Having favorite things can be insanely important in life, since it gives you hope, want, and happiness. Aside from the obvious family, friends, and basic necessities like food and water, my favorite things have taught me how to be grateful and how to express my happiness. I compiled a list of my absolute favorites, which contains actions, physical merchandise, and simply things I enjoy in life.
Hugs
I am 100% a hugger! I love hugs so much that my friends call them “Rachel hugs.” Whenever I see someone else feeling upset or stressed, a simple hug can tell them “I am here for you.” It is a simple action, but with the entire virtual world taking charge, a nice hug can be rare. During the 2020 virtual school days, no one could speak to each other within six feet, let alone give hugs. Covid truly showed me how a simple hug can really change a day, week, or even month, since sometimes all you need is a friend.
Flowers
Flowers are some of my favorite things in the world! They can be so small, yet so full of beauty and even hope. Flowers are even talked about in my favorite Bible verse, Isaiah 40:8. Flowers can be found almost anywhere, but it still feels so special to receive one. They are grown in the very Earth we stand on now, and somehow they find their way into our hands. We then have to take care of them, so they don’t wilt; they rely on our care to survive outside of the ground. Once they reach our hands, their fate is up to us, but I like to keep them alive for as long as I possibly can.
Fun Drinks
I love a good dirty soda or iced chai latte on a long day. I began to make my own dirty sodas at my birthday party a few months ago, and I have never looked back. I started with a few syrups and creamer, but I have developed an entire method of making a solid dirty soda. I like to start off with a Cherry Coke and add in coconut and vanilla syrups. I do a bit more coconut than vanilla because the coconut is so delicious! I then add in a splash of creamer; I have been obsessed with the Chobani Sweet Cream creamer, but I also really like a simple half and half creamer. I then mix it all together and squeeze a little sliver of lime into my drink. I tend to drink my sodas super fast, so they do not last very long! I have also been drinking a lot of iced chais recently, and I actually discovered them from Starbucks during their fall seasonal menu. I would get a pumpkin chai, and it was fantastic!
Smiling and Positivity
Along with hugging, I love to smile! I think that a small smile can completely change your whole mindset. It can help turn around your day and make you feel a little bit better. It helps me immensely because I can become negative once one bad thing happens, but taking the time to remind myself to smile through it all is what really turns my attitude upside down. I have also been telling myself each morning that “today is going to be a great day”. This simple reminder can put a smile on my face and completely change the way I view mornings. Along with me smiling, seeing others smile also makes me really happy. When someone smiles at me in the hallway or out in public, whether I know them or not, I can’t help but smile myself. A simple smile can do wonders, so it always feels nice to give or receive one.
