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Unexpected Joys



One of the things I learned in treatment was the importance of having a heart of gratitude, especially for the little things. When your life is in scrambles, it's easy to only see the negative. However, God created too many beautiful things on this earth for them to be ignored. There are too many things that go unnoticed in our lives, minuscule things that could actually change the trajectory of your day, how you view something or even yourself. These things are what I now call my unexpected joys. Unexpected joys are just things in your everyday life that bring you joy. And over the last few months I have been writing down all of my unexpected joys, with the goal of one day filling an entire journal with them.

Today, however, I want to just share the first 50 joys that I have on my list even though I have many more things that bring me joy and that I am grateful for. Before I share the list, I think it's also important to note that many of the beginning unexpected joys are very broad and simple. Over the course of the last few months, I have begun to see the world on a little deeper level so now my joys are becoming a little more specific. 

My Unexpected Joys:
1. colorful sunrises and sunsets
2. thunderstorms
3. new coffee shops
4. churches the feel like home
5. recovery
6. CH
7. baby eagles
8. friendships, old and new
9. my cats
10. finishing a good book
11. hearing friends' successes
12. driving with the windows down
13. getting mail
14. wildflowers on the side of the road
15. sunshine after storms
16. car rides with a good book playing
17. ice cold dr.pepper after a long day
18. mid-day margaritas
19. getting new clothes
20. laughs during a movie
21. cool thrift finds
22. walking barefoot on the grass
23. frogs jumping in the pond
24. long afternoon naps
25. hot tea while unwinding for the day
26. worship jam sessions
27. alone time with Jesus
28. slow mornings
29. long chats with an old friend
30. outside lunches
31. free flowers at the farmer's market
32. hot dogs at a baseball game
33. smell of clean laundry
34. making moon water
35. ringing of windchimes
36. petting strangers' dogs
37. girl gossip
38. homemade meals
39. spiderwebs in the morning light
40. baby clothes
41. sweet, forever love
42. ED recovery successes
43. sitting on the floor
44. soup season
45. lazy Sunday's
46. peaceful mind days
47. northern lights
48. cat costumes
49. cold plunges
50. vulnerability

It only takes a minute out of your day to write down something you are grateful for. I encourage you to start incorporating it into your everyday routine. It truly can make the biggest difference in your mindset. Tell me, what are your unexpected joys?

love always friends xoxo

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