46 "things" I will Appreciate More

People have different opinions and perspectives when it comes to the grand question of "what is the meaning of life?". Some believe that life revolves around carrying on the human race. Others—who may be religious—might believe that this life is meant to act as a stepping stone towards some sort of Utopia. Many even believe that our existence surrounds our ability to make a million dollars a year so we can ride on yachts and fly private jets. A few people however—like myself—believe that the meaning of life is a bit simpler than that.

These past two years for me—and many others—has placed things into a different perspective. While I used to live life on fast mode—constantly moving from task to task and goal to goal—the pandemic put a pause to this race. This pause brought me more than just a break though; it brought me an epiphany. It brought me the realization that life is less about the big things and more about the small ones.

I've learned that the point of life—in my eyes—is the excitement and joy you receive from the small moments that make up your day, week, month, and year. Happiness doesn't magically appear the day you become CEO of a company or when you lose 50 pounds. Massive goals aren't the factors that give your life purpose. Once you realize that happiness isn't a state—but rather a feeling that flows over you every now and then–you begin to discover that the beauties of life are much more minor than we may have been told to believe.

Whether it is a moment, person, thing, or anything in between, I think we can all benefit from allowing ourselves to breathe in every tiny aspect of our lives rather than—simply—ignoring them. When we pay attention to our surroundings and allow ourselves to feel—and hold on—to our responding emotions we can—in turn—alter the course of our lives from a pessimistic path to a more joyful one. My New Years Resolution—one that I believe everyone should adopt—is to appreciate, experience, and adore the small "things" in life that I typically take for granted.

So dear reader—for the sake of both giving you examples and to remind myself what I need to look for in my own life—let me lend you a list of the 46 small "things" that I aim to appreciate more this year.

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1. When you leave the mall or shopping centre—after you’ve spent the whole day shopping—and it's already dark out.

2. Snowy nights. Even when the sky is dark, the light reflecting off of the snow makes the world look like it is glowing.

3. Seeing people get excited when they greet their pets.

4. When you’re with a group of people and you look around to see every single person smiling.

5. When everyone in a group goes quiet in order to hear someone speak and then—suddenly—all burst out with laughter in response to what they said.

6. Airports. Especially early in the morning.

7. When you take a nap during the day and then wake up at night. I don't know why this makes me so happy. I think I just love the nocturnal switch.

8. Walking through an area on a snowy night—near Christmas time—when all the trees are dressed in lights.

9. The purring sound and facial expression a cat makes when you scratch it’s forehead.

10. The smile a friend gives you when they notice you from a distance.

11. Trees. Especially the really big ones that have been around for hundreds of years.

12. When your family—coincidentally—are all in the same room at the same time—simply—talking and enjoying each other's presence.

13. When a cat makes biscuits (or more commonly known as kneading) on your lap before laying down on top of you and falling asleep.

14. Seeing a squirrel approach you without any fear.

15. When someone compliments my art.

16. Babies when they smile.

17. The moments you spend waiting for the food you ordered to arrive.

18. When you fall asleep as a plane is taking off and wake up right as it lands.

19. Rain falling on the side walk.

20. When you go out for dinner—at an asian restaurant—with close friends just to gossip and eat.

21. When you laugh so hard you feel abs forming.

22. That little moment of excitement you have with someone when you realize your birthdays are in the same month.

23. Seeing someone you recognize at a party when you—initially—didn't want to be there.

24. The little comics in the morning news paper.

25. Coming home to your bed after any sort of trip.

26. Leaving an event—and slipping into some sweat pants—when your social battery runs out.

27. Shopping alone.

28. Finishing a workout.

29. High-speed internet.

30. I don’t care to much for sunsets myself, but I love seeing other people get excited about them.

31. Girls with cool hair.

32. When someone calls me smart.

33. Sitting by a heater when you are cold.

34. Hearing my dad laugh (He doesn't laugh a lot).

35. Drawing a perfect circle on the first try.

36. Finding the other sock to a pair you thought would never see each other again.

37. Avoiding your cuticle when you apply nail polish.

38. Pumping the perfect amount of lotion onto your hand without ending up with too much or too little.

39. The moments before you meet a friend when you both planned to hang out.

40. When a conversation flows perfectly.

41. When a TV show is so good, you can’t stop clicking “Next Episode”.

42. Being on FaceTime with a friend for hours. Even if you guys don't speak much, you simply enjoy each others digital presence.

43. When that perfect part of a song hits while your AirPods are in.

44. Going to a Playground—with your adult friends—sipping on 7/11 slushes while you talk for so long that you don't even realize the sun has set.

45. My mom claims to not like my cat, but she gets so excited when she does something cute. You know, like when she sits like a human or snuggles onto my lap; I love seeing my mom's reaction to it, it is so wholesome.

46. When a covid test is negative.

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Life is a gift, truly. Not just the big moments. Not just your wedding day or the day you graduate college. Not just the moment you buy your first home or when the number in your bank account hits 6 digits. The small parts are a gift too. We owe it to ourselves to let ourselves be happy at any chance we get.

So—dear reader—how about you join me? Join me in walking into 2022 with this new mindset. Let's appreciate the smaller things together and—hopefully—we can ensure this year ends up being a bit better than the last.