What Makes Me Happy

I haven't blogged in a while, but I feel like talking about happiness today.

I think I'm super low maintenance in the happiness area; it does't really take a lot. That whole thing about money not buying happiness? Check. I get that. I have no particular attachment to things. Don't get me wrong; I LOVE gifts. I LOVE jewelry. I mean, who doesn't? I wouldn't turn my nose up at a little blue box.

But I don't need it. And I certainly don't associate that with love. 

Let me tell you what DOES make me happy...

1. Having a brand new project to work on.....making things with my hands.

2. Spending time with people who love me...we don't even really have to be doing anything special. 

3. Getting phone calls. I LOVE talking on the phone. I LOVE hearing my friends' voices.

4. Getting texts....even if all they say is "I love you and am thinking of you"

5. Hearing Sarah laugh....OMG that is the best sound in the whole world

6. Puppy kisses

7. Friends checking on me when they know I'm going through something tough.

8. Music and singing

9. Talking about books/nerdy things with someone equally interested

10. When Nick actually decides to spend time with the family

11. PICTIONARY!!!!

12. Hiking/being outside/camping.....I rarely get to do this

13. the ocean

14. Being held, especially if I'm feeling bad. 

15. Sci-Fi or fantasy movies

16. People telling me how they feel about me...over and over. Yeah, I know that is stupid, but it is true.

17. cooking

18. boxing

19. baby animals

20. baths/hot tubs. 

I'm sure there are many many more things that make me happy. Point is, most of these are things I can't buy. Most of these things are experiences, and those are the things I remember and cling to when I'm not so happy. 

There are lots of commercials for things that supposedly will make you happy or make your life better; those commercials make me gag. Most of the things that make me the happiest only make me happy because of the people who experience them with me. While I like nice things, I would be fine without them...but I wouldn't be fine without the people I love. 

I may not want to have very many people in my circle, but the people I let in are VERY important to me. Happiness comes from loving both myself and those few people. The people in my circle make my life worth living; I sometimes wonder if the people in my circle know how truly important they are and how carefully I selected them. :)