This week The Telegraph published their list of “Top 50 Things That Make Britons Feel Great,” based on a survey they did. It’s not a list of things like “peace” or “my precious children,” but about tangible pleasures.
I knew I had to do my own list, mostly because thinking about good things puts you in a good mood. My list is fairly different from theirs. I don’t, for example, share their enthusiasm about squeezing a pimple (sorry, ‘spot’). The royal family doesn’t make me feel great, or feel anything, but then again, I am American.
These aren’t all in order..and there are way more than 50! They are mostly simple things because I am a simple woman. See if you like, too!
1. sex, obviously…I feel like this should be on the Brits’ list?
2. wearing a pretty dress or cute outfit
3. my dogs snuggling with me
4. vanilla soy lattes
5. talking a walk where there’s some trees…or walking in the desert
6. reading a great romance…or fantasy novel
7. finishing a workout
8. loud music in the car
9. laughing at a friend’s joke…or them laughing at my joke
10. Friday afternoon…starting a fun weekend
11. Monday morning…starting a fresh new week
12. ASMR
13. geeking out with fellow fans about Supernatural, Avengers, Orphan Black, etc. …or even geeking out quietly to myself
14. biscuits with lots of butter (and Brits, I don’t mean whatever it is you call biscuits 🙂 )
15. looking at the moon
16. putting on perfume (and yes, I keep it light)
17. texts from my sweetheart
18. getting a deep tissue massage
19. settling down to watch the trailers before the movie with popcorn with extra butter (okay, a butter theme is emerging…)
20. printing out something I’ve written
21. taking super hot baths
22. stomping on crunchy leaves
23. smelling flowers, especially lilacs
24. hugging someone
25. getting a mani or a pedi
26. taking off tights or spanx at the end of the day
27. making a healthy smoothie (with lots of butter!) (kidding!)
28. good-smelling candles
29. the sound of rain…or even better, thunder
30. tingling lips from hot sauce or extra spicy food
31. the smell of paperbacks…ink and paper
32. writing in pen in a spiral notebook
33. stepping outside in the morning after a big snowfall
34. looking at or holding pretty rocks and crystals
35. having a clean house, or even a clean desk
36. walking into air-conditioning when I’m all hot and sweaty
37. having a glass of wine
38. being smooth right after getting a Brazilian
39. looking at city lights
40. looking at twinkly lights on strings
41. discovering a new awesome song and listening to it 10 times in a row
42. kissing my darling hello and goodbye
43. the smell of the desert after the rain
44. the sound and feel of my high heels on any hard floor
45. the sound and feel of the plane I’m on landing
46. driving late at night
47. wearing satiny lingerie around the house
48. painting a room a new color…and the smell of the fresh paint
49. enjoying the view from any high place
50. pink and orange sunsets and sunrises
I would love to hear other people’s, too!
That’s a great list! I love a lot of those, too.
Here’s a few more for me:
The first cup of coffee in the morning, while everyone else is still asleep and the house is quiet.
The smell of horses, saddle leather, and hay.
Sitting by a campfire in the dark wilderness.
Laughing with my friends until my stomach muscles are screaming and I have tears running down my face.
Long bubble baths.
Daydreaming.
Naps. 🙂
Ahh, those are great ones!
Did you notice the things that make us feel good don’t cost a lot of money? In no particular order: laughing with my family, walking the dog, really good, strong coffee, Blue Bell Natural Vanilla ice cream, a full tank of gas, a clean house, scented candles, thrifting, a good book, meeting with my critique group, and reaching that point where a story finally comes together.
That’s true about the money. I love these!! I love reading other people’s.
This was so fun to read, and I want to make my own list. Here are some of the things I’d include…
Rubbing my head after a really close shave
The bloom in the coffee grounds when I make a slow pour coffee
Sleeping with the blinds open
Driving on gravel
The sound and the smell of a burning log
The way my daughters drop whatever they’re doing; how they’re eyes get so big as they jump up, scream “Daddyyyyy!!!!” and run toward me as fast as they can when I pick them up from school
Empty rooms, empty drawers
Okay, this is too much fun. Maybe I should get off your lawn and go so this on my own blog.
You know you are welcome on my lawn any time <3 I'd love to see a whole list, though. These are great!
I love so many of the things already listed but here’s a few more
shuffling through fall leaves
watching squirrels at play
shopping for and then cooking an omelette on a lazy Sunday
Taking an improv class
Complete darkness
Pretending to be a monkey for my girlfriend
simultaneously giving and receiving a good foot massage.
I laughed hard at “Pretending to be a monkey for my girlfriend”! 😀
These are great!