50 Things Life Is Actually About

1. Finding someone who helps you grow and challenges you, not necessarily who drives you crazy with physically and biologically-induced feelings.

2. The ability to sit with yourself.

3. Understanding that you are a blip in the span of infinity, and yet, you are integral and nothing would be the same if you weren’t who you are– basking in that idea.

4. Having a friend you can turn to when you don’t know how to help yourself.

5. Finding your bible.

6. Finding your safe place, whether that be your apartment, or a beach somewhere, or in the middle of a big ole’ city: wherever it is, just make sure it’s somewhere you feel at ease.

7. Having someone you consider home.

8. Learning to be happy with things as they are, because you take the time to imagine what your life would be like if you didn’t have them.

9. Giving to others what you wish you could give to yourself.

10. Naps on rainy days.

11. Finding the people, places and things that give you that happy-cry feeling.

12. Creating something that will remain long after you do.

13. Coming home at the end of the day happy even if you’re exhausted, and frustrated, and feeling hopeless, because you have faith in what tomorrow will bring.

14. Allowing your experiences to help you grow, not prevent you from having any other ones.

15. Learning to apologetically be yourself.

16. More importantly, learning to apologize.

17. … And also learning when you’re wrong.

18. The day you decide to be happy with things just because.

19. Sitting in the movie theater with your favorite snack realizing you’re watching your new favorite movie.

20. A big, comfy bed.

21. … And someone to cuddle with in it.

22. When kids hug you and tell you they love you.

23. When you find your favorite pair of jeans.

24. The day you are able to look back and completely understand why the things that happened in your life happened, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

25. Putting your faith in the destiny you carved out for yourself before you came here.

26. Staring at the stars at night and being able to see how you are on a planet.

27. The feeling you get when you watch your favorite movies from when you were a kid– particularly Disney ones.

28. When a song just speaks to you, and the words are so beautiful and describe how you feel and suddenly you’re not so alone– that feeling.

29. When you find yourself getting lost in doing something because you love it so much.

30. Finding something you are so passionate about, you are willing to devote your life to it: whether it be a former hobby, a cause, whatever.

31. Sitting on your bed with your favorite cup of whatever and reading a book that you can’t put down.

32. Loving someone more than you love yourself.

33. Having your building broken and then creating a city from the ruins.

34. Loving someone in spite of everything you have been through with them.

35. The desire to keep desiring.

36. Treating yourself to your favorite coffee in the morning.

37. Receiving a letter from someone.

38. Being afraid– it’s always a precursor to overcoming that fear.

39. Laying on the floor of your bedroom and just smiling to yourself. Having no reason, no purpose, no intention, other than just to be.

40. The feeling you get when you finally, finally, decide to quit your terrible habits and take care of your body.

41. Finding joy in the little things, like your birthday, or a holiday: and rather than seeking for yourself on those days, giving to others (having dinner for your friends on your birthday, going out of your way to find the perfect gift for someone…)

42. Being able to garner as much empathy as you can when someone is truly hurting.

43. Being able to differentiate between when someone is truly hurting or when they’re either looking for attention or exaggerating to give their life meaning.

44. Realizing when you are making a bigger deal of things than they are because you’re looking to have something going on in your life.

45. The day you decide to do something completely spontaneous, and you take a personal day from work, and you go do that thing you’ve always wanted to.

46. When you see something you only thought would ever be your fantasy become your reality.

47. Having the right hand to hold when you need a little extra courage.

48. The high you get when you put it all on the line and then see the result you wanted.

49. Knowing that you are brave without someone having to tell you.

50. Being someone else’s strength. Thought Catalog Logo Mark

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