At one of the lower points in my life, I decided to challenge myself to write 100 reasons I loved life. Being where I was at the time, it seemed impossible. But, slowly, I opened a blank document, titled it simply ‘100 Reasons’, and got to work. It took a few days of on and off writing, but eventually I was able to find 100 of my reasons to be happy. I read my list once I was finished, and I got a warm feeling in my chest as I was reminded once again that yes, life is a truly wonderful gift, and I needed to hold on to my life.
Every person’s list is different- every person will have different reasons for opening their eyes every morning and tackling the day ahead of them, so I encourage you- make your own 100 reasons. You never know, it might help more than you think. Anyways, without further ado, here are my 100 Reasons to stay.
The Sunrise/sunset
Doughnuts in the morning
The silence of the dawn
The sound of the ocean
Childlike wonder
A warm bed on a cold day
Color-coordination
The chaos in the ordinary
Road Trips
Stuffed animals
The color pink
Dogs
The night sky
Disneyland/world
Traveling
Watching really bad movies
Taking pictures of nature
Playing video games
Listening to music
Lavender candles
Family
Learning something new
That feeling after you finish a really good book
Competing in pageants
Making someone laugh
Cosplaying
Drawing
Great Wolf Lodge
Window shopping
Running through a field barefoot
Glamping (meaning glamorous camping, of course)
Getting my face painted at an event or festival
Doing makeup
Playing in the snow
Watching the credits roll
Inside jokes
Christmas Spirit
Sleeping in
Making cookies (and eating some of the raw cookie dough)
Putting a new poster on my wall
Watching musicals
Triple fudge ice cream
Running to escape the rain
Thrift shopping
Watching firework shows
Thanksgiving Dinner
Cute stationary
Family game nights
Making something new
Going to fast food restaurants ridiculously overdressed
Watching people on the street who are clearly playing Pokemon Go
Children’s dishware with Spider-man and Disney princesses on it
50’s themed diners
Re-Watching Star Trek Voyager
Getting home after a long day
Drag Brunches
Hairbows
Coloring books
Talking with small children
Rainbows
Candy
Remembering friend’s birthdays
2010’s pillow pet ads
Strawberry milk
Mardi Gras
Confetti
Edible glitter
Grocery shopping late at night
Opening a marble soda
Medieval Reenactments
Writing my name in cursive
Meeting new people
The feeling of a rocking boat
The Aurora Borealis (I want to see it in person one day)
Seeing the advancements in technology
Receiving flowers
Stickers
Using photo booths in malls
Watching a movie in theaters
Roasting marshmallows for s'mores around a campfire
Trampoline parks
People watching
Rolling down a hill
The moment right before a plane takes off
Laser tag
Dancing
Bubble baths
Ziplines
Water balloon fights
My Birthday
Home cooked meals
Clean sheets
Historical towns
Bad puns
Children’s books
Yo-yos
Organized planners
Asking questions
Waking up early to go to the airport
Experiencing more of what life has to offer
The best part, in my opinion, is that these reasons can be anything, like I’m sure you’ve just read. Some seem so random or silly, but these are some of the reasons I’m able to get out of bed in the morning. In the end, I hope I’m able to add more to this list as I grow older- I want to feel every small, seemingly insignificant thing that makes me smile, because it makes me happy- and really, you don’t need another reason- so be happy, just because you can.
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