1) Sleeping in until eleven on the holidays, with nowhere you have to be. Snuggling deep under the covers even when the sun is already out and allowing yourself to just lie there.
2) Assembling a piece of furniture (like a bookcase for your room), or putting something together on your own, feeling the satisfaction that it looks the way it does because of your effort.
3) Watching a movie on a Friday or Saturday night with your family, one that turns out to be really good, even when you didn’t expect it to be.
4) Posting a blog post, discovering a week later that someone out there really liked it and has written a nice comment about you writing, which makes you feel appreciated and worthy.
5) When you master a really difficult hairstyle like a side chignon or you find a ribbon in the perfect shade to match your hair. Having a good hair day is one of the best feelings.
6) Eating your favourite meal. The yoghurt, cranberry and oats snack in the afternoon, tortellini with vegies, an olive/tuna/lettuce/tomato wrap, coconut biscuits, strawberry milkshake, chocolate hedgehogs, tacos, chocolate Bavaria cake...the list goes on. Trying something new like a falafel wrap or salmon and sushi is quite rewarding also when it turns out to be the best thing you have ever tasted! Cooking a meal and eating it can be a fun experience, too.
7) Random acts of kindness. Like when a random holds the door open for you, or a stranger waves at you or smiles.
8) Retail therapy is a serious mood-booster. There is nothing nicer than buying some decorations for your room or a new arty magazine. What’s better than that is when you try on a dress or playsuit or outfit that you like and it fits perfectly, so you buy it and it becomes your favourite piece in your wardrobe. Or you find that item you have been looking everywhere for, and when you find it is in your affordability range.
9) Unintentionally taking a really good photo that is very photography-magazine-worthy. When everything turns out better than expected, it can lighten up your day.
10) Receiving reassurance from medical professionals, like the optometrist, that your eyesight hasn’t gotten any worse. Or the news that your braces are coming off soon. Receiving good news in general is great.
11) Spending the afternoon making art, whether it be a collage, a canvas covered in fabric for your room.
12) Rediscovering bags or clothes that you didn’t know you had during a wardrobe cleanout, which means now that you can use them and don’t need to spend money on new ones.
13) Coming up with a brilliant idea. Or being inspired after reading an interesting book.
14) Watching a TV show that you don’t normally watch for something different like Supernatural or the Big Bang Theory.
15) Playing tennis in the backyard with a sibling and talking about funny people from school in the process. Not only does it helps you digest after dinner and is good exercise, it provides a distraction and is fun.
16) Acing an exam that you studied really hard for or getting the highest mark in the grade or having the teacher tell you that you got the first ten out of ten for your essay this year.
17) Just lounging around the house, discussing memories and jokes with your family, who always make you feel good.
18) When that guy in the year level above you who you have a super massive thcrush on actually turns to look directly at you as you are coming out of the locker room at the end of the day, and you share about three seconds of eye contact, then, out of the corner of your eye you see him look at you again from over his shoulder. Basically, when the guy you like actually notices you it is the best feeling in the world.
19) Having a really productive day where you finish all of your homework in a short period of time, freeing up the days ahead.
20) Building up the courage to make a phone call with someone really important like a work experience coordinator or reporter for the ABC who is the daughter of your dad’s friend. Facing your fears is a good feeling.
21) Public holidays or curriculum days where there is no school and you have the whole day to yourself.
22) Playing a really good game of sport or doing a really good presentation in front of your class and having everyone tell you how impressed they were.
23) Getting lost in a really good book or finishing an entire book in just one Saturday.
24) Discovering a new innovation or improving how something you already owns works/looks – like adding charms to a bracelet, fixing a broken DIY necklace,
25) Exercising just for the sake of it, such as rollerblading in the backyard or doing a mini “beep test” in the backyard to keep fit
26) Coming across a really cool-looking picture to cut out and add to your collection of cut-outs.
27) Feeling genuinely happy and content. Being in one of those moods where you simply cannot get mad and all you want to do is dance Interpretively around your house.
28) Having a family day out at somewhere like Fairfield Boathouse, followed by dinner at La Porchetta. Sunshine=tan, rowing+walking=exercise, boat getting caught in a plant=laughs, restaurant=eating.
29) Making a new friend through pactivities like school production or hockey, and eventually spending a day out shopping with them or going over to their house and watching Harry Potter or sorting chocolates on their bed (hiding them when her mum comes in).
30) Going for a walk around the block or walking to the library to clear the head after being stuck inside all day. Plus you get some good reads!
31) Talking to those people in your grade one PE lesson who you don’t usually talk with and realising that they are actually pretty funny.
32) Making lots of progress on a massive project, like, having a really productive two hours of work or something like that and getting more than you expected done.
33) Learning something new after reading a book you bought ages ago, but never rgot around to reading. Or while reading a school textbook, only to realise that it contains info regarding something you are interested in. Makes you feel really intellectual.
34) Using big words to express yourself when casually chatting with friends. Then they think you are pretty smart.
35) Getting a sample face mask or perfume in a show bag, trying it, and realising that it actually works wonders or smells delicious, so you buy it on sale and now it is yours.
36) Being ahead of schedule for school work, so you don’t have to do homework that night, or you have the rest of the period to play "Where’s Wally?" On the teacher’s iPad. Or sleep.
37) Looking back through family albums and remembering back to how things were all those years ago. Or finding a really cute picture that you can actually photo copy and pin up or use for your school autobiography.
38) When you look in the mirror and realise your skin looks clear today and you don’t have any blemishes.
39) Socialising with someone you haven’t spoken to in ages.
40) Receiving a really nice text from a friend, which shows that they care or where they wish you luck or thank you for an amazing present.
41) Having a burst of energy or silliness or something like that which makes you want to get up and do a dance in your PJs in the morning to a song, or speaking in a silly voice while making up Italian pasta names.
42) Singing to the radio or songs on your iPod while working on a project (eg. making artwork for your room).
43) Having a really good lunchtime with your friends where you make up a new inside joke to laugh at.
44) When your teacher is away and they didn’t set any work for you, so you get two free periods to spend making collages on Polyvore or catching up on other homework.
45) Not getting any homework for the night. Not getting any holiday homework. Not having to do work outside of school hours.
46) The relief when your period finishes.
47) Being complimented on your outfit or hairstyle by the guy you like. Actually, jsut being complimented in general is nice. As is getting more likes on your profile picture than expected.
48) Finding something at the shops that you have been looking for since forever.
49) Making it into the highest maths group or onto a sports team after putting in heaps of time to practice.
50) Discovering a new interest, hobby, food or band that you can claim as your own and appeals to you.
51) Finally making a decision which turns out to be the right one.
52) When it's your birthday and people remember and make you feel really special or sing to you.
53) Going on an overseas holiday to New Zealand with your family and having the time of your life. Travelling is what makes life worth living.
54) Seeing something beautiful take place. Watching a strawberry plant blossom, fireworks, seeing someone immersed in their musical instrument, admiring artwork, seeing an echidna or rare animal in your front yard, rainbows after a sun shower.
55) Discovering that you've lost weight even though you didn't do any out-of-the-ordinary exercise.
56) Helping other people, whether it be something small like assisting a friend with the computer, helping your parents with chores to reduce their workload, or even just visiting your lonely grandparents, helping others makes you feel good.
57) Seeing re-runs of your favourite TV Show or turning on the TV to realise that your favourite movie is on.
58) Setting a goal and pulling through with it to prove to yourself that you are capable of achievement.
59) When somebody younger than you tells you that you have inspired them.
60) Seizing the day and making the most of the time you have.
