I don’t know about you all right now, but with the political climate in the US being what it is, I’m finding it harder and harder to stay positive on a day-to-day basis. That’s not to say there aren’t good things happening to me, or to the world at large. But when your healthcare is in jeopardy and your state has just defunded Planned Parenthood, when your government is trying to roll back important environmental protections and you worry weekly about nuclear warfare, well . . . everything else kind of pales in comparison.
Although it’s important to prioritize and address the big, ugly problems facing this country and this planet at this point in history, I would argue that it’s equally important to take the time to appreciate the good things in our lives, no matter how small they seem.
So, without further ado, here’s a not-so-short list of the things making me happy right now:
1. Warmer weather
2. How freaking green it is where I live right now
3. How beautiful the neighborhoods surrounding my workplace look now that EVERYTHING is blooming
4. The fact that school’s out for the summer, most of the college kids have gone home, and I’ll be able to find parking downtown again
5. Sitting on the patio at my favorite summer coffee shop
6. Awesome-sounding frappuccino flavors at Starbucks
7. Coming home after work and being able to open my windows
8. Evening walks as the sun is setting
9. Looking at the clock around 8:30 and realizing that it isn’t fully dark yet
10. Having my car paid off
11. Being able to actually save money
12. Knowing that I have over half the PTO saved up that I’ll need for time off this summer
13. Fresh fruit galore at the grocery store
14. The return of the local farmer’s market
15. Driving with my windows down
16. All of the spring cleaning I’ve accomplished
17. This new dumpling place downtown that I’m obsessed with
18. The prospect of shopping for new summer dresses
19. My belly dancing classes (I’ve taken 3 sessions so far, and I love it!)
20. The fact that my favorite custard stand Dairy Queen is open
21. More excuses to go out for ice cream/frozen yogurt because it isn’t freaking cold anymore
22. Planning my trip to Bavaria (among other places)
23. The smell of freshly mowed grass
24. Lightning bugs
25. Waking up in the morning when it’s light and not needing to put on a sweatshirt or bathrobe to ward off the chill
I realize that the majority of this post is basically just a love letter to summer, but I find it a lot easier to be happy and positive around this time of year than I do in the dead of winter.
Let me know what good things you’ve got going on in your life right now, or link me to your own list in the comments.