identify 100 things that make me happy (besides money)

75. doing better at/on something than I thought I would
76. getting an A
77. receiving & opening presents
78. finding something I thought was lost or gone forever
79. beauty (seeing it, hearing it, smelling it, showing it, giving it, experiencing it)

Im stuck…

I want to complete this goal, but Ive been thinking and thinking and thinking and 17 months later, I still have 26 entries to go

Ive had both broad and specific entries, but I dont know how to get these last 20-something things that make me happy. Maybe I dont have 100 things that make me happy and should be content with what has been listed.

71. playing board and card games with family/friends
72. that cool, refreshed feeling you get after aerobic activity
73. art (Greco-Roman sculpture, abstract acryclic painting, photography, wedding cakes)
74. nice sounds, not music related (gravel, crunchy leaves, windchimes, rain…)

man, 14 months and 74 entries. thought I’d have accomplished this goal by now~

70. good surprises

60. pleasure
61. good food (Chinese, Japanese, Greek, Italian, Mexican, and American, nutty cheeseballs with buttery crackers, Santorini potato salad, movie popcorn…)
62. cool drinks (pinot grigio, lemonade, champagne, both the taste and the way it sparkles in your mouth…)
63. having long, thick hair (esp when wind blows thru it)
64. travelling (though this can also be frustrating)
65. gift-giving
66. gorgeous men
67. drum jams
68. candles
69. magazines (Harper’s Bazaar, Yoga Journal, Yoga+Joyful Living, Fit Yoga, Vogue, British Vogue, Glamour, Body + Soul, British Glamour, Utne Reader, Kosmos, Good, Ode, Life & Style, Self, Wanderlust, Zink!, British Ok!, new!...)

44. those oh-so-fleeting moments of pure joy and utter happiness at being alive
45. stargazing
46. the ocean
47. a crackling fire
48. beautiful images (tropical islands/scenery, universe…)
49. wine tastings
50. learning about subjects that interest me
51. movies (rom com, funny, disaster)
52. accomplishing things (reaching goals, crossing things off to-do lists)
53. having full use of my body
54. having the five main senses intact (sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell)
55. my baby blue monkey mittens
56. cute stuffed animals, esp my stuffed moose and Smurfs
57. accessories that are funky, hot, creative, fun, or beautiful
58. weddings
59. experiencing all 4 seasons, especially autumn (cool air, gorgeous colors, crisp apples, spicy pumpkin pie…)

Here comes the third installment:

29. not having to wake up at a specific time/sleeping in
30. group chanting (all-together and kirtan)
31. sour candy (sour patch kids, Jolly Ranchers, lemon drops)
32. going barefoot
33. dancing (especially in a packed nightclub with happy people all listening to a smashing DJ spinning EDM)
34. celebrating the solstices and equinoxes with like-minded others
35. books (yoga, travel philosophy/how-to/tips, gen knowledge, self-help…)
36. going to the Renaissance Festival
37. uplifting support groups (esp the free ones that assist those of us with bad/no insurance)
38. beautiful singing voices (solo, small ensemble, choir)
39. getting compliments (especially out of the blue)
40. being at Disney World
41. electric fans (desktop and portable)
42. yoga (esp a long relaxing savasana)
43. watching favorite TV shows (Project Runway, Top Chef, Shear Genius, Top Design, Amazing Race, Iron Chef America, Frasier, So You Think You Can Dance, Real World...)

You know, I like how some of the people here are listing things one by one. I’m going to stick with this 20pp format until I reach 100 (two more installments), but perhaps its a good idea to go back and list why each thing makes me happy. I wonder if you’d find certain themes, or feelings, that run through your list several times. We could then use those findings to discover even more things that could, or already do, make us happy. Hmmm…

So as the week from Hell is winding to a close, I thought there’s no better time to continue my list. Here are some more things (besides money) that make me happy:

16. palm trees
17. anything sparkly (bags, shoes, jewelry, snow, sun on water…)
18. fast and/or high amusement park rides
19. anticipation
20. massage (Swedish full-body)
21. solitude (esp having the house all to myself)
22. watching meteor showers
23. Snoopy (stuffed, cartoon, MetLife icon..)
24. reading on the beach with my feet in the water
25. my bed
26. beautiful clothes in bright colors and prints
27. visiting the zoo
28. baby animals

I’m concerned with how many of the 40 things on my list so far require spending money. There has got to be more totally free things that make me happy…

So many things bring joy in my life. Beginning the list, no order here:

1. other people’s happiness lists (sympathetic joy)
2. fashion photographs (editorials, style-setters)
3. music (hearing an amazing eurodance, trance, or hardcore mix, hearing a favorite song on the radio, New Age, world, carols…)
4. lying in the hammock
5. nice smells (gasoline, rubber cement, fresh rubber bands, cinnamon, men’s cologne…)
6. long dinners out with family or friends
7. babies (esp. fat babes with chubby cheeks and tootsie roll arms)
8. fairy lights
9. snow (esp the first snowfall each year)
10. holidays (esp Christmas and Thanksgiving)
11. shopping
12. people-watching
13. spa treatments (pedis, manis, facials, etc)
14. water: the taste, sound, sight, and feel of it
15. everyone in the neighborhood being out on warm spring and summer days