Despite the happy times in our lives, nearly all of us experience moments where we consider death. In fact, two people kill themselves every minute. In this case, my sister was one of those people. She ended her life in 2013.
Although I have this firsthand experience, I don’t know how to save millions of people around the world who experience daily hell and genuinely want to kill themselves. However, I wish I did. Furthermore, I wish the path to finding a life worth living was direct and prescriptive and straightforward. But unfortunately, it’s not.
However, here are 30 things that helped me stay alive and fall back in love with life:
1. The magical feeling of falling in love, especially with someone who helps you become a better version of yourself.
2. Exploring a new country, then losing yourself in the excitement.
3. Taking a day off work to recharge, whatever that looks like for you.
4. Squeezing the very most out of weekends by planning little mini getaways.
5. Enjoying your favorite meal, especially if it’s cooked by someone you love.
6. Discovering what recovery feels like, then finding a type of therapy that really resonates with you.
7. Being in the presence of an adorable dog who showers you in pure, unconditional love.
8. Talking to a child who reminds you of the way you once saw the world.
9. Snuggling up inside while watching a thunderous rainstorm rattle the trees and drench the streets.
10. Wearing your favorite outfit, especially if it helps you feel confident in your skin.
11. Hiking a long, arduous mountain trail then enjoying the magnificent view at the end.
12. Swimming in the ocean; feeling your body lift with the swell of a wave.
13. Feeling validated, seen, and understood.
14. Being the person who allows someone else to feel understood, seen, and validated.
15. Sipping a delicious cup of coffee.
16. Sitting by a fireplace and listening to the crackling fire.
17. Witnessing a sunset that leaves you speechless or a sunrise that calms your spirit.
18. When a band starts playing your favorite song and everyone, including you, starts singing along in unison.
19. Road trips with your favorite songs playing at full volume.
20. Seeing old friends and reminiscing about your childhood.
21. Dancing to the music in whichever way you feel like.
22. The satisfaction when you finally gain the trust of a cat and they purr in your lap.
23. A sincere compliment from a stranger, especially when it comes completely out of the blue.
24. Amazing books by authors you don’t even know about yet.
25. Your new favorite songs that you will love enough to listen to on repeat.
26. Seeing families expand and meeting fresh, new humans.
27. The possibility of parenthood.
28. Laughing with someone to the point of tears.
29. The first snow of the winter or experiencing snow for the first time.
30. Helping the next person who feels the same way as you do and ultimately knowing that you can save someone else’s life.
Maybe some of these things sound silly, but honestly, I don’t care. However, I do hope that you find at least a few items that resonate with you. We all needs reasons to stay alive, so make a list of yours.
Feature Image by Jens Kreuter on Unsplash
