I was coming home from my internship the other day and the song, “My Favorite Things” from "The Sound of Music" was stuck in my head. As I sang the lyrics, I started to reflect on the lyric, "I simply remember my favorite things and then I don't feel so bad."
The lyric struck a chord with me (ha) because right now it is a very stressful time in my life, and I know I'm not the only one (okay, okay I promise I wasn't trying to quote Sam Smith there). As I was singing Maria von Trapp’s list of favorite things I thought, Maybe I should construct my own list, hoping it would make me feel better amidst the craziness we call life. So I did!
Here is my list of favorite things, in no particular order.
1. The first hug I give my mom after not seeing her for a long time
2. The kindness of strangers
3. Putting on my comfiest sweatpants and getting into bed after a long day
4. Listening to the song that just gets you
5. Roses
6. Walking in sand by the water
7. Driving with the windows down on a warm day, listening to country music
8. Baseball games
9. The smell of pavement after it's just rained
10. Sleeping. In.
11. The Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland
12. Scripture and going to church
13. Loud jam sessions in the car
14. Spontaneous food trips with my roommate
15. Calligraphy
16. When the leaves begin to change color for fall
17. Falling asleep to the sound of rain (good thing my bed is right by the window!)
18. Sunrises on the beach or lake
19. Sunsets on the beach or lake
20. The sound of crashing waves (sorry, noise machines don't count)
21. Acoustic versions of your favorite song
22. Harmonies
23. Summer break
24. Random texts of love and encouragement from my mom
25. Perfectly curled hair
26. Crewneck sweatshirts
27. Girls nights!
28. Making the perfect batch of sweet tea
29. Movie marathons
30. Thoughtful, random acts of kindness from my friends
31. Warm laundry fresh out of the dryer
32. Sitting on stage by myself in my high school theatre
33. Crying when seeing your long-distance best friend
34. In-N-Out
35. When things finally start to fall into place
36. Support and encouragement to follow my dreams
37. Cute puppy videos on Facebook
38. Not burning popcorn
39. Kayaking
40. Deep conversations
41. Making memories that will last a lifetime
What is on your list?
I really encourage everyone to make their own list of favorite things. It'll get you through the rough times and keep you thankful and nostalgic during the good. No matter what it is— there aren't “right” or “wrong” answers if it is something nondestructive—write it out and reflect on it during the times in which you need it most.
