50 Things

For tonight’s post, I’ve turned to Promptosaur, another list prompt, because lists are fun. I’m not making it easy on myself though, because I have to come up with fifty things that make me feel good. I’m hoping I’ll be able to finish this list before midnight strikes…

1. Books. Without a doubt, books – the shape, the smell, the weight, the pages, the words – always make me feel good. Even the dystopian ones.
2. Perfume. Once upon a time, when I had a little more money, I collected perfume. As a result, I have plenty of the stuff. My favourites include Angel (which I wore on my wedding day), La Petite Robe Noire (Guerlain), Black Orchid (Tom Ford), and For Her by Narciso Rodriguez. I don’t just like expensive ones though – I still miss Lou Lou Blue (Cacharel), which I wore as a teenager, and love anything that isn’t too overpowering.
3. Sunsets.
4. Sunrises.
5. The smell of coffee in the morning.
6. Baths with big fluffy bubbles.
7. Refreshing showers.
8. Finishing a project. The journey of a project is important, but because I’ve always had trouble finishing things, I love it and feel extra accomplished when I do finally finish something, whether it’s a cross-stitch project, short story, or renovating a piece of furniture.
9. Good lighting. I like lights that cast interesting shadows on the walls. I have a light next to the bed that has cut-outs like a forest, and it casts spindly branches against the walls. Always makes me feel extra cosy at night!
10. Candles. I love a flickering candle, especially ones with a nice fragrance.
11. Succulent plants. This is a recent thing, but the variety of shapes and types is staggering, and I love that they are usually quite low maintenance.
12. Having a haircut. I’m pretty low maintenance when it comes to my hair, even though it’s long. I tend to put off having it cut until it’s too long to manage and loses its shape. I’m due one now, actually! I always feel good when it’s done though.
13. Getting texts from friends and family. I feel like texts are underrated nowadays, but it’s always nice to hear from people, and I can’t hear on the phone so I rely on texts, email, or Facetime.
14. Proper snail-mail! Letters, parcels, anything that isn’t a bill or bank statement.
15. Writing and sending letters, cards, and emails to other people.
16. Learning something new.
17. Supporting independent makers and artists.
18. Seeing other people succeed, or achieve something they’ve always wanted to achieve.
19. Encouraging people.
20. Linking people up with each other because I think they’ll get on well, or help each other somehow. Connecting others with like-minded people.
21. Capturing moments on a camera.
22. The first bite of a pudding or cake (okay, the whole thing is pretty great, but the first bite is always amazing).
23. When I see cats – in other people’s houses, in the street, in the garden – and they let me fuss over them.
24. When Coco lets me hug her for longer than five minutes.
25. Hugs with loved ones.
26. Long, meandering conversations with friends and family, about life, the universe, and everything.
27. Laughter – giggles, big belly laughs, unexpected hilarity – it’s all good.
28. Reading and writing poetry. Writing poetry, or lyrics, was the first thing I started writing when I was a teenager. It has always been a way to channel emotions.
29. Waking up extra early and being the first person in the kitchen making a cup of tea or coffee, giving myself a calm start to the day.
30. Re-watching films and rediscovering why I love them all over again.
31. Finding new songs and music artists I can connect with (quite difficult as getting to know music can be a long process of listening and reading lyrics over and over).
32. Being in a forest or pocket of woodland.
33. The occasional pyjama day – lounging about, reading, watching things, eating tasty food, and not feeling guilty in the slightest.
34. Getting lovely comments from thoughtful and encouraging readers on this blog!
35. Reading other people’s blogs – I try hard to make time to read as many blogs as I can, and when I do get to do that, it’s great to read so many different perspectives on life.
36. Connection. Finding and getting to know genuine, caring, and interesting people (I think everyone is interesting, and has a story or three to tell). I’m a quiet, sometimes shy person, so it takes me a while to get to know people. So it means a lot when I do find those connections.
37. Writing something that I feel gets to the heart of what I’m trying to express.
38. Being listened to and understood.
39. Understanding and listening to others.
40. The smell and feel of something new made of wood.
41. Experimenting with make-up and nail-polish. I like purples, glitter, and eyeliner.
42. Cosy, comfortable pyjamas.
43. Clean bedcovers.
44. Tidy, clean, and uncluttered surfaces (this doesn’t mean that I don’t like useful or beautiful objects, I just don’t like too much on a surface, or chaos).
45. Good food – whether I make it or someone else does.
46. Baking cakes, biscuits, and bread. The smell for a start! And watching the amazing chemical reactions taking place in the oven.
47. Pasta. The ultimate in happy, versatile food.
48. Fruit. Fruit makes me feel good. Obviously it tastes good too! My favourite fruits are blueberries, raspberries, pears, cherries, sweet blackberries, pink lady apples, and the odd banana.
49. Lush bath bombs and bubble bars. I don’t buy them often, so it’s a real treat when I can afford it.
50. Christmas carols. I’m not religious by any means, but Christmas carols make me nostalgic and sentimental. My favourites are O Come All Ye Faithful, Silent Night, Away in a Manger, and Once In Royal David’s City. It stems from a childhood going to a CofE primary school, and attending church at Christmas.

‘There’s nothing like deep breaths after laughing that hard. Nothing in the world like a sore stomach for the right reasons.’ – Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower.