My List of Simple Things that Make Me Happy
Happiness is a very elusive state, isn’t it? Words like “self-care” are all the rage, especially in mom circles, as we all try and find “things that make me happy”- whatever that looks like for each of us.
Personally, I think there’s a lot more to it than just finding simple things that make you happy (even though there’s nothing wrong with that)- I just think it goes deeper if we really want to find happiness that lasts. But more on that in a bit.
If you’re reading this particular article, you’re probably interested in one of two things:
1. Things that make me happy- maybe you’re curious or you’re a friend who wants to get to know me better or you know that I really like to do things efficiently and organized and you’re looking for ideas along those lines.
Or, more likely, you’re looking for…
2. Things to make YOU happy. Maybe you’re feeling down or even lonely (we’ve all been there!) and you’re looking for a list of things that make you happy. If so, I hope you find some ideas in this list to lift your day.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase through my links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
My “Things That Make Me Happy” List- and how it helps
This list is definitely always a work in progress- because ultimately I have many more than 100 things that make me happy, and the more I meditate on how thankful I am for these things, the more contented I tend to feel. I hope this list helps to do the same for you!
I’ve created my list without much particular order- partially because it’s more fun to read that way, and partially because otherwise my organizing Type A brain stresses about trying to categorize and prioritize every item and that’s just unnecessary stress. So you’ll see a few things that are obviously weightier toward the top, but mostly it just a list of things that make me happy, regardless of priority.
100 Thing that Make Me Happy
1. Jesus and His Word. While I’m not worrying about putting most of my list in order, there’s no doubt He’s at the top! Because of what He has done for me, I have peace and joy, even if everything else on this list gets taken away.
2. My husband. 10 years married, and I don’t know what I’d do without him- he knows me better than I know myself.
3. My daughter. She started out as a hard baby and has grown into a compassionate, intelligent, and beautiful little girl, and I am so thankful for her!
4. My son. God knew we needed his sweet little toddler self to keep us smiling on the hard days, and his ninja skills keep me on my toes!
5. People who see me in real mom life and love me anyway. Good friends are truly hard to come by, and this last year or so I’ve been particularly blessed with some nearby mamas in the same stage of life who are willing to do life with me.
6. Church. This was definitely one of those things I didn’t fully appreciated until it was virtual-only for a few months during Covid- but there’s something much deeper that happens when people gather to worship God that goes beyond being in the same room together!
7. My extended family. I’ve been through some really rough patches with anxiety and their support of all of us has been amazing.
8. Music. I love to listen to uplifting music that reminds me what gives true happiness!
9. Bluetooth speakers. Having music on around the house really changes our attitudes in general. We’ve even been listening to these albums as a part of our school time!
10. Singing. I used to help lead worship at church before kids, and I miss it! But even singing around the house makes me happy.
11. Trello. If you’ve been around this blog for very long at all, you know I love using Trello to organize my day!
12. A clean kitchen. Y’all, I love me a clean kitchen. I’ve also learned that the state of the kitchen tends to directly affect my mental health, so I try and make it a priority when I’m cleaning up throughout the day.
13. Bluetooth headphones. I like these headphones to be able to listen to a podcast or message from a friend or an audiobook while I go about my day. When the kids let me, of course.
14. Keto. I have been through a lot of iterations of eating methods, but this one is my favorite so far (and the one I’ve had the most success on).
15. Soft sheets. I liked my normal sheets just fine until someone gave us some super soft ones…and now I’m spoiled!
16. A cheap couch. That’s right. We bought our couch off of a buy/sell/trade group (one of my favorite ways to save money) and I love it- I don’t love the couch in itself particularly much, but I love not worrying about damaging an expensive couch. Because…kids.
17. Lists! I love making lists. Lists make me happy.
18. Whiteboards. Pretty lists!
19. Pinterest. Lists of pretty things! Psst…follow me!
20. Bullet journaling. An organized place for the lists!
21. Planning. Deciding future things with lists.
22. Scheduling. Putting things on the calendar. Using my lists.
23. Creating order. There’s a theme here… but seriously, one of the things that makes me happy is creating order out of chaos. I see myself as an artist, but instead of creating things with color or shapes, I do it with lists and plans and spreadsheets. I believe that God is a God of order, so this is one way I get to reflect Him! Recently I’ve created my Time Management Strategies for Moms course!
24. Soft blankets. I loooooove snuggly soft blankets. If I ever come over to your house and you want to do something to make me happy, hand me a soft blanket to wrap up in. For real.
25. Books. I don’t get a chance to read much (of my own choice of books anyway!) with my littles around, but a good book is definitely something that makes me happy!
