1.      My family makes me happy. And by family, I mean ALL the people I choose to surround myself with. The people in my life and my relationships with them are what make every day a blessing. Yes, it sounds cliché, but that’s because it’s true. I love, love, love my people.

2.      A long, deep kiss makes me happy. I mean, c’mon. Being kissed well by the one you love and returning the favor with passion is tops! Knowing that someone wants their lips on yours like that feels pretty damn good.

3.      A delicious, steaming hot cup of coffee makes me happy. I’ve been known to get out of bed simply to get a cup of coffee down my throat. I have a love letter to coffee somewhere on this blog. Coffee definitely makes me smile.

4.      Sunsets make me happy. Any sunset anywhere will make me stop and take it in, but the ones on the Gulf Coast of Florida where I grew up are my favorite. The salty air, the gentle waves, and the sky painted every shade of pink, purple, orange, and red make me stop and breathe and feel happy to be alive. Every single time.

5.      My dog makes me happy. This crazy mutt with his floppy ears and maniac behavior makes me laugh every day. He sleeps with me, he sits with me, he keeps me company.

6.      Fresh flowers make me happy. Stargazer lilies are my favorite, but honestly, any fresh flowers will do. They brighten any table or room, and they smell good. I’m glad I live in a part of the world where fresh flowers are plentiful and relatively inexpensive.

7.      Music makes me happy. I especially love live music – concerts, coffee shop guitarists, jazz trios, whatever. I saw Michael Franti and Spearhead recently, and the amount of joy that man brings to his shows is just incredible. Everyone sings, dances, and smiles the whole time. If you don’t know him, you should; go look him up and listen! Music is restorative.

8.      A really good conversation with someone makes me happy. It’s always nice to talk with a friend or family member and feel like you’re heard. It’s refreshing to learn something new about someone else. Conversations that bring you closer together are healing. They remind us of one another’s humanity. And you can usually give and receive a hug afterward – bonus!

9.      Being in or near the water makes me happy. Maybe it’s my Pisces blood, but for me, there’s nothing like standing near the ocean or a lake or even jumping into a swimming pool. Water is therapeutic for me in a way that nothing else is. I especially love to walk on sandy beaches, feet in and out of the water lapping the shore. Bliss.

10.   Sleep makes me happy. The older I get, the harder it seems to be to get a really restorative night’s sleep, so when those nights come along, I notice them. Deep rest and awakening fully alert is something that puts a smile on my face and extra productivity in my day.

11.   Writing makes me happy. I’ve been slacking on publishing anything for this challenge for the past couple of days, but I have been writing. Writing not only helps me process my thoughts and feelings, it often teaches me things about myself I didn’t know – which is sometimes surprising! I may shape up some of the pieces I’ve been working on and publish extra posts today. We’ll see how the day goes – I did get some of that restorative sleep last night!