Quest for Joy: 10 Things That Make Me Happy

What makes you happy?  This is a question that can be found in virtually every self-help book on the planet.  Now more than ever, we put an emphasis on the pursuit of happiness.  There are so many tips and tricks out there that are supposed to help you achieve happiness.  One of them that seems to be very popular is making lists of gratitude.  This is my attempt at making one of these lists.

Recently, many people in my world have asked me what makes me happy.  The first time I was asked this question I was shocked by the answer that came out of my mouth: “I don’t know.”  Happiness isn’t something that I concern myself with during my day to day life.  That is a depressing statement, but the fact of the matter is that I don’t focus too much on the here and now.  This is probably due to my stressed-out student lifestyle.  I think often of future happiness in terms of achieved goals and finally graduating, but I don’t focus too hard on what brings me joy today.  After some reflection, I’ve decided to make a list of 10 things that make me happy.  It’s a small list, but everybody’s got to start somewhere.

Disclaimer:  These are the things that I have access to in my everyday life right now.  While I love road trips and train rides, unfortunately, travel is not a part of my weekly routine.  This makes my soul very sad, mais c’est la vie.


1. Coffee:  The more lattes I have, the happier I’ll be.

2. Books:  Sci-fi, fantasy, travel literature, guidebooks; I love them all!

3. Mountains:  While I don’t hike them nearly often enough, I see them every day during my commute.

4. Forests:  There’s something so comforting about being surrounded by trees.  Having no cell service is extremely freeing.  The less connected I am, the more connected I feel.

5. Movies:  Going to the cinema.  Movie theater popcorn.  Netflix marathons.  Watching a truly great film makes life seem brighter.

6. Music:  I’m especially loving music in foreign languages these days (mainly French and German).

7. Yoga:  I’m a complete amateur and just follow along to YouTube videos.  It makes my back feel better and I feel more centered.

8. Languages:  I’m currently learning French and German.  I hope to add Spanish to my repertoire someday soon.

9. Rain & Snow:  This is a very unpopular opinion to have in the Canadian winter, but I love the sound and aesthetic.

10. Deep Chats:  If I talk to someone long enough, I want to see a glimpse into their soul, their raison d’être.  Everyone is unique so I want to have a conversation that I can only have with you.

Having big dreams is great.  I love knowing that I have many exciting quests ahead of me.  I also know that I need to level up in order to get to the place where I can embark on these quests.  The best way to do this is to learn new skills and participate in activities that fill you up.  It’s important to do the little things along the way that make you happy.  That’s how you enjoy the journey and reach your goals.  From now on I’m going to make more of an effort to do things that excite me.  I want to wake up in the morning and look forward to the day ahead.  What do you need to do to take your life to the next level?