26. Swimming. I was a competitive swimmer when I was younger, and my first career was owning a swim instruction business- the water is my happy place.
27. Working out. Even if I can’t be in the water, I really enjoy moving my body when I get a chance. Yay endorphins!
28. Quiet. I’m typing this sitting in a quiet house and my introverted self is recharging. I wouldn’t trade my little noisemakers for anything, but my ears definitely appreciate the break.
29. Breastfeeding. Bonding with my kids in this way has been one of my favorite simple things that make me happy. I’m kind of sad that I’m not too far from the end of this season- though I won’t mind having my body back a bit more. Here’s some of the things I’ve learned along the way!
30. Cosleeping. Though both kids are in their own beds now, this is something that made me happy- and we still do it for naps sometimes. We followed the Safe Sleep Seven and it made for many happy snuggles together.
31. The Blessed Nest Pillow. Y’all, this nursing pillow was a game changer- and I still use the two I have every day for something or other! It’s one of the top things I recommend for new moms!
32. Teaching. Teaching comes very naturally to me, and I love to share what I’ve learned with others- I even create classes for teens and adults.
33. Finding deals. Living on less is both a necessity and a fun challenge to me. I like finding fun, creative ways to save us money!
34. Making money. I have always been “business minded” and I enjoy figuring out ways to help provide for my family.
35. Anxiety medication. Those of you who know me well know I’m pretty “crunchy” by nature- I love to do things naturally whenever I can. But my anxiety and depression turned out to be more than natural remedies could fix- and taking medication is literally something that makes me happy, because otherwise I spend my days and my energy just trying to function.
36. Chai Tea Lattes. I’m not a coffee person, but I love me a good chai tea latte!
37. Yoga pants with pockets. Yoga pants. With Pockets. Need I say more?
38. My Journaling Bible set. As you might guess, I’m a note-taker. So I love being able to write notes in the margins of my Bible as I read and study.
39. Audio Bible reading plans. As any mom knows, reading with little kids around (especially with any sort of focus) can be a challenge, so I also like to listen to Scriptures through the YouVersion app each night as I go to sleep.
40. The Marco Polo app. It’s like texting, but with video messages. It’s been great to get to “talk” with other mamas during our days without us having to coordinate schedules- I just watch and respond as I get a chance.
41. Warm socks. My feet get cold easy, so I love a warm pair of socks!
42. Warm boots. See above!
43. Stasher bags. They’re not cheap, but I have slowly built my supply of silicone stasher bags and I use them ALL THE TIME. They’re perfect for snacks, leftovers, food prep, etc. They’re easy to clean and they go in the dishwasher, fridge, freezer, microwave, etc.
44. Glass leftovers containers. These together with the stasher bags have replaced all of my plastic leftovers containers. No more loose lids or weird sizes or cabinets with stuff falling out of them- organizational happiness! I especially like this brand because it doesn’t have the flaps on the sides (which usually eventually break).
45. Fathead dough. This is a new discovery in my keto journey, and I’ve been impressed how easy fathead dough was to make and how flexible it is- and since I love to plan my meals, I make multiple batches and freeze them for easy pizza dough, bagels, and more!
46. Chocolate. I mean, how could a 100 things that make me happy list be complete without chocolate? I especially love Lily’s chocolate since it fits with Keto.
47. Whipped cream. Speaking of yummy treats…I love making chocolate whipped cream with this Lakanto drinking chocolate mix and Lily’s milk chocolate chips and whipping cream!
48. Routines. It makes me happy to know what to expect, which is probably why I love routines so much. So I create routines for everything from our family chores to our school day.
49. Homeschooling. Don’t get me wrong, some days I want to pull my hair out. But as a graduated homeschooler myself, I know I want this experience for my kids, and I enjoy using my teaching skills to give them a good educational foundation!
(P.S. If you have a homeschooler at home, be sure and check out these classes!)
50. Efficiency. I love figuring out how to do things well- which is basically what this whole blog is about anyway- learning to be efficient in daily mom life! One of my current favorites is efficient email management.
51. Leading. Some people do not like to be in charge of things. And I don’t want to be in charge of everything. But if I’m going to be involved in something, being in charge is usually something that makes me happy.
52. Being at home. Maybe a funny contrast to the one above, I’m a total homebody. Home is my happy place, and I love creating the feeling of home in my house.
53. The color blue. You’ll see the color blue featured prominently in many of the things I do, wear, etc. It makes me happy!
54. Not wearing make up/wearing a natural face. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with make up, but I enjoy allowing people to see me “as is”. I think there’s a kind of bravery in being vulnerable in that way, and showing your flaws can at times make others feel more comfortable being in their own skin, too. And I’m much more into practical style than actual fashion anyway!
