I’ve been experiencing a lot of stress and anxiety lately for various reasons, so to remind myself of the good things I have going on, I’ve decided to take part in a tag that I’ve seen doing the rounds lately – 50 Things That Make Me Happy.  Making this list has actually helped me feel a bit better and shift my focus away from the negative, so I tag anyone who’s been feeling a bit down in the dumps lately!

So in no particular order, here are my 50 things…

1. My fiancé, Charles.

2. My pet rats, past and present.

3. Cooking, and trying out and inventing new recipes.

4. Spending time with my family.

5. Seeing my friends.

6. Going to gigs.  I love that feeling of being in the same air space as my musical heroes, and hearing them sing my favourite songs live.

7. Taking photographs.  Whether it’s a snapshot for Instagram, or a shoot with my DSLR, photography is a definite passion of mine.

8. Being outdoors.  I try to get out as much as possible as it makes me far happier than being cooped up inside all day.

9. Theme Parks.  There’s nothing quite like the adrenaline rush you get from a massive rollercoaster!

10. Eating out at my favourite restaurants.

11. Being appreciated at work.  It’s always nice to hear some good feedback, either from a manager, a colleague, or a student.

12. Running for charity.  I try to complete an event every year.  This year I’m doing the Race for Life.

13. That feeling of buying and wearing new shoes and clothes.

14. Glastonbury.  The town, not the festival.  It’s a beautiful place.

15. Dublin.  Another of my favourite places.

16. Watching wildlife.  Squirrels, foxes, hedgehogs, rabbits, everything.  I especially have a thing for birds.  My mum likens me to Bill Oddie…

17. Volunteering.  I recently did some volunteering at the local wildlife hospital and I loved it.

18. Chocolate, cake, puddings, pastries, ice cream.  All the sweet food.

19. Chilling with my favourite TV shows.

20. Mine and Charles’ takeaway and movie nights.

21. Getting home from work.

22. A good cup of tea.

23. Coca Cola from a cold glass bottle, especially on a hot day.

24. Finding a bargain.  It makes getting something new feel that little bit sweeter!

25. Going to carboot sales.  See above.

26. Books.  The way they look, the way they feel, the way the smell, the stories within them.

27. Watching Grav3yardgirl videos.

28. Listening to my favourite music.  In particular, Kate Bush, Nine Inch Nails, Placebo and Mike Oldfield take me to my happy place these days.

29. Fireworks.  And bonfires.  And Bonfire Night in general.

30. Halloween.  It’s one of the best days of the year.

31. Going to the cinema.

32. Writing.  Blogging, scribbling in my journal before bed, jotting down stories.  Love it all.

33. Saving money for a house.  I smile every time I see my savings account balance go up.

34. Weekend breakfasts.  They usually consist of pain au chocolat, croissants, fruit toast, or something like that. Yum.

35. Storms.  Thunder and lightning reminds me that I’m part of something big and powerful, and it’s amazing.

36. Walking and hiking.

37. Geocaching.  It’s been a while since I last did any but it’s a lot of fun.

38. My mum’s cats.

39. Boxing Day.  I like it more than Christmas Day and Boxing Day lunch is one of the best meals of the year.

40. My birthday.

41. Family and friends’ birthdays.

42. Hugs.

43. Foot and back rubs.

44. New Walk Museum in Leicester.  It’s been one of my favourite places to go since I was a kid.

45. Camden.

46. People showing that they care, with a gesture, a question, a smile etc.

47. Getting a good night’s sleep.  They’re rare, but damn do I appreciate it when I get one.

48. Winning things.  Competitions, games of Monopoly.  S’all good.

49. Swimming in the sea.

50. Camping.  Feeling the grass on my feet, the fresh smell of dew in the morning, watching the sun set, cooking breakfast on a camping stove.  God I love it.

What are 50 things that make you happy?

Naomi x