When I taught high school, I always gave my students something I called a Happy Sheet on Fridays. It was a piece of mental goodness, a lens they could use to look at life, a bright spot in their day. The Happy Sheets were very popular and I quickly learned that they were an expected Friday treat. The other day, I was going through my computer and I found this old happy sheet. It was a list of Natural Highs for my kids to consider as other highs were often available to them. I look at this list from more than ten years ago, and I am touched by its simplicity and the things that are still so true for me (the only thing not true anymore: riding a roller coaster. Now, I just hurt the whole time I am flung around at warp speed). I am also cognizant of what needs to be added to this list– hearing a child’s laugh, your child running towards you, the comfort of a life partner, etc. This might have to be a journal entry sometime soon (and I sure do wish that I had found this in time to make it a part of Beautiful You). Anyway, what are your natural highs?
Natural Highs…
v falling in love
v laughing so hard you hurt
v a hot shower
v a special glance
v getting a letter
v taking a drive on a scenic road
v hearing your favorite song on the radio
v lying in bed listening to the rain
v a good conversation
v a care package
v finding money in a pocket
v running through sprinklers
v waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep
v playing with a puppy
v having someone play with your hair
v hot chocolate
v road trips with friends
v swinging
v getting butterflies in your stomach when you see that one person
v riding a bike downhill
v riding a roller coaster
v hugging
v watching the sunrise
v watching the sunset
v s’mores
v little league baseball games
v the sounds at the beach
v candy corn
v candles
v wild flowers
v waving to kids on a school bus
v pleasure reading
v sing alongs
v found time
v postcards
v small bookstores
v walking on the beach at night
A fighter jet flyover
2001 at Williams Brice
Singing Amazing Grace
Reconnecting with a long lost friend
Finding your lost car keys
Snuggling a clean baby
Towels just out of the dryer
Seeing that first Punch Buggy on a long road trip
Sunsets over water
Floating in a pool
Knowing the answer on a game show
Crossing a finish line 🙂