After a month away from High Shelf Esteem, I am back! October was incredibly productive and I hope to share some of what I’ve been working on with you all soon. Being productive and crossing things off my to-do list is very happy-making for me, but there a few other things that have been tickling my fancy.
Here’s what’s been making me happy lately:
Immigrant Song
Led Zeppelin on the whole makes me happy, but “Immigrant Song” has taken the cake for me. I was stuck in traffic a few weeks ago with a classic rock playlist on, and as soon as the pace picked up (there was no actual accident or anything like that, just lots of bad drivers on the road :p), “Immigrant Song” came on. The timing was perfect — I felt like a Valkyrie behind the wheel! Since then, any time I’m restless in the car, I blast “Immigrant Song.” Being on the road immediately becomes much more enjoyable.
Bubbles
I recently hosted a bubble party at my library — a bubble-themed storytime followed by bubble-centric crafts and activities– and it was a total blast. The kids who attended got to dance like maniacs as a bubble machine cranked out a massive number of bubbles; they went nuts on bubble wrap; and they blew bubbles to their heart’s content. It filled my heart with joy to see them have so much fun, but it was in the preparations for the party that made me realize just how mood-boosting bubbles can be. Any time I turned the bubble machine on (I had to test it!), everyone around me couldn’t help but smile and giggle. I also HAD to test the bubble wrap that I was going to use for the kids’ “bubble bath.” Each pop was so satisfying and resulted in a big ol’ grin. If you’re ever feeling down, just blow or pop some bubbles. I guarantee they’ll make you feel better!
Adriene and Andy
I’ve included Adriene and Andy in my “What’s Making Me Happy” posts before (Adriene from Yoga with Adriene and Andy Puddicombe from the Headspace meditation app), but I have to give them another shout out. Doing yoga and meditating with them provides me with a solid baseline of happiness and contentment.
Adriene’s free yoga classes on YouTube are accessible, fun, and she makes me feel like we’re old buddies. Her dog Benji, who sometimes makes a cameo in the sessions, is awesome too. Listening Andy’s dulcet English-accented tones every morning is pleasant period, but the fact that his easy-to-process approach to meditation has gotten me practicing daily has been a game-changer. Give them a try sometime!
Manifest
It’s been a while since I’ve liked a new show enough that I eagerly wait for the next episode to air. Manifest is doing just that. The show centers around the lives of the passengers and crew of a flight that suddenly reappears after having disappeared five years before. For the people on the plane, the flight was merely delayed a few hours, but for the rest of the world, the five years has passed as usual. What exactly happened up in the air???
I’m a sucker for a story premise like this and can’t wait to see how the show unfolds.
What’s making you happy these days? Please share in the comments below!
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