I'll be serious right now: I have a completely different article topic tucked away within my Writer Dashboard and, unfortunately, I haven't been motivated enough to finish it. I think it's because of the mini "Hell week" that's happening right now before Thanksgiving break. But that's why I feel obligated to write this listicle; it reminds me about happier moments during these dark, dark times (sorry to be pessimistic). Hopefully, you can relate to these feelings, too.
1. Calm mornings.
There's something nice about basking in the sunlight and a light breeze when the world is still asleep. It's peaceful, it's hushed, it's soothing. There are many words in the English language that can be used to describe this feeling but it's pretty much the same all around.
2. Waking up late.
Nothing's quite like it, honestly. Your eyes open ever so slightly and you witness the sunlight seep through the curtains. It's Saturday, Sunday or a day off at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon or even later. You're sluggish and disoriented but it feels like the best thing in the world because you were able to go into your dreamland for so much longer than you do during your usual sleep hours.
3. Getting something done.
Completing a long-term research paper or finally accomplishing difficult choreography gives me a kind of adrenaline rush. It's weird to put it that way but that's the only way I can accurately describe it. Maybe it's just me and how I do things.
4. Having nothing to do.
Lazy days are the best kind of days. You have no responsibilities to tend to, no assignments to finish up and no deadlines to meet. You're allowed to spend your waking hours however you please and it's that kind of freedom and transitory free will that keeps you grounded and sane.
5. Being with friends.
They're the people who you can sing off-key with. They're the people you can depend on when you need a good laugh. They're the people you can show your random but somewhat relevant videos to. They're the people who you can be yourself with and they won't judge you for your strange antics because they're going to be weird with you. They're the people who understand and that gives an indescribable feeling.
6. Wearing that one outfit.
You know which one I'm talking about. It's that specific combination of a shirt, pants, outerwear, shoes and accessories that show off your prowess and confidence. But it's not too over-the-top--you and other people can sense just the right amount of their presence.
7. Being in comfortable clothing.
Stretchy sweatpants. A worn-in tee. A boxy hoodie. Fuzzy socks for those cold winter nights. If you have all of these down on lock, then you're prepared for low temperatures and high amounts of procrastination.
8. Long hugs.
I'm not the most physical person in the world; I like keeping my personal space and don't really enjoy unwarranted outward affection. However, I always welcome a prolonged embrace when the time and place calls for it. It's comforting and, in a way, protective. It's that kind of act of reassurance that gets you back on your feet on a particularly tough day.
9. Silent hangouts.
If you and a friend or two can spend hours and hours on end with each other without saying a single word to each other (you know, comfortable silence), be sure to keep them in your life. In a world of talk, the absence of words is a blessing that we don't experience often.
10. Staying up late.
This is similar to the first point but in a different way. It also contradicts the second point but it has its endearing qualities. The world is different place when the majority of its people have turned off their house lights. It's like everything is dead and in the ground; it's as if you have the entire globe to yourself and your thoughts. Best of all, no one can judge you for whatever you do, not even yourself. There are no eyes watching your every move and no minds waiting to pounce at you with negativity. It's just you.
