10 Things that Make Me Happy Are...

In no particular order:

1. Puppies. They love you unconditionally and they're always happy to see you. I love snuggling with my sister's puppies. Even though they're not big fluffy furballs, there's just something about having them near me that just instantly brightens my mood. No matter what they're always by your side loving you. How could that not make anyone happy?

2. A good movie. There's nothing like walking out of a movie theater completely satisfied. It somehow motivates you and wants to do things. It makes you think. It inspires you. It makes want to talk with others. It makes me want to own it and watch it over and over again just so I can always have that feeling.

3. Ice cream. Mint chip to be exact. There's something comforting about a big bowl of mint chip on a winter's day bundled up in blankets in front of the TV. I love that combination of mint and chocolate in my mouth--something I just can't seem to get enough of, which always means a second bowl. My entire life this ice cream has been my comfort food, and I don't think that will ever change.

4. California. It's my home, and it will always be my home. The weather is nice most of the year, you can do just about anything you want, and the bulk of my friends and family are there--it's impossible not to be happy every time I go home.

5. Finding a bargain. I love the rush I get when I see something I really want for a dirt cheap price. It's better than drugs or alcohol, at least in my opinion. To this day, my best find is definitely my Vera Wang dress for $20. I have worn it yet, but one day I will and I guarantee I will be very happy.

6. Friends & Family. They can piss me off once in a while (especially family) but for the most part, these people make me happier than any other group of people on this planet. From their unique quirks to their offbeat personalities, they're what make my life worthwhile. Without them, happiness probably wouldn't exist much in my world.

7. Strawberries. My favorite natural food. There's nothing better than sinking your teeth into a perfectly ripened strawberry or driving by a strawberry field. It's magical. This is probably one of the reason why I love summer so much.

8. Television. Many refer to it as the boob tube or a time-sucker/life-sucker, but I like to think of it as an old friend. It cheers me when I have a bad day, teaches me things I never knew before, let's me have a good cry, gives me things to think about and lets me escape when I need to most.

9. Teddy bears. I still have my favorite childhood bear to this day. He's ratty and old and gone through one too many washer and dryer cycles, but he's mine and I'd never give him away. When I'm sad or scared or stressed I reach for one of my teddy bears and somehow it's able to make me a little better. It's like all that fluff and fur absorbs whatever is troubling me and allows me to think a little more clearly. Besides, just like puppies, how could not want to grab it and hug it?

10. A fun song. There are just some songs that make you want to move, whether it's getting up and dancing or bopping your head to the beat. Who hasn't belted out a tune from Grease or danced around to a classic 80s Madonna song and found themselves smiling and laughing by the end of it? They're infectious and I, for one, am so thankful they exist. It's good to be silly sometimes.