Today's title comes from a song on Ke$ha's new album in which she expresses her love of life in all its chaotic glory. Even though the semester has just started and I'm already feeling a pretty large amount of pressure and stress, I am feeling pretty content. After a bit of analysis, I came to realize that I find my happiness in little moments throughout the day. Even when I am having a terrible day or a stressful week, I can still find little moments of joy that set me at ease amidst the chaos. The closest analogy I can think of to describe this feeling is when you are walking along on a chilly day, and once you turn a corner or walk just outside of a building's shadow, you can feel the sun on your back. You close your eyes, and just for a moment, everything feels peaceful. These kinds of moments not only carry me through rough times, but they make great times feel even better.
One of my favorite ways to experience one of these moments of pure happiness is when you do something nice for someone else. Most recently, I threw a surprise party for one of my close friends, Amy. She is one of the kindest, most generous people I've ever known, and I wanted her to feel appreciated and loved. Everyone waited at my house, and I picked her up and brought her over. When everyone jumped out and yelled, "surprise!" I looked at her expression, and felt that feeling of contentment fall over me for a few seconds. Seeing the gigantic smile on her face made me feel truly happy. I'm working on a theory that people who do nice things for others, on a daily basis, are usually the happiest.
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Other things that provide these blissful moments in life?
Ke$ha songs
Her music is so fun and carefree that it is nearly impossible not to absorb some of that attitude when listening.
Calls/texts from the people I care about most
Even though I sometimes get too busy to respond or call back right away, it is always nice to feel that you have a supportive network of people in your life. It takes a lot of work to create relationships that are strong enough to withstand just about anything, but when you have them, it can be one of the most comforting feelings in the world.
Hugs (from just about anyone)
Whenever I am having a minor moment of crisis, hugs generally make everything better. I don't know how. But I do not care. It works.
Singing incredibly loud in my car/pretending to be a rockstar
I recommend this for just about anyone. I don't really have a stellar voice, but I turn the music up just loud enough so that I can't tell, and I'm in the zone.
Yummy food
It is really hard to feel stressed out with a delicious plate of mashed potatoes in front of you. Comfort food is labeled so for a reason.
Michael Cera movies
Michael Cera captures the awkward humor in life perfectly. I relate to the majority of his characters, and they make me laugh/forget about my own problems for a little while.
Comfy t-shirts
One of my favorite feelings during student teaching was walking into my room, kicking my heels off, and putting on my comfiest t-shirt and pj shorts. Add comfy slippers, and the feeling that results is pure bliss.
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Some of these may seem trivial, but they really do provide moments of pleasure throughout my day that, put simply, make my life happier. Sure, everyone has big picture goals for their lives, but being able to soak up the little, wonderful moments in life really can make everything a little sweeter. Try it sometime :).
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