15 Simple, Great Feelings Money Can’t Buy

Often the happiest moments are also the simplest. The feeling you get from something so basic makes you realize that the best things in life really are free. Everyone has experienced these simple joys, and I think most people can relate to these 15 amazing feelings:

1. The feeling you get after taking your first sip of water after a long, hot, strenuous day. There is nothing that tastes better.

2. Getting a good night sleep. Going to bed early, and feeling refreshed in the morning is priceless.

3. Waking up with the sun. Taking a few minutes to watch the sunrise. Drinking a cup of coffee and enjoying the endless possibilities of what the day holds for you. In a way, every sunrise marks new beginning.

4. Getting clean. We all know what it is like to get dirty. In my dad’s words, “The dirtier you are, the more fun you had.” I agree. To go along with that, I think the dirtier you are, the more appreciative you are of getting clean. There is nothing like getting in the shower and lathering yourself in the best smelling soaps and lotions and feeling like a whole new person after a day spent out in the elements.

5. Finishing a good book. Reading gives you a sense of purpose and fulfillment. When you get through a good book, you feel accomplished, inspired, and enlightened.

6. Cuddling with your cat or dog. There is nothing like the unconditional love from an animal.

7. Spending a full day outside, in nature. Getting out and doing something fun and adventurous is one of the best ways to feel alive.

8. Hearing your favorite song. Maybe you are driving in your car, flipping through stations and looking for something halfway decent to listen to. Or maybe you are at a bar listening to whatever is playing in the background. Or maybe you are working out at the gym, listening to the music that is supposed to be pumping you up. But when a great song comes on, you suddenly stop and listen. Everything is okay, and there is not a single worry on your mind. You feel connected to the music and you tune out whatever else is going on around you.

9. Eating a good, fresh, homemade meal when you are hungry. I love the feeling of being hungry. Better than that, I love sitting down with a group of people and enjoying a healthy meal. You are always so much more satisfied than scarfing down whatever you find in the fridge.

10. Looking at an old picture and feeling as if you went back in time. Memories are everything. When you look back at an old photo, you remember the good times. You feel a strange sense of both joy and sadness and for a moment, you think about your life — both past and future.

11. Overcoming a challenge. When you push yourself and reach your goal, you feel as if you can take over the world.

12. Meeting someone who understands you. We are constantly meeting new people and making conversation with them, however, most of the time we talk about petty stuff that doesn’t really matter. Yet, sometimes you meet someone who really ‘gets’ you. You feel like you can talk to that person about anything and they will totally understand what you mean. It is these small connections that make life so beautiful.

13. Warming up. There are not many things that feel better than going from freezing your butt off to getting bundled up in a warm blanket with a hot cup of tea.

14. Helping someone out and seeing the look of gratitude on their face. Sometimes you do something out of the kindness of your heart for someone else, and they appreciate it so much, it almost gives you a feeling of sadness. It is easy to forget that something that seems so simple to you may mean the world to someone else. During moments like these, you realize that kindness is the only thing that matters.

15. Coming home. What they say is true: There is no place like home. It is good to get away, but it is just as good to come home. When you leave home and then come back, you realize that you will never feel as safe or as content as when you are home. Whether home means the place you grew up with your family, the place you share with your roommates, or the place you built with a significant other, it doesn’t matter. Wherever your home is, there is no place like it.