specialist musical term, but it is the way that I have always described the feeling that I get from certain chords and harmonies in my favourite pieces of music – it’s so powerful that I physically feel it in my gut. These can be found in everything from the choruses of 80’s classic rock songs to the high strings in Barber’s Adagio for Strings and regardless of the day that I have had they never fail to cheer me up.

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My beautiful family

6. A day spent with the family. Were were estranged for years and now we have resolved our differences we can spend time together in the way that families should.

7. Witnessing good things happen to good people.

8. Taking a photograph of something beautiful. I take my phone and camera everywhere and have thousands of images of interesting places and happy memories.

9. The discovery of somewhere new. I love exploring new places and it’s always exciting to stumble upon somewhere that is beautiful and interesting.

10. The discovery of someone new. It’s always great to make new friends and I love the process of finding out somebody’s story.

11. A handwritten letter in the post. One of my oldest friends and I used to write letters to each other all the time when we were at university. Thinking about it has inspired me to write one this weekend.

12. Long, hot bubble baths, with a good music playlist in the background.

13. Beautiful food, a well-mixed cocktail and good conversation with lovely friends.

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My little friends

14. My little friends. For the last ten years they have been with me through everything, and they never fail to make me smile.

15. Climbing into a freshly laundered bed at the end of a long, stressful day.

16. Finishing a blog post and pressing the ‘publish’ button. Even after two years of blogging I still get a little kick each time I do this.

17. Dessert. Chocolate fondant, Creme Brûlée, Chocolate and Banana Crepes, my friend’s cupcakes… Yum.

18. Visiting a place that I have only seen in movies and on TV. Standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial is one of the highlights of my life so far.

19. Dancing with friends. Unfortunately, most of my dance moves resemble that of a frog in a blender, but a night spent dancing with friends is always a good one.

20. Reading a book that inspires me to be a better person.

21. Him. My partner in crime. My lobster (although, in this picture, it’s me who appears to be taking on the role after a day in the sun…). My rock.

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What about you guys? What makes you happy?

You can also find me on Twitter and Tumblr @suzie81blog and don’t forget to check out my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/suzie81speaks , my Pinterest page http://www.pinterest.com/suzie81speaks and my Instagram page http://www.instagram.com/suzie81speaks

130 thoughts on “Twenty-One Things That Make Me Happy”

  2. Reading nice posts like this is on the list of things that makes me happy! At the top is nice things happening to good people and the small little nicetes of everyday life.

  3. The Bloke is rather handsome – oh my! I really like that you include when something good happens to others as well as yourself. I love surprises but surprise nights out make me anxious even though, yes sometimes they are the best kind ^_^

  6. Lovely list! I wish I was one of those people for whom running causes happiness. I feel like I must go dancing with you at some point, partly because I love dancing, but mostly because I must see the frog in a blender move!

    • Haha! Thanks Hollie – it’s really not as entertaining as you would think, just arms and legs everywhere. Although, if you’re in Birmingham let me know and we go out haha!

  8. Love all these thing that make you happy. Running, surprises, and seeing others happy definitely make me happy too. Some things that make me happy is a pamper night, my dog, my boyfriend, and community service work (I volunteer at the animal shelter).

  9. Love all of these. Very handsome fellow!!! Beautiful photo of both you!!!! One of my favorite things is the cool breeze on a summer morning, just before the sun comes up, my dogs sleeping on the patio and the birds singing in the trees. I love that!!!

  10. this is a really great list – I do believe you’ve inspired to write my own list today. Just to keep in my pocket for a rainy day:)

  11. What makes me happy? Life! Of course there are numerous specifics like a warm bed; emotional movie; good food; nice scotch; chatting with friends etc. but life in general makes me happy! Even in demanding circumstances, there is always a positive to celebrate. It’s just that sometimes one has to look hard to see it. Sometimes all it takes is to acknowledge another person’s life to really appreciate your own. If all you have to eat is bread, you can either eat it and be happy, or give it somebody living on the streets and see their happiness. “I cried because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.” really says it all to me. Be happy! 🙂

  13. I love this. A lot of these things make me happy as well. Seeing new places, taking pictures! Oh and desert;) love the frog in a blender comparison. Ha!

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  15. Such a great list…another one that I am stealing, and probably today. I need more positive things this week for sure.

  16. Cheers to #7 & `11 especially.
    Your Lobster – is that a Friends reference? If so, seeing ‘good 90s shows referenced’ would be on my makes me smile list!

  19. I love this! It really makes you stop and think about the little things that make us happy as it’s not always about the big stuff. I definitely have to agree with the bubble bath! Great way to unwind and de-stress for me 🙂

    • Thanks my lovely! I had another post ready to go but was feeling a bit inspired this morning! And you can’t beat a good bubble bath, apart from when the water goes cold!

  21. Hmmm Things that make me happy . . . COLD watermelon in the morning with my cup of coffee . . .checking all of the new flowers that blossomed overnight . . .picking peas and green beans for dinner . . .hearing my husband rave over my cooking . . . Spending time with my 82 year old mother who is lots of fun . . .Mainly I’m just happy, really happy to be alive, because I almost wasn’t . . . and the list goes on!