55. A warm bath. If you ever want to sell me on staying somewhere on vacation, just tell me there’s a soaking tub and I’m there.
56. Watching my kids play with other kids. Seeing their social skills develop and their little personalities coming out makes me happy!
57. Driving my car. And only my car. Am I the only one who really only wants to drive my vehicle and that’s it? Like, I know this one, so why would I drive anything else? Maybe that’s just me.
58. A new haircut. Even if it’s the same as my haircut was before, I love the feeling of a fresh cut!
59. Working with polymer clay. Here’s one I definitely haven’t done in a while thanks to kids, but I look forward to the day when I can pull out my rather large collection and show my kids how to create with it, too!
60. Writing. I am not always great communicator in person, particularly in social situations. But I love to communicate with written words!
61. Writing poetry. I haven’t written much in a while (again, kids) but I enjoy expressing myself through poetry.
62. Warm, soft chocolate chip cookies. Mmmmmmm.
63. Being cared for/having things done for me. I think most moms will relate to this…I spend so much of my time caring for others, that it really means a lot when my husband or a family member or friend takes the time to make me feel special and to lighten my load.
64. Sleep. Having been in a state of constant sleep deprivation since my daughter was born…I love sleep.
65. The Beach. Back to the water being my happy place…I love being at the beach, and I love going to the beach with family and getting to make those memories together.
66. Snow- in small quantities. I love the look of snow and waking up to a fresh batch of snow. But I’m also a southerner, so I like my snow in short spurts, not for months on end!
67. Going to the grocery store. Even with my kids in tow, I generally like going to the grocery store. It’d be even more fun if I could buy whatever I wanted, but I still find it fun to shop for my meal plan on our budget.
68. Mom memes. I love a good relatable meme. If you have some good ones, comment below and make me laugh!
69. Encouraging other mamas. Proverbs 11:25 says “he who refreshes others will be refreshed” and I totally agree. Even (especially) on the days when I’m feeling completely worn down, I find that if I can speak an encouraging word to another person (and mamas have a special place in my heart), I’ll also be lifted up.
70. Blogging. Obviously, I have a blog. This is my way to use the other part of my brain- the part that isn’t constantly responding to demands for snacks or wiping butts or singing Wheels on the Bus.
71. Being outside on a nice day. One of my best survival tips for long days as a mom is to go outside. I don’t always want to go outside, but once I’m there, I feel happier.
72. Managing our budget/finances. Yes, I’m weird like that. I do really enjoy learning about (and teaching!) personal finances. And on a related note, I love YNAB (You Need a Budget) for easy budgeting!
73. My pearl earrings. When I was pregnant with my daughter, my husband gave me a pair of pearl earrings for Mother’s Day and they make me happy!
74. Rescue Remedy. As mentioned above, natural remedies weren’t enough to completely deal with my anxiety, but I use Rescue Remedy for dealing with panic attacks and acute anxiety episodes, and it works really well.
75. Homemade lip balm. I like making my own- it’s super fast and easy and saves us a lot of money!
76. My decorative glass. I have a set of “Wexford” pattern glass that was passed down to me (and we’ve added some pieces to the collection, too) and it makes me happy! I don’t have or want china, but my glass collection is one of the things that makes me happy.
77. Babywearing. I’m not too far from the end of my babywearing days, and I will miss it! That closeness (and practical containment, ha!) with my babies has been a treasured time. Babywearing saved my sanity many days!
78. My ring sling. I have a gorgeous ring sling that I invested in, and it was well worth the money! (P.S. Learn how to get your baby carrier on a budget!)
79. My Fidella Fly Tai (picture). I’ve had a smaller size for a long time, and I just got the bigger size for toddlers, and it’s so comfortable! This is what makes things like grocery shopping with my kids even possible.
80. When someone else puts gas in my car. Like, not even the paying for it part. Just don’t make me deal with the gas station.
81. Vacuumed floors. They just look so nice! And of course that means the toys are picked up, so that helps, too.
82. Being home with my kids. Being home with my kids is hard. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything- it’s worth it getting to be intensely involved in their lives every day!
83. Yoga. Again, I don’t get to do it much, but I do enjoy getting to do some yoga when I get a chance!
84. Competing (and even better, winning). I’m highly competitive. I love the line from the song “See the Glory”: “just point me to the top and I go over”. Perfectionism is a bit of a struggle for me- ha.
85. Sudoku. Which is basically competing against myself. And it’s quiet. All good things put together.
86. Meal Planning. I know it’s weird, but I really do love the challenge of trying to plan our meals on a budget.
87. A clean house. This is more like a dreaming about things that make me happy than an actual reality in this season of life….but hey, a girl can dream!
