[DePressMe]

This may sound a little silly, but I take great satisfaction in changing that little mood icon next to my name—the one that says whether I am happy or sad or depressed or whatever. When I am able to go from a negative to a positive it gives me a little boost. When I have to go from a positive to a negative I feel like at least people know that I’m not feeling so good. And, sometimes, I put great thought into picking my icon—it forces me to think about my overall wellness.

Thinking about the little things in life definitely helps me appreciate life a little more. So, I have been thinking…what are the little things in life that give me joy or satisfaction? Below are a few of mine—what are yours?

Freshly washed sheets with lotsa fabric softener
Ice cold freshly squeezed lemonade
Birds chirping in the morning
The smell of my BBQ when I am grilling
My computer—I love my computer—it can do anything!
Drinking coffee from my favorite coffee mug

[beelieving]

Hi DePressMe,

What a sweet topic. I’ve noticed the more I slow down the more joy I find within my day. In this moment my joy comes from little things like...

<font color="#008800"> ~ Waking to a rooster
~ Opening the blinds
~ Picking up my mail
~ Smelling burning incense
~ Laying on very soft pillows
~ Seeing sun through my crystals
~ Checking my plants for new leaves
~ And making at least one connection with someone</font>

Sending you joy! ~ Bee

finding newly ripened tomatoes and cucumbers
scratching Mikee's head and listening to him purr
air conditioning
when a patient with Alzheimers obviously is glad to see me
neat tee-shirts
my chickens
music
ice water
a cold coke
a smile from a stranger

[sabby]

Hearing my grandson's sing-songy voice in the morning saying "Good Morning Grammie"

A gentle breeze on a hot day

Hearing my favorite song on the radio (whatever song it may be at the time LOL)

Hearing my husband's voice on the phone saying "I love you always and forever"

The smell of homebaked bread and cookies

A hot shower

A dip in a cool lake or river

Staring at a roaring fire while the crickets are chirping

Watching a butterfly flit all over the place

Watching fireflies and imagining where I'll see them light up next

Just to state a few

((((((((((((((((((((((((((DePressMe)))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Thanks for this thread, thinking about these things is calming and putting a smile on my face!

Hugssssss
J

[MotherSuperior]

music--listening and playing

computers

finding out that I really can play an "F" chord on the guitar

the greetings I get from my dog and cat when I get home

The Young And The Restless (my guilty pleasure)

making all the green traffic lights when I'm going home

sudoku puzzles

[morning_view]

This is such a great thread! I've got a big smile on my face just from reading all of the ones so far! Yay! He's a few of mine to maintain the chain....

- That moment when I'm flying back from mainland UK to my home island and it comes into view for the first time in months

- That warm feeling you get just before a big thunderstorm hits

- waking up to/drifting of to sleep to the sound of pattering rain on the roof

- getting a letter from someone who isn't a bank or junkmail

- Waking up and realising you actually have the whole day to yourself

- Looking up at night and seeing the milkyway (which I can only see on my home island, not in the city)

- When I visit friends and theyir cat jumps on me, lets me pick it up or rubs against my legs and they tell me it hates any visitors/strangers to the house (but for some reason, not me)

- The words "I've really missed you"

- Watching a magpie

- the sound of the sea

awww, I feel all glowy now.... :-)

[seeker1950]

This IS a great thread!
I got a great boost today hearing one of my twin grandsons voice on the telephone..."Love you, Gram!"

Hearing the half-hour song of the mockingbird outside my window each morning...amazing!

My goofy Golden Retriever pup.

A cold Coke (like Pat) in a glass 6 oz. bottle!

Driving to class at MU and listening to Classic Hard Rock music...none of the fluffy bubblegum stuff!

Saying HI and talking to my nice neighbors!

My two coon cats !

Patty

[gostryter]

my pups' kisses
sleeping in on saturdays
first cool day after long hot summer
glass of sweet ice tea
oranges
mom 'n dad's new little kitten

standing on the beach in a storm and watching the waves roll

the smell of my coffee brewing in the morning

seeing squirrels play on the tree outside, going for treats

watching the humming birds flit in to eat

folding fresh laundered clothes

a really good book, one with twists and turns and you just cannot figure out "whodunit" till the very end...

