It’s the holiday season, the season for glad tidings and cheer! I bet many people think they don’t want to deal with the proverbial “comfort and joy.” So for all of the Grinches, the naysayers, the Scrooges, and the Negative Nancies, this post is for you.
It’s also for the depressed, the depleted, the mildly annoyed, the pissed off, and those whose give a sh*t buckets are entirely empty. The optimist and the half-full people will love it too.
Here it is, 100 Reasons to be cheerful.
- Hedgehogs
- Quokkas
- Your dog falling asleep on your chest at night
- Your teenage son laughing at one of your jokes
- Shiny kitchen sink
- Humming dishwasher
- Hot towels out of the dryer
- Library books
- ELECTRONIC library books
- Siri/ Alexa/ Google Assistant
- Chimes from a mantle clock
- Your mom’s hands
- The internet
- Crushing your fitness goals
- The unconditional love of God
- Snowflakes
- A full moon on a clear night
- Old friends
- New friends
- Singing at the top of your lungs.
- Elf
- It’s Christmas Charlie Brown (and all of the other TV Specials from the ’60s and ’70s)
- Hearing your favorite Prince song on the radio
- Baby birdies
- Completing your Holiday Shopping
- Delicious smelling candles
- Crackling fire
- Deeply meditative yoga asana
- Your kid’s homework is all done.
- Going to bed early
- Squishy pants/ squishy socks
- Your tribe
- Netflix/ Hulu/ YouTube TV
- African Violets
- Colleen’s laughing baby video on Facebook.
- Brooklyn’s 6th Princess themed birthday party.
- The Muppets
- Nostalgia
- Your dog’s smile
- Your partner’s smile
- Smiles in general
- Rumi/ Rilke/ ee cummings
- Poetry
- Your favorite yoga teacher
- Your small group
- Your church family
- Your book club
- Memory foam mattress topper
- Sheets so soft they feel like they are made from angel’s wings.
- Angels
- Central heating!
- Good hair day
- Photo albums
- Smartphones
- My dad’s singing voice
- Julie’s singing voice
- God’s forgiveness over and over and over again
- Snoopy
- Breath
- Work
- The first sip of your fav coffee drink
- Chocolate chip cookies out of the oven
- Onion rings with ranch dressing.
- Piggy Park Little Joe Sandwiches
- The way that cardinals always show up in pairs
- Christmas lights in the neighbors’ yards
- Water bottles that keep your water icy cold
- Music
- How your best friend just ‘gets’ you
- Period pieces both TV and film
- Electricity
- Squirrels
- Willy Wonka
- Silly string
- Peace of Mind
- Bananas
- A hard work out
- Dancing in the kitchen
- Technology
- The perfect hair products
- The perfect temperature of the bathwater
- Beef stew with crunchy bread
- Getting an A on your final exam
- Trying hard and seeing the results.
- God’s spirit running through you
- Minions
- Other peoples’ toddlers
- Delicious naps in the middle of the day
- Dozens of super-soft yarn skeins
- Enjoying your fiancé’s silly sense of humor
- Vince Giraldi’s “It’s Christmas, Charlie Brown!” album
- Watching your goofy cat play with your delightful dog
- Fat snowflakes
- Pedicures
- Massages
- Holiday Traditions
- Star Wars movies
- Star Trek Next Generation with Sir Patrick Stewart
- The Beatles
- Jesus
Just for today
When I start to get discouraged, or grief tries to lodge in my heart, I will start listing off reasons to be cheerful. I will embody the childlike spirit of Buddy the Elf and spread cheer wherever I go.
Prayer
Renew my mind, oh God, help me see that joy is my true nature despite my circumstances. You have planted this joy in my heart. Unite my mind, body, and emotions to this joy. Remind me to simply be.
Heather Dellapi 
Great list! Had to look up Quokkas!
And if you like Star Trek Next Generation with Sir Patrick Stewart, you gotta check out Pickard on CBS All Access… very well done!
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Aren’t quokkas just so cute! I have heard great things about that show on CBS All Access!
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Seriously? You’re going to put the Beatles at number 99?! Love your list!
Sent from my iPhone
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Yep, one before Jesus 🙂
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