The Loving Hopeful Version

1. My puppy when I open the door to her crate in the morning. She is all wiggles and smiles.
2. A good cup of coffee first thing in the morning.
3. Fluffy white clouds drifting through the sky on a slight breeze.
4. Birds singing in the trees, proof that summer is here and winter is far, far away.
5. New flower blooms in our garden.
6. Sitting by the campfire with my husband. (Actually, doing almost anything with him. He’s my best friend.)
7. Making the time to be alone and read a good book.
8. Writing a poem.
9. Going for a run, especially when it’s part of a training plan for a race.
10. Spending time with a good friend or a close family member, when love can’t help but be there.

You may be wondering what these ten things have in common, so let me explain.

I sat down to write today, and my brain was a blank slate. Nothing was coming to me. I went on over to Google and typed in “writing prompts” and read through several lists of them, hoping that something, ANYTHING would inspire my fingers to start flying across the keyboard. Turns out, the simpler, the better. The list you read above is simply ten things that make me smile.

A smile may seem a small thing to write about, but the feeling in my soul I got, and the literal feeling of my body releasing stress as I made this list was not small at all. It was big. The frustration I didn’t even realize I was holding about little things was replaced with gratitude for the life I get to live. It was a reminder that even when I’m in the midst of the storms of change, there are real things and real people anchoring me down to joy. And that sometimes, solace can be found in a simple moment of enjoying a sip of coffee or staring up at the sky.

As you go through your week, I challenge you to write down 10 things that make you smile. I bet you will be amazed at the good things surrounding you.

Wishing you lots of smiles this week,
Sonja K.