50 things to smile about.

Before I get to the point of what I want to talk about here, I'm going to throw it out there that Keni (the roomie/cousin/baller) and I are on day 8 of 25 Days of Elf. Still going strong. We are picking up on things I never even paid attention to before. I think I am going to come up with a quiz that people can only pass if they watch the movie 25 days in a row. 

Example:

What is the step-mom's name?

What is Buddy sitting on in the corner of Walter's office?

What song is playing in the background when Buddy asks Jovie out for the first time?

Who asks Buddy where he has been for the last 30 years?

...etc.

It's getting ridiculous. I can tell you that the little girl sitting at the Dr.'s office is named Carolyn. Buddy tuned the piano. Walter has a copy of The Sea King on display by his desk. I even have a new favorite part of the movie that I never noticed until now.. When Walter bails Buddy out of jail and they are walking out the door- Buddy tries to hold Walter's hand- and Walter slaps it away. Cracks me up every time.

That's a shhhhton of Elf watching.

Anywho. The thought behind this post was inspired by a shirt I saw at Forever 21 the other day. The top of the shirt read, "50 things to smile about". Literally a shirt with 50 things listed on it. They all made me smile, and I didn't even write the list. Magical. Not the Harry Potter kind of magic where it forces you to be happy because some out of your control force takes over your emotions, but the Disney kind where happiness just comes from thinking of how lovely all those things really are (that was not a hit at HP, I love HP. Just trying to describe what I mean). I wanted to make a list (I l-o-v-e making lists) of 50 things I smile about. Where better to do it than here.

Before I start the list (I do this in case you get bored with the list and want to bail out on reading this and decide to hit the magic red X in the top right, then I will have gotten my point across.. muahaha) I want to make a point that every one should have a list of reasons to smile. Whether you take the time to write them down, put them on a blog, print them on a shirt, or just think of them from time to time- a list of this nature could just change your whole life. 

How many times do we sit around and just feel sorry for ourselves? No matter how lovely of a person you are, we are human. Every one has those times when they feel like there is nothing good around them. Every one feels like their life is miserable at some point or another. During these times we need a slap in the face of reality to bring us back down to earth. 

Back in the day (like when dinosaurs roamed the earth) there was a woman in my life who used to always sing us a song that has the same concept as this 'smile list'. When you're a kid (and sometimes where you're an adult) you feel like every little thing that happens is the end of the world. We would be all "I just got in trouble for hitting my sister, my life stinks, woe is me...."ing, and this woman would sing this song. It always made us feel better. The lyrics were as follows:

"I love little baby ducks,

old pickup trucks

slow moving trains

and rain

and I love you too.

I love coffee in a cup

little fuzzy pups,

bourbon in a glass,

and grass

And I love you too.

I love winners when they cry,

losers when they try,

music when it's good

and life

and I love you too."

I thought she made it up because it was a pretty random list of things to love, but as it turns out it is a song by Tom T. Hall called "I Love". It, in a way, is a list of things to smile about. The same concept can be held in the song from the Sound of Music, "raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, brown paper packages tied up with strings, these are a few of my favorite things.."

The lyrics in this song are brilliant (pronounced BEE-RILL-LEE-ANT). Seriously, bro. Hold on to your hats for this concept....

WHEN THE DOG BITES, WHEN THE BEE STINGS

WHEN I'M FEELING SAD

I SIMPLY REMEMBER MY FAVORITE THINGS

....AND THEN I DON'T FEEL SO BAD.

Pshh.. the power of the lovely Julie Andrews to throw some perspective in my face. It's a pretty easy concept, really. I'll put it in an equation for you math nerds (like myself):

feeling sad + remember favorite things = don't feel so bad

sad + smile list = not sad

Right?

I think so.

The best part of it all is when she says, "I SIMPLY remember". Like, duh. Simply. Just do it. Am I making a point? Probably not. I just want to make it obvious that there is always a little something, no matter how small, to brighten up a day. If you keep that list somewhere close then you can refer to it whenever you are feeling down; you'll be back on top in no time. And let's face it, who doesn't want to be on top (TWSS)? We're at the top of the world, you and I...

Man do I tend to ramble. Ok, here goes nothing, 50 things to smile about:

 1. Snow

2. Hoodies

3. The word 'babydoll' (not the toy, but the cutsie/corny nickname for a lover)

4. Campfires

5. Ice Cream

6. Pictures of my friends

7. Summer BBQ's

8. Air kisses

9. High fives

10. Holding hands

11. Disney movies

12. Laughing until it hurts

13. Roller coasters

14. Sleeping in

15. Homemade cookies

16. That moment on a long run when it actually feels good (runners high- GET AT ME)

17. The phrase 'like a boss'

18. Getting something for free

19. MUSIC

20. FAMILY

21. Leaves turning in the fall

22. The monsoons

23. Stories about historical events told my grandparents

24. Dancing in your skivvies (we all do it)

25. A text that says, "I miss you."

26. Singing at the top of your lungs

27. The color purple

28. Boys playing guitars

29. Crossing something off a 'to-do' list

30. The ocean

31. Clock towers

32. Deep conversations until the wee hours of the morning

33. Knowing someone has your back in all things

34. A cold Coke

35. Waterfalls

36. High school year books

37. Watching someone play piano

38. Songs that speak to your heart

39. Reading a book to a kid 

40. That moment you've waited your whole life for (read more about that HERE, an old post I stumbled upon last night)

41. The way you feel after giving service

42. Inside jokes

43. Jim and Pam 

44. Sunsets

45. Puppies

46. Butterflies in your stomach

47. Road Trips

48. Your best friend

49. Bike rides

50. The temple at night

Hope some of these make you smile, too. You- make a list of reasons to smile. I doubt you'll regret it.