Two things that inspired this post.
First thing: On Wednesdays, Riz from Riz Made This posts a short list of things she loves. Every week! It’s her slightly altered version of a gratitude list.
Second thing: The header on Writagal’s blog caught my eye the other day: This is your life. Do what you love and do it often.
While we amass hundreds, thousands, millions of pins or posts on Pinterest, Reddit, Tumblr or whatever you prefer, we are squirreling away things that tickle us instead of actually doing things. It’s often easier said than done to go out and live rather than thinking about living.
I figure that by consciously writing and reviewing lists of things that make us happy, we won’t forget them and we have less time to dwell on things that make us sad, stressed, upset, angry, etc. Besides, I’m a list making machine.
5 things that have made me happy this month: VERBS
Wiki: A verb, from the Latin verbum meaning word, is a word (part of speech) that in syntax conveys an action (bring, read, walk, run,learn), an occurrence (happen, become), or a state of being (be,exist, stand).
Skate.
I went ice skating with friends at the free ice skating rink in the city. Who knew I would spend a good 40 minutes laughing my ass off like that? That kind of laughing is not to be taken lightly.
Give.
Giving away stuff feels really good. With 2 prizes drawn this month, I’ve felt really lucky being able to give stuff away to my readers. The feeling I get from giving away probably equals the thrill of winning.
Draw.
Illustration taking up my “free time”. The Koala and I had some great freelance projects come our way this month as well as working on our own promotional pieces. It’s given me a glimpse into what fulltime freelancing might be like and I really, REALLY like what I see.
Leave.
The last time we were away from home (slumber parties in our lounge not counted) was at the start of July and that was epic and wonderful…but it’s like we’ve spent the last 3 months getting over our holiday. This month, we spent a night away in a sleepy little beach town with friends (old and new). It was nice to get away from these walls even just for a night.
Stay.
Enjoying the sweet home we have set up for ourselves. Setting up a better drawing and design table, rearranging our kitchen, enjoying the fruits of our labour. Well, as much as you can in a rental. Plus, we have a bunny at home and that makes it worth staying home for.
Bunny Eats Design 
Reminds me of that plaque near to Civic Sq which says it so well: “It’s true you can’t live here by chance, you have to do and be, not simply watch or even describe. This is the city of action, the world headquarters of the verb.” (Lauris Edmond
I like those five verbs! Good to see that it’s all good over there in NZ!
Things are good 🙂 Thanks Drew.
Obviously I’ve got to comment on the last bit. I love coming home and knowing there is a bunny waiting for me <3. What a positive post 🙂 great wrap up for rules to live by. I just realised that I did my 200th post today and now I think I'll run a giveaway 🙂 Not sure what to give away though. . . suggestions?
Giving away things I love always makes me happy. Not my personal things of course!
This month I had work, work, work, work, work (and for free!). I wish for next month to also have some free rest 🙂
Food for thought – thanks for posting this. I spend plenty of time thinking of the things that make me happy as well as listing them. I’m right with you on the “list making machine part”! It gives me purpose.
Purpose is a good way of putting it. We should purposefully be happy.
That’s what I’m sayin’…no reason to be any other way!