The little things that make me happy

During this stressful time in our lives, with college applications and planning for the future, I have been trying to focus some time on the things that I enjoy to make sure I still give myself time to just be happy, even about the little things. With that in mind, my blog will be about the things in my life that bring me joy even when I am struggling with something else.

1. SUNSETS
Sunsets are truly one of my most favorite things in the entire world. They are so gorgeous, and I am lucky enough to have a perfect view of them every night from my backyard. One thing that I miss in the winter is getting to see them during golden hour because the sun sets so early that sometimes I’m still in practice when it happens. It’s gotten to the point where my family will tell me if there’s a pretty sunset outside so that I can go outside and just enjoy it. There’s something so calming about the glorious colors that erupt in the sky in the early evening and it never fails to bring a smile to my face. The amount of pictures of sunsets in my camera roll might be an excessive amount to some people, but I’m glad knowing that I have some way to capture their beauty.

2. BOOKS
I have loved reading ever since I was very young. Before I could read to myself, I would beg my parents and other relatives to read all kinds of books to me, especially the Lorax, which I was obsessed with. They’ve always provided me with an escape from my reality and a chance to explore new ideas and worlds. I’ve been reading some really good ones lately and it’s been nice to use them as a relaxation technique and as a way to experience perspectives outside of my own.

3. THERAPY DOGS
The dogs that the school brought in for a few days are so soft and fluffy. I might be allergic (I am most definitely allergic), but I pet them anyway because they were just so cute and calming when my psych teacher let us out of class a few minutes early to find them. They are definitely doing what the school brought them in for thankfully.

4. MUSIC
Music is something that can get me through a lot of different emotions and is also something that, like reading, I turn to when I need an escape. My playlist is definitely getting a little long, but I find the songs on it so comforting. I also find that playing some piano can help me to destress and lose myself in the music for a little while.

5. FALL
Usually, I’m not a very big fan of fall; I much prefer summer or spring because those seasons mean we are finally moving away from the cold months and toward long days and sunshine. However, this year I find myself enjoying fall more than I usually do, admiring the gorgeous changing trees and getting out my favorite sweaters. It felt like we had more fall this year than we usually get; most of the time it feels like it goes from 85 straight down to 30, but this year it felt like there was finally a little bit of a break in between that fall filled up.6. DRIVING WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN

This has to be one of my favorite things that I started doing during the summer when driving with my friends. It’s especially perfect at night on really hot days because you can get a good cool breeze while you’re driving. Plus, windows down means you can turn the music up louder which is always better. Driving with the windows down and music blasting just seems to me like such a perfect representation of the best teenage moments.
7. TAKING PICTURES
I know our generation gets told a lot that we rely too much on technology that wasn’t available to generations of the past, but I feel like that’s kind of the whole point of advancing society, so that new generations can have it better than past ones did. Either way, I love that I’m able to have a device readily available to me that allows me to easily take pictures and capture memories. I also know that social media can be toxic, but I do appreciate having a place where I can put the pictures that make me the happiest so I can share them with others. When I’m having a bad day, I know that I can always look back on better times to help pull me out of any bad mood and remind me of the best parts of my life.
8. FLUFFY COWS
(This one is kind of random, but I took a quick writing break and saw a video of a really cute cow so) Honestly, any kind of really cute animal that looks like it would be super soft and cuddly could fit in this section, but particularly cows. There are some that just look so perfect that I couldn’t not include them in my list.
9. MAKING A BUCKET LIST
I made one of these over the summer, but I also really enjoy making them overall. I have one going just for life in general that mostly consists of places I want to visit. Those include Santorini (because of the beautiful sunsets) and Italy. I hope to keep both adding new things and taking off the things that I will hopefully eventually have the opportunity to complete. It gives me a way to look forward to my future.