Happiness isn't a destination, it's a journey. Happiness is knowing that the little things can make all the difference. It’s being able to embrace joy from the simplest of things and letting yourself fully live in each moment. I think that there's this misconception that happiness will just happen to us overnight, like magic. Like once we get that dream job, or the car we want, or that specific person that we’ll immediately be fixed. That in order for us to be happy we must wait for our dreams to come true and happiness will pour out of us forever. But we’re wrong. Happiness doesn't work like that, happiness is more like being tired or hungry— it comes and goes. I truly believe that if we stopped searching for happiness, if we stopped expecting it to last forever, people would feel it more often.

We’ve all had days were we feel like we’ll never get out of bed, like the world is dark and gray and that the sun will never shine again. It's on these days where we need the most love, it's on these days when we need to cherish the small things the most. So here's a list of things that might brighten your day the next time you aren't necessarily feeling yourself.

1. Clothes fresh out of the dryer

2. Peeling an orange in a single peel

3. Receiving a hand written letter

4. Dancing like a maniac when no one's watching

5. Waking up early and realizing you have hours to sleep

6. Listening to your favorite song on repeat

7. The smell of rain or freshly cut grass

8. Taking the first sip of your favorite drink

9. Popping bubble wrap

10. New razors

11. Clean sheets

12. When you find the missing match to your favorite socks.

13. Taking off your shoes after a long day

14. Laughing until your stomach aches

15. Running into your friend you haven't seen in a long time

16. Have a pillow fight

Learn to smile just because. Laugh for no reason at all. Choose to see the joy and life in the world. Just take a chance and choose the little things instead of solely focusing on the big ones.