Procrastadabbler

There’s a movement in psychology called “Positive Psychology.” It works to understand what people do in their lives to be happier. One of the things the researchers have found is that happier people take the time to identify those things in their lives for which they are grateful. My husband and I have tried to make a daily ritual of recounting those moments. So in that spirit, I’m going to write about what make me happy. This is in part an antidote to the complaint list I made a short time ago.

• Discovering new (to me) music
• Rediscovering music I forgot about
• Painting my toenails
• Going on a bike ride and feeling strong
• Apple and cherry blossoms
• Finishing a writing project
• Watching the light turn on in a student
• Seeing a student get excited about a text
• A phone call from one of my children, a sibling, or a friend
• Lunch with one of my children or a friend
• A walk with my husband
• Soft rain
• Soft wind
• The sun warming a corner of my porch on a cool spring or fall day
• Glowing sunsets
• The morning sun peaking through the trees outside my bedroom window.
• NPR: “This American Life,” “Fresh Air,” “American Shorts” “This American Life”
• My iPod
• Having a former student say hello to me when we run into each other out in the world
• Waves crashing on the rocks of Lake Ontario. (Can’t explain it, but it’s different from the ocean)
• The mist rolling across fields
• Screaming seagulls
• Bird songs
• A tomato fresh out of my garden (hasn’t happened in a few years, but I keep trying)
• Hikes in the mountains (any mountains)
• Hikes in the woods (any woods)
• Listening to the rain while cozy in my bed or wrapped in blanket on my porch with a cup of tea and a good book
• Time to read for fun
• The Harry Potter series
• The knowledge that there are countless other good books out there for me to discover
• Watching a good movie
• Fresh popped popcorn
• The snap of a carrot
• The snap of quality chocolate
• That first sip of a really good wine
• The presentation of a beautiful meal
• A meal made by anyone other than me, and one that I don’t have to clean up after
• A new pair of beautiful (and comfortable) shoes
• Joyous laughter
• The sound of children playing on a playground
• The crunch of leaves underfoot in the fall
• The squeak of snow underfoot in the winter
• Sun sparkling on fresh snowfall
• Holding my husband’s hand as we walk
• The way my husband pulls me off the road when a car is coming down the road as we’re taking a walk
• When my children smile
• The annual Jacobs family Thanksgiving soccer game
• Crawling into bed at night – and that’s where I’m going right now.

I think I’m a fortunate soul. I have a great list. I hope you’re able to develop one too.