88. Smooth fabrics. I have a skin condition called dermographism, so I legit can’t wear anything with any sort of seam or tag or roughness to it without itching until I feel like I’m going to lose my mind. But even aside from that, I love the feel of soft fabrics!
89. Paced breathing. This one is something that makes me happy that I wish I didn’t have to do. It’s a skill I learned to use to help mitigate my anxiety, but it works really well.
90. Cube storage. I have cube storage all over my house and I love being able to just chuck things into the cubes and not be able to see them anymore. And I have mostly the same size cubes, so I can swap them out as needed! Aaaah stress level going down…
91. Massage. If I could somehow get a massage every week it would be a dream come true. In reality I am excited to get them once or twice a year, but they make me so happy!
92. Journaling. Writing down my thoughts and prayers goes a long way in helping me to process life.
93. Sticker Books for grown ups. I find these very soothing to sit and do every now and again.
94. Friends who speak truth to me. It’s easy to tell another Mama that she needs to give herself grace, or that she’s a good mom, or that she needs to take time for herself…it’s a lot harder to tell those same things to myself. So I am ever so grateful for friends who speak truth into my life!
95. My husband’s free-spirited-ness. In case this list hasn’t clued you in, I’m wound pretty tight. Which is why God laughed and had my husband and I fall in love because he’s about as far on the other side of the spectrum as you can get- and he enriches my life (and drives me a little nuts sometimes) with his laid back spontaneity and general enjoyment of living life as it comes.
96. A nice pen. I know this is a funny thing to make me happy, but I really like a nice writing pen. Maybe because I like lists so much- having a pen I like is something simple that makes me happy!
97. Gift cards. Especially when we are focusing on frugal living, gift cards give me the freedom to splurge on myself without guilt.
98. The neighborhood I live in. I am so thankful to live in a neighborhood that has things like sidewalks to walk on, a parking lot the kids can ride their scooters in, and a park where they can play!
99. Time Management. I just really like seeing how efficient I can be. It’s like a game! I even made a course with some of my top strategies.
100. Being silly with my sister. My sister and I are BFFs and she gets me- so I can be fully myself with all my oddities and she’s there for me. Friends like that are rare, and I’m so thankful to have her!
100 Simple Things that Make Me Happy
I hope you’ve enjoyed my list of things that make me happy, and that you’ve found some reminders of the things that make you happy, too! I’d encourage you to write your own list of things to make you happy- it was an eye-opening exercise for me, and helped me to remember many of my blessings along the way.
To help you make your own list, I’ve created a simple printable for you- just a pretty place to write down your list of 100 things that make YOU happy. Put your email in the box below and I’ll send it to you for free!
The One Thing that Makes Me Happy
Even as I made this list of things that make me happy, I was reminded how fleeting nearly everything on that list is. That’s often why we make lists like this, isn’t it? Because we’re chasing after something else to bring happiness because the last thing has failed or stopped making us happy in some way.
People leave or die, families split, houses burn, mental illness takes hold, money runs out, natural disaster strikes….and the things that make us happy can be gone in an instant.
So how do we find happiness? Is it possible to find happiness that lasts when all these things fade?
Yes it is- His name is Jesus.
But don’t take my word for it- take His. He said: “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:11).
And since Jesus is “the same yesterday and today and forever”, that means He is constant. Which means because my joy is in Him- no one and nothing can take it away. No matter who or what leaves me, I can still have joy.
If you’re looking for happiness today, take a look at Jesus. Lists of “100 things to make me happy” will give you glimpses of things that it’s possible to enjoy in this life, but full and fulfilling and forever joy is only found in the One who made us and knows us and knows exactly how to fill our hearts to the fullest. May you be filled with joy!
If you enjoyed this list of 100 Things that Make Me Happy, you also might like:
- The 30 Day Spring Cleaning Challenge
- The 30 Day Money-Saving Challenge
- 53 Creative Ways to Have a Fun and Frugal Christmas
- 15 Genius Ways to Use Trello
- Time Management for Moms
I love your list and I can relate to so many of these points! Thanks for sharing! Spending time at the beach with my kids is probably the thing that makes me the happiest at the moment. Watching them grow and see their relationship develop is another. But a good night sleep (doesn’t happen often!) and yoga would also make it to the top 10 🙂
Yes! I love being at the beach with my kids. And yes- a good night’s sleep sounds AMAZING!
I love the love! The positivity… it is contagious! I’m so with you on many points here but soft sheets and swimming are gold standards!
Yes for sure! So glad you enjoyed it!