10 Things That Make Me Happy

Life is so much more enjoyable when I focus on the good, so I was thankful to be tagged in the 10 Things That Make Me Happy Challenge by the lovely Ania from The Sane Mum. You can check out her post here.    Here are my 10 things, in no particular order:

• Free Fitness – I’ve never been someone that has enjoyed working out in a traditional gym or being tied to annual contracts.  Whether traveling or at home, I enjoy outdoor workouts and using whatever setting I’m in to find ways to make my body stronger and challenge myself.  Lately, I’ve been going to a weekly community workout (Freefitsboro) which is part of a global free fitness movement called November Project.  Check their site to find a location near you!   I’ve also attended workouts with Females in Action, which has locations in 8 states – F3 is the equivalent for men.  You will be surprised at the variety you can find when you Google free fitness near you!

 

• Decluttering –  Why do I have 30 t-shirts?  Why have I kept gadgets and random items around for years that I’ve never used?  Well, I had a mindset that ‘”someday” these things might come in handy, but after 5 moves in the past 3 years, I’ve started to take a much more minimalist approach and have loved decluttering and donating my unused belongings.  It’s such a good feeling to have more room and less clutter!

 

• Podcasts – When I’m driving for long periods of time or even going on a walk/hike, podcasts have become my favorite way to both engage my mind and pass the time.  Two of my current favorites are The Model Health Show and The Genius Life Podcast.

 

• My husband –  As Bill Murray once said,  “A soulmate is someone who appreciates your level of weird.”  As we approach our two year wedding anniversary in a few weeks, I keep thinking about how thankful I am that God brought Gabe into my life.  He’s the perfect partner in crime and models a sacrificial love in how he treats me and all those around him.   He puts up with my awkward nerdy quirks and crazy wanderlust, and always keeps me laughing.

 

• Anything Asian – I am basically a Caucasian trapped in an Asian body, due to growing up in China.  I could eat Asian food every day and not tire of it.  Bubble tea is something I love to seek out in each new city we visit.  I also love eating seaweed snacks and sushi burritos!

• Sasha – She’s our cattle dog mix that we rescued about 7 months ago and this fur baby has been such a joyful addition to our lives.  She’s already gone tubing, kayaking, camping, and hiking with us and has seemed to enjoy our outdoor adventures.  She’s also helped me be much more consistent with fitness since she is always ready for a run or walk, though as you can see below, she also loves being lazy!

• Kombucha –  I drink at least 2-3 bottles of kombucha a week.  I love the refreshing, fizzy taste along with the health benefits.  I like to call it my healthy happy hour drink.   My current favorite flavor is GT’s Mystic Mango.  My goal is to start making my own by the end of this year as it can become an expensive drink of choice!

 

• Volleyball –  I’ve played volleyball since age 12 and have met some of my closest friends thanks to this game.  It’s such a fun community and good way to stay active.  Outdoor volleyball season generally runs from March – September/October and my goal is to cross off one bucket list tournament each year.  You can read more about my volleyball bucket list here.

 

• Our church family – Up until we moved to Greensboro, I never felt like church was family.  A church was a place where I went to worship God and learn about the Bible,  but I never really felt like I fit in or that I had found a “home.”   I had basically given up on finding this, but over the past year, I have been so thankful for Westside Chapel here in Greensboro.   It’s an ethnically diverse crowd that has welcomed us with open arms, and I finally feel a strong sense of belonging.

 

• Travel – Having adventures to look forward to is a huge motivator for me.  I have a growing bucket list of countries and experiences, along with the joint goal that Gabe and I have made to hike a portion of the Appalachian Trail in every state each year.  So far we’ve crossed off GA, NC and VA, and are hoping to add TN later this year.

I hope reading my 10 things will encourage you to reflect on the big and small things in your life that bring you joy.

I’d now like to tag the following lovely bloggers to share their happiness with the world!

Shiquita from The Unconventional Southern Belle 

Hima from SmilewidurStyle

 

Thanks for reading!

Emily