    • What a lovely list! I remember when i was on holiday in Crete and they were selling large slices of cold watermelon by the side of the road near the beach. It was one of the nicest things I’ve ever eaten – perfect for a hot sunny day!

  23. Fun reading the things that make you happy! I agree on the freshly laundered linens! Especially if they have been hanging out on the line in the sun all day. Wish they could bottle that smell. They try in candles etc but it’s not the same. And the Bloke is quite handsome. You make a lovely couple!

    • Ooh yes there’s nothing better than clothes and linens fresh from the washing line after a sunny day! Aww thank you – I read him out the comments I got about him being handsome and he got all embarrassed haha!

      • Haha! He doesn’t think he is at all – he’s actually a really shy person who hates compliments, which took me quite a while to get used to and I’m the opposite!

      • Opposites attract. I’m an introvert. Mike was an extrovert and loved being the center of attention. Together we balanced each other. He made me get out and do things I wouldn’t normally do, and I taught him how to hush!

  24. Cats, bubble baths and climbing into a freshly laundered bed at the end of the day also make me happy. I’d have to add a sharpened #2 pencil, camping in the woods and a new purse 🙂

    • Ooh I would totally agree with a sharpened pencil too – there’s something so satisfying about it, but I don’t know why! Although, me and camping don’t make a very good combination haha!

  25. I am glad you always have the Bloke on your side. I think a big weight off your shoulders should help lighten the mood. I do understand worries, though. Leaving the teaching world is NOT the end of the world; just the beginning, Suzie. 🙂

  28. This is a lovely post Susie. I also get a bit bogged down in negativity, so it is nice to read something positive and happy. as we all do have so much to be thankful for, I also get that little thrill when I hit ‘publish’ at the end of a post or when I get a comment 🙂

  29. Your little friends are utterly gorgeous 😻😻 and there’s something non judgemental about the company of a pet.
    Needless to say, music makes me happy – especially when you listen to a new song and you can feel something creeping up the back of your neck because you’ve found a belter. As a blogger, the ultimate is when someone compliments you for introducing them to new music that they enjoy – you really feel your worth then.
    Oh, and food. I love food. Especially the Friday night takeaway when we can all leave the week’s events behind.

    • Thank you! I totally agree about the music – the whole gut chord gets me every time! I get obsessive about certain songs and will find any opportunity to tell people about them!

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  32. Hi Suzie, glad to find one of your posts on a linky – in my first few weeks of blogging I happened upon a linky party you were hosting and LOVED finding a load of new people in what was then a whole new world. So, thanks for that!
    I love that you call your fella your ‘lobster’ 😉
    #binkylinky
    x Alice

  34. Photography makes me happy – each and every time – even as much as it frustrates me at times 😉

    Stopping by from Sharefest!

    • Thanks for stopping by! I love the sharefest – I get to meet so many new people! I love looking at and editing photographs i have taken, particularly if i discover some that are better than i expected! Do you take many photographs?

  36. I want to echo some of the other commenters, and say that’s it’s great to see a “positive” post. It’s so much easier to focus on the negative, sometimes we need reminders like this!
    As for what’s making me happy these days, a big one is finally figuring out the best use for the spare bedroom in our house. It was a storage room, than an office, then some horrible hybrid of the two. We’ve finally settled on using it strictly as a storage room so that the tiny storage closet in our kitchen can be used to store those ugly recycling bins instead.

  38. Great post! It’s a fabulous idea to take stock of what makes you happy. I love the idea of bubble baths, but once I’m in I get bored far too quickly. I shall have to stick with singing (loudly & badly) in the shower, as well as adopting your crepes suggestion – clearly NOT at the same time! 😉

  39. Everyone should have a list like this – and to refer back to it often. I think I made one a few years ago and need to pull it back out. On my list would be: chocolate, bubble baths, cheesy funny girlie movies, blasting happy music loudly with and without singing or dancing along with it 😉
    I’m co-hosting the #HomeMattersParty link party this month and would love to have you stop by for a visit. The current party is open until Monday night. http://alaynascreations.co/2015/07/24/home-matters-linky-party-47/

  41. What a lovely list. Writing things like this makes us appreciate a little more what we have doesn’t it. I really need to back to writing a gratitude list. I think you might have inspired me 🙂

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  44. Dino babe reminding me I need to do some serious blog catch up and housekeeping. I’ve lost the plot with email notifications again and need to revert to the reader. :/ Twenty-one great happy thoughts, Suzie. And a rather fab looking couple. 🙂 x

  45. Ditto on #16! By now, I’d have expected to be accustomed to it, but there’s always that little thrill. I hope it stays that way forever. 🙂

    • I’ve been doing it for two and a half years and the feeling hasn’t subsided yet! It’s such a blast when you put something out there that you’re proud of!

  47. Stopping by on my way home from a dinosaur’s birthday party 😉 to say hi — what a cheerful post to have landed upon! Your little friends are beautiful; I’m glad you’ve all had each other to make happy for such a long time.
    best, alice

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