A list of 30 reasons...

So I must be on a happiness kick. I really must be. Or I must just be really happy, that works just as well. Even though I am in an extremely good mood (done with finals, getting ready for some Christmas celebrations, getting to spend some much needed time with friends) I am also too aware of how when things are down we forget to look up. During a week full of this doom and gloom I came across these 30 reasons.

We all have those weeks when NOTHING is going right. N-O-T-H-I-N-G. We feel sorry for ourselves, we pity ourselves. We think that everything is wrong and cannot seem to find the good anywhere.

I had one of those weeks at the beginning of the semester. I burst into tears at the drop of a hat. There was too much to do, I was fed up, I wanted to quit moving forward and just throw a huge temper tantrum. Then one day my best friend left a note in my mail box. The folded up piece of paper had an explanation on the front. During her freshman year, her roommate would make these lists for her "30 reasons to be happy," whenever she was upset.  Now she makes them for her self whenever she gets bogged down to remind her self of all there is to be happy about.

Try it. I swear it works. You will get so caught up in your list that once you finish you will feel a lot better from when you started. Also, you probably will not stop at 30. I made one the other day and came up with 98 reasons.

OR... If you know someone who is going through a particularly rough time, pass the gift along to them. I know when I felt like the world was crashing down and my best friend passed this along to me I felt a) happy b) loved and c) more assured that I could make it through.

So I will leave you with a list of 30 reasons that I have to be happy at this particular moment.

1) Coffee dates with the girlfriends.

2) Having the gift and ability to write.

3) Going home in a few short days to enjoy the Christmas season.

4) Having people in my life that make it so hard to leave them for a month.

5) Forming a friendship this semester that means more to me than words can ever describe nor sum up.

6) Having drive, motivation and passion.

7) Being done with service applications!!!

8 ) Trips to Trader Joes

9) Being able to surround myself with good books this upcoming break. (Will post my winter reading list at a later time)

10) Hearing sweet stories of others' lives.

11) The blessing of having warmth and heat and a nice bed to sleep in.

12) Knowing God is in my life.

13) Getting cards and letters from home.

14) The apartment lit up with Christmas lights.

15) Did I mention I was done with finals?!

16) Being healthy.

17) Memories to look back at during the Holiday season.

18) Friends who really care.

19) Being passionate.

20) Hot chocolate, enough said.

21) Hands, eyes, ears, mouth-- mobility.

22) Who I was and who I am now.

23) The ability to read.

24) The feeling of change in my pocket and money in my bank account.

25) Support from my parents to follow my dreams.

26) The chance to take a step back and breathe.

27) Knowing that I tried my best this semester.

28) The gift of good conversation.

29) All that I need right at my fingertips.

30) A wonderful, magical, brilliant life.

What are your 30 reasons?