[Busysdizzy]

drinking a perfect cup of tea...the right temperatue, the right strength, the right sweetness.
making and eating a perfect fried egg with perfect toast
(neither of these things sem to happen very often.
My oldest son dropping by just to say hello
my cat curling up next to my pillow to get his belly rubbed before he sleeps.
finding a really good boook to read
designing,and completing a quilt.
hearing the canadian geese fly south for the winter..although they really don't go far

[Maven]

Seeing the rabbits in my yard eating grass

Getting kisses from my senegal parrot

Having my books safely stored

Using my computer and chatting online on message boards like this one

Being fresh from a shower, having clean sheets on my bed, and being in clean clothes/nightgown

Listening to music

Shopping (does that count as a little thing? I certainly have little money to do it, LOL!)

Time to myself

And my sister called last night to tell me something that gave me joy...she received the birthday card (which plays "Shake Your Groove Thing") and gift (a small clock with a porcelain frame that has a sweet message about how sisters are there for each other in good times and bad) I sent her, and said she loved it, and how did I know she needed a clock for her desk at work (I didn't--just picked the right gift, I guess )? I love giving gifts people enjoy!

[Bethsway]

DePress me you picked five of the best!!! You must have read my mind lol..!!

[SongBirdandDaisy]

<font color="purple"> - watching poofy clouds develop

- listening to the birds sing

- the way the sun dances across the winding river

- seeing the joy on someone's face

- laughter

- finishing a quilt, for sure

- knowing I helped someone connect with their soul through my art

</font>

seeing the two wrens feed their babies that are in one of my big Boston ferns......

rubbing timee's fat belly and listening to him purr.

music. music. music. music.

seeing justice done IRL......

[seeker1950]

A garden ripened tomato!!!
I had my first of the season yesterday...my uncle gave it to me...his first, and I felt so honored and grateful that he actually gave it to me! I made a celebration of having it for dinner!
patty

cuddling with my cat
laughing with a friend
holiday custard pies at McDonalds
getting that perfect parking spot

i have been trying for months to breed my 2 zebra finches.......i have had MANY eggs but until recently.....no live births..........about 3 weeks ago i saw babies in the nest and yesterday, the first 2 of 4 came out of the nest! welcome to the world babies!

[dottie]

Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dottie]

Air conditioning on a humid day

my garden......two pairs of hummingbird parents and one nest of wrens.....

A warm weekend morning, on the patio, 80 degrees, coffee and crossword puzzle

My cat Max bounding around after a wadded up piece of notebook paper... for all the store-bought toys he has, a paper ball is "good enough" for him

Days when "good enough" is good enough ... satisfying

Watching loving interatctions, particularly between a parent and a child

Helping someone in any way... sometimes just with a smile and a 'hello'

Thinking of Tom Hanks tasting caviar in the movie "Big"

[SeptemberMorn]

Listening to the mockingbird who's nest is in my next door neighbor's tree sing at all hours of the night.

Waking up in the morning to the smell of coffee brewing that hubby has started.

Staring at a roaring fire while the crickets are chirping.

Drifting off to sleep to the sound of rain on the roof.

When a humming bird hovers near me and watches me for a bit.

Watching the various sparrow couples that have made their nests in my awning coming and going to feed their babies.

And the best "little things" ever... my grandkids!! The baby, 18 months old, will get my attention by yelling if I don't acknowledge him right away. Then he "makes eyes" at me... winking with both eyes. SIGH!!!

The way my granddaughter runs and jumps on me and gives me ahug when she first sees me.

The hugs that her 5 yr old brother gives me. They are the BEST!!

The shockingly intelligent statements that my 13 yr old grandson can come out with. Remembering when he was 2 or 3 and we were in the mall. He came around me, hugged my belly and said "A-bueh-LA (in a sing-song), can we do Chinese tonight?" It STILL slays me! SIGH!!!!

The stories that his 8 yr old brother makes up and tells me almost under his breath; especially the one where I was the Queen of Mexico and he was my driver.

When the 5 yr old grandson I just met asked what smelled so good when I walked into the room... and his sister said "She! (pointing to me) She ALWAYS smells like that." (choke, choke!)

Thanks for this thread, DePressMe!

[jacq10]

What a good topic!

- the smell of early morning
- Fresh laundry
- an email in my inbox from someone i care about
- a hug from my roomate
- sitting down after a 10 hour shift! (and taking my horrible shoes off too!)
- Knowing that i helped someone, even just in a little way
- Hearing laughter of full joy from little kids

I'm sure there are way better ones that when i do experience i will think "haha!" but for now those are the ones i can think of!

[jacq10]

like this one: THE OCEAN. I love everything about it. the sounds, the smell, the sight .... the thought. Love love!

[Maven]

Congrats on the babies, Butterflylady!