I’m probably the most anxious person I know- I’m constantly in my head. I double, triple, quadruple check things to make sure they’re perfect. I worry about a ridiculous number of things at once and don’t live in the “now” as much as I probably should (I’m slowly trying to change that). However, one thing I’m pretty persistent with is appreciating the little things that help me escape from all of that. There are so many of them. Today, a lot of us tend to get caught up in what should make us happy. It’s easy to compare ourselves to our friends and famous people we see online; it seems like they live the perfect life and we feel we have some obligation to live up to that standard. Additionally, with school in full swing and midterms for many college students coming up, it can be difficult for a lot of us to just stop, sit, and truly appreciate and get excited over the little things- life is truly about these little pleasures. Really, I promise I’m not getting all cliche on you, just hear me out. These tiny instances may seem like nothing other than an insignificant dot on your timeline, but when you step back and look at the grand scheme of things, they’re everything. I’ve gathered a list of the simple things in life which are sometimes the only things to get me through the day. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by whatever may be going on in your head, you should read some of the things I’ve come up with and compile a list of your own. Trust me, I don’t think it’ll be hard.
-It’s 2am. You’re finally slipping into bed, the window is wide open. You hear some people laughing on the street, it’s a Tuesday. Looking out, the dark purple night sky rests behind houses and buildings and Brooklyn. Everything is okay.
-It’s the morning, and the first thing you do is make your way to the kitchen. Your coffee machine is crap so you tamper with it while still being half asleep. It finally starts brewing and you hear the machine cranking, putting out one of the most comforting aromas there is. Your feet are freezing on the tile floor and you grab the mug of hot coffee, your cold palms finally warming up. You take the first sip with your eyes closed.
-When you put on that outfit. You know what I’m talking about.
-You’re finally able to go out for the first time of the day. You’ve been stuck inside doing homework or cleaning, or whatever. You wrap your much loved scarf around your neck, nestling your chin. You remember it has a hole in it but you couldn’t care less. You grab your coat and slide your arms through. Stepping out, you feel the dry, cold breeze brush over your face. You swear it’s the most refreshing thing you’ve ever felt.
-You watch the guy sitting across from you on the subway. He’s looking at his phone, and the hugest smile swipes across his face. You imagine he’s texting a loved one or looking at and old picture. Regardless of what it is, you now find yourself smiling like an idiot and you love it.
-Someone is talking to you about something they’re clearly passionate about. As the conversation continues, you see their eyes light up and widen, the corners of their mouth turn up as they’re speaking. There’s so much excitement bubbling out from inside them and it shows through their hands, which are making all these gestures as the words fly out of their mouth.
-When someone says “_____ reminded me of you,” or receiving a call or text with something along the lines of “Was just thinking of you.”
-You’re in one of those modes where you feel so incredibly creative and empowered, you can conquer the world- or at least make something really cool. You turn up the music and dance around beca
use you’re so excited about your new ideas. (It’s probably a Sunday night… let’s be real, we all feel extra inspired on Sundays.)
-You and your friends are squished in your tiny apartment. Your place is nothing special, but this nothing is your everything. You look at everyone’s faces and listen to the conversations. They’re so beautiful, you feel so hopeful and so alive. You kiss one of them on the nose.
These are just some of the small moments in life that make everything worth it for me. When I feel overwhelmed or defeated, these things keep me afloat. They make me get that excited feeling in the pit of my stomach each night, just thinking about what I’ll get to experience tomorrow. These tiny instances may seem like nothing other than an insignificant dot on your timeline, but when you step back and look at the grand scheme of things, they’re everything.
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