November and December are easily my favorite two months out of the whole year. During the month of November, I always start to reminisce on the past year. This year was different though. Usually, you would think of all the good memories or the possessions you hold that you're thankful for on a daily basis. But this year, I walked outside, felt a nice breeze, heard my friends laugh and felt loved.
Good weather. I know this is a weird one, but the weather tends to affect our moods greatly. Sunny and breezy? We pull out our comfy sweaters and want to be outside all day. Usually, you see everyone sitting outside around campus with a smile on their faces, wanting to take advantage of the beautiful weather. Rainy and muggy? We pull out our laptops, open up whatever Netflix show we're currently binge watching, put on our favorite hoodie and fuzzy socks, and sit in bed for the entire afternoon. And it's totally socially acceptable to do so because it's so ugly out.
Good company. Everything is better in good company. Surrounding yourself with genuine people that truly care about you is so important in order to live a positive life. "You are a reflection of the people you hang out with" was something my mom always told me when I was growing up. And to this day, that quote impacts who I surround myself with. Do they impact my life positively? Are they so awesome that I would want to introduce them to everyone I know? I have surrounded myself with people that I know I can count on at any point in the day.
Being loved. The holiday season is filled with so much love and joy; I think that's why it's genuinely my favorite time of the year. As much as I love being happy, I love making other people just as happy or even happier (which might be hard because if you know me, I'm already a pretty positive person). Try and put other people's happiness before your own and I promise you'll be surprised with how happy you are in the end.
Being home for the holidays allows us to spend some time with family and no one loves me as much as my family does. Although not all families are the same, if you're ever feeling unloved, always remember that He does. We always tend to be thankful for the possessions we hold and the health we have around Thanksgiving time, but try and be thankful for the little things in life all the time. I promise you'll live with less stress and more happiness.
