25 Things that Bring Me Happiness

"I must learn to be content with being happier than I deserve." -Jane Austen 

This post was originally entitled "50 Things that Bring Me Happiness." That entry was much, much too long and no one was ever going to read it. Don't you worry, though, you'll get part two of "25 Things that Bring Me Happiness" next week!

I wrote the majority of this post last week after returning home from school. It was a lovely autumn day, the leaves were changing, and for the first time in a while I noticed the pure, unadulterated happiness that ran through my veins. Something significant didn't happen; I didn't win the lottery or become a New York Times best-selling author... I was simply happy, which led me to write a post about some of the many things that make my heart smile.

It almost breaks my heart to write those words, because it feels like just yesterday that I was never going to find true joy. I hated my university, every person that spoke to me was a nuisance, My heart was always racing and my bones felt as if they would snap at any moment. Last Christmas I didn't even want to decorate, bake, or celebrate, and yet here I am, writing about the multitude of blessings that fill my life.

I apologize for this post being rather long. It's worth it, I promise!

*This list is in no particular order

1. The smell of my dad's cologne
            It has been proven that scent is the strongest sense linked to memory. One small whiff of my dad after he shaves or applies his cologne immediately puts me at ease. There is something about his scent that evokes comfort and provides the illusion of protection... And when he can't be there in person, He sprays it in his letters. 

2. Cheer bows
            Cheerleading is one of my greatest loves, but the beginning of a new season means one thing: new cheer bows! Anyone who knows me knows that the obsession is a little ridiculous; if it were socially acceptable for a twenty-year-old to wear cheer bows, I totally would. I don't simply love bows because they are adorable, though. Each bow I own tells a different story. Some tell of black and gold football Friday nights. Some represent a national championship. Still others send a nod to my recent days cheering on the Cougars. Each bow is a chapter within my cheerleading storybook. 

3. Seeing happily married couples
             It brings me so much joy to see couples who have been married for 20+ years, or even couples who are newly married. In today's society, there is an enormous focus on the fact that the divorce rate is fifty percent. Guess what? That means the success rate is also fifty percent! Every couple is going to have their struggles, but seeing two people who are passionately devoted to one another gives me hope. 

4. 60 degree weather
            Not too hot, not too cold. 

5. Jesus
            Do I really need to explain? If I had to it would be shorter than a thank you letter you don't want to write. I'm not sure I would be able to adequately explain all the ways in which He brings me joy. [Nehemiah 8:10]

6. Making Chex Mix and brownies with my Mammaw
            Homemade Chex Mix is a Christmas tradition in our family, while Mammaw's brownies are acceptable year-round. I love baking, but more than that I love spending time with my Mammaw. I haven't been in her kitchen for quite some time, but it never fails to bring a smile to my face. 

7. Orange leaves in the autumn
            Everything about autumn is gorgeous. I love the leaves falling, I love the green grass being covered in mounds of orange and brown leaves. I suppose it is all a bit nostalgic for me. When I was a little toad, my Pappaw would rake leaves into a HUGE  pile, then I would jump in promptly being followed by the dog. It was pure bliss if ever a four-year-old did know it. . 

8. COFFEE.
            I don't sleep well. It's no surprise to me, but it does get rather bothersome waking nearly every hour after two a.m. I have a hard time falling and staying asleep which makes for an extremely grumpy Jordyn at six a.m. If I can only drag myself to the coffee pot, there is hope. All I must do is fill my cup with that liquid energy and I will be able to make it back up the stairs to prepare for my day. 

9. Coming inside in the wintertime
            I love the winter! Okay, when I say that I am convinced what I actually mean is "I cherish the heat." There is nothing quite like playing in the snow, looking at lights, or shopping for Christmas presents on a cold, snowy day only to return to a warm, cozy home. 

10. Random cupcake runs with my best friend
            Yes, Kaitlin and I drove 45 minutes and endured a power outage at Polaris (INCLUDING THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS) simply to get our hands on a pumpkin spice cupcake. When you have a best friend that is allergic to chocolate, you will pretty much fly across the world when she finds a dessert she is actually able to eat. It was completely worth it, though. We enjoyed a delicious fall treat, and we had a wonderful girl's day.  

11. Making cookies
            Some of my earliest memories as a toddler are those of me and my Mammaw Marilyn baking together. Flour was always covering my face, we both ate more of the dough than we baked, and I always got to decorate the cookies in any way my small heart desired. Baking has always been a joy in my life, but it means even more to me now that I am in recovery. In the depths of my eating disorder baking was an activity which tested my self control. I would bake without the intention of eating anything. Rather I would watch other people eat. It's extremely strange, believe me I know. Now that I am in recovery though, I love baking cookies, eating cookies, giving cookies to other people, all of it. 

