The world is pretty much on fire, and even if it worse some places than others, everyone can use a few reminders of the good now and again.

If those can be hard to come by for you, here are some ideas of where other people go to look for a boost.

Our pets.

When I lay down at night with my cat (who is 20 years old). She’s such a love bug and I am so lucky to have had her this long and all the stress just melts away

Keep plugging along.

I remember that Yahoo hasn’t given up, so why should I?

Reminds me of a saying that I used to repeat to myself occasionally:

“If Internet Explorer is brave enough to ask to be your default browser, you can be brave enough to ask that girl out.”

I found this absolutely hilarious and one time it actually gave me the courage to ask somebody out lol.

A hot minute.

We’re only here for a minute. Enjoy it.

The bright side.

I’m not homeless anymore, my chronic illness is in remission, so I can feed myself and even work outside the house.

Life is good!

The innocence for (living) nature.

My love for Deer on the side of the road, the one’s that are alive.

It reminds me the innocence of Nature and makes me feel warm and alive.

The bigger picture.

I think about all the natural wonders, all the organisms (both beautiful and terrifying) that inhabit this earth with me, I think about the fact that no matter how bad things seem on our pale blue dot the cosmos are massive, complex, and new stars are still being born in stellar nurseries all the time.

I also like to think of my life from a historical context. Needed a root canal a few weeks ago and was pretty bummed about it till I remember that old timey dentistry was whiskey and some dude with a steady hammering hand.

Hardcore History and other such shows are also excellent work out motivation 🙂 my ancestors used to have to be ready to throw down and scrap! This bike ride to the grocery store is a cake walk comparatively and it’s good for me too.

Why not stick around?

I can die later. The world is going to kill me whether I like it or not, so why not stick around for a few more decades and see what happens?

In some ways it’s comforting to know I don’t have to do this forever and I don’t have to kill myself. Curiosity and things to look forward to.

Even TV shows, games, movies, or visits from relatives. I always pick something to look forward to.

You’re still breathing.

That despite the fact i suffer kidney failure and im on dialysis 3 days a week. I remind myself that im at least still alive and can still be with my family many other serious illnesses dont give that luxury.

Would like to point out im from uk for those who have asked. Scotland to be more specific.

They get a bad rap, but…

My kids. They are helping me more then anything else right now.

Not everyone is so lucky.

I have a roof over my head.

A little plastic stroke pumpkin.

I had a stroke a couple of weeks ago (only 27 and no health explanation for the event) and while I was in the hospital walking down the hall with my good old buddy Winston (what I named my IV drip machine pumping me with blood thinner) an older gentleman across the hall saw me and told his nurse I was far too young to be in the ICU. He had a little plastic pumpkin for Halloween and not much else so he asked the nurse to give it to me.

I never found out which patient gave me that pumpkin but since the stroke, whenever things get stressful I look at it (now sitting on my desk at work) and remember that everything is okay.

I plan on keeping my little plastic stroke pumpkin for the rest of my life however long or short it may be.

Friends are great.

I text a friend and see if they want to have dinner. We plan something and cook it with a good drink, then another, repeat as necessary.

Life feels pretty good after a few drinks and dinner with friends. Also I get to try out a lot of new recipes.

It’s not the best years for everyone.

High school is almost over and a new chapter of my life is about to start 🙂

Experiences, not things.

That experiences with people is what matters most, not money or material.

A little sunshine.

I go for a walk. Sometimes a little sunshine will help ease my anxiety.

It’s the little things.

I think about the fact that all things considered I’m reasonably healthy and there’s no warrant out for my arrest

A certain feeling.

I have a very long list of things that give me a certain feeling. Like appreciative nostalgia almost but not quite. A few things from it are:

air conditioning in hotels

trains

lucky numbers

being introduced to something new by someone you love

mixes labeled with themes like, “rain”, “for sleeping”, “for driving”

when the lights dim before previews in the movies,

People and pets.

Hopefully this gets past all the award stuff, but one thing that reminds me that everything isn’t all bad is that I have people and pets that want me around. I can have an utterly terrible day, come home, and my dog is waiting at the door to greet me. Every day. I’ll go lay down, and he’ll come cuddle with me.

My sister notices the funk, and will make me dinner or a dessert or something to lift my spirits, and I don’t have to say a word. I’m close enough with my best friend that he can notice something off about me just by the way I text, and he’ll come over to play some video games and talk.

Please, please remember that there are people around you that love you and care for you. When you’re having an utterly shit day, there are people that actively want to make it better because they care for you. You may not notice the ways that they do it, but they do.

It can be as simple as just asking how your day was (they know; they can tell,) or as elaborate as taking you out to unwind and have a fun time to forget and relax. No one is ever alone in this world, even if you feel it. And, if you genuinely feel it, message me. I’m always welcoming conversations from anyone.

I’m definitely going to need some of these.

They’re nice to have in my back pocket.