12. Being productive
           What can I say? I'm a type-A who loves making to-do lists. 

13. Decorating for Christmas
            The Christmas season is my absolute favorite time of year. It's a magical time in which the air smells like cinnamon spice and glitter falls from the sky. The simple act of putting up the Christmas tree and decorating it instantly turns the living room into a warm, intimate hideaway. I love rummaging through the old ornaments my brother and I have created, hanging each one in its rightful spot on the tree. 

14. Period Pieces
            There isn't a movie about World War II that I haven't seen. 

15. Bundling up!
            I run cold, so there is nothing more satisfying than putting on a pair of fuzzy socks, a sweater, and curling up under a blanket.. It's not always socially acceptable to wear a sweater under a jacket under a coat under a mountain of scarves to school. Sometimes I just have to bear the cold nose for a few hours and race home to bundle up for the remainder of the evening. 

It's starting to get chilly again, and I am unashamed to say that last night I watched jeopardy with a scarf around my neck, fuzzy socks on my feet, and a blanket enveloping me. 

16. Jeopardy!
            Every night, without fail, Jeopardy is always on in our living room promptly at seven o'clock. Kaitlin has often told me that my brain is too full with useless trivia. True statement. Is it because I watch so much Jeopardy or do I watch so much Jeopardy because I have an endless stream of useless facts running rampant in my brain? Truthfully, I simply love being correct... Watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune with my Mammaw Marilyn is yet another one of my earliest memories. Clearly I operate on tradition and nostalgia. 

17. A beautifully written sentence
            A beautifully written sentence makes me stop. It's often simple, sometimes short, but it is always profound. You know the sentences I'm talking about...the ones that make you shut the book and steady your breathing and reevaluate your entire life. No? No one else gets that excited about beautiful words? Just me? Okay, move along. 

18. Reflecting on all God has done for me
            My life looks nothing like I imagined it would as a twenty-year-old. I never expected to have an eating disorder. I never expected to be in Partial Hospitalization...twice. I never expected a furlough in my college career. I never expected any of it, and yet somehow it has all guided me to the exact place in which I need to be. Everything has lined up perfectly so that I can succeed right here, right now...something for which I surely don't praise Him enough. 

19. Dancing in my car
            There is nothing quite as perfect as driving on a cloudless, breezy, autumn day. The scenery is beautiful, the temperature doesn't drop me in the middle of Siberia, and the music is blaring, my favorite song filling the otherwise empty car. For three minutes all is well in the world. Nothing else matters, and I can sing and dance along. My heart is happy. 

20. Mammaw and Pappaw's house
\            My Pappaw makes the best fires. Sitting by the fireplace, warming my feet is my favorite on bitterly cold winter days. Inevitably, the fire always produces a hazy drowsiness that hits everyone by the end of the evening. Their house comforting and soothing; it puts me at ease and eventually to sleep.  I always end up under a mountain of blankets snuggled up with my Mammaw and the puppies.  

21. December
            It's my birthday month. It's Christmas. It's snowy. It's festive. It's magical. It's perfect. 

22. People who smile
            There's nothing more refreshing than a kind smile on a gloomy day. 

23. Angsty Country ballads
            I don't watch horror movies, but listening to angsty country ballads is the closest I will ever get. Reba's music video for 'The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia'  maxes out my tolerance level for "scary movies." The story lines are intriguing, the music is unsettling, and I am hanging on every word, waiting for the bombshell to be dropped. 
Some of my favorite angsty country ballads: 
The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia by Reba
Midnight in Montgomery by Alan Jackson 
Three Wooden Crosses by Randy Travis 
Fancy by Reba 

24. School
            School is absolutely one of the biggest source of joy in my life; it has been since the journey began. It is one of the few atmospheres where I am completely comfortable and in my element. I revel in the opportunity to learn new information. I am inspired to consider different viewpoints that challenge my own. I relish any chance to write papers that exemplify and synthesize my thoughts. I simply love everything about school....so much so that I apparently decided I am never going to leave....

25. Pumpkin flavored anything
           I'm going to begin number 25 by getting an unpopular opinion out of the way. I am not a fan of Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte. It's a whole lot of latte and not enough pumpkin spice. Okay, now that we have that established, I adore everything else that isn't the PSL: pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice cupcakes, pumpkin spice oreos, pumpkins spice kisses, pumpkin spice hot chocolate, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin puppy chow.... It's all delicious and lasts about 2.6 seconds in my house. 

It's autumn, I'm in recovery, I'm halfway done with my semester-long furlough, I have a stockpile of great books to read, I know what I want to do with the rest of my life, and I'm so incredibly happy. I encourage everyone to make a list of things that bring you joy, things you are grateful for. It doesn't have to be 50 things; it doesn't even have to be 25 things. Making a list of those people and things that brighten your day will certainly turn even the gloomiest of days around... I promise.  

xoxo,
jkd