2020 has been a rough year. Nobody can deny that. However, it doesn’t have to be all bad. It’s important to look for the joys in our lives right now, even if they’re small joys. So I wanted to share some of the things I’ve been loving so far this year. I hope this inspires you to recognize the joys in your life, too!
Candles
I was always that person who would go out and buy candles because I loved the idea of burning candles, but I never actually burned them regularly. So I ended up with a large collection of candles that had been burned anywhere between 0 and 3 times. This year I’ve been really enjoying actually burning my candles, and that’s thanks to the brand Temper and Lace. I first discovered Temper and Lace when I received their Memory Lane candle as a gift. Memory Lane is such a comforting smell, it didn’t take me long to work my way through that candle. After that one, I was obsessed. When my boyfriend and I moved into our new home, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to treat myself to a new candle! Temper and Lace has unique, refreshing, and comforting scents. The design of their candles is simple and classy, so they’ll match with whatever style you’ve decorated your home in. Temper and Lace is a small business in Alberta, which is a bonus because it allows me to shop for products I love while also supporting local during this unpredictable time.
Nespresso
Our Nespresso. A coffee machine I’ve been lusting after for years. I could never justify buying one when I still lived at home with my parents, but as soon as we confirmed we were getting our house I jumped online and ordered one right away. And I’m so glad I did! I always feel so sophisticated when I’m making my ~latte~ every morning, but it’s so easy and takes no skill at all. And it’s a great money saver if you’re like me and you get sucked into spending $6 on a latte whenever you head into work. Now I just get my fancy coffee fix at home! (There are probably so many coffee aficionado’s out there who would be ROLLING their eyes at me for acting like a Nespresso is a luxurious cup of coffee lmao) Nespresso also has a great recycling program, in case you’re worried that it’s harmful for the environment! They send you a recycling bag with a prepaid delivery label so you can send your pods to a depot free of charge. There, they separate the coffee granules from the pods, and the granules get used for compost while the pods are recycled!
Popcorn Maker
I freakin’ love popcorn. I’ve always loved popcorn. I always will love popcorn. When I lived at home with my parents, I’d always ask my dad to make popcorn on the stovetop. I was very annoying and persistent about it. Then they gave me the greatest gift for Christmas last year: a microwavable popcorn maker. Revolutionary. Changed my life.
I know, I know. You can just get microwavable popcorn bags. But it’s not the same. This little contraption makes it so quick and easy for me to make my own popcorn, and then I can add whatever seasonings I want! I honestly eat popcorn almost every night now that it’s so easy. I also tell myself it’s fine to eat it every night because it’s a healthy(ish) snack. Don’t convince me otherwise.
Manic
Manic is still my go-to album when I’m looking for something to listen to, even though it came out at the beginning of the year. I’ve been a fan of Halsey for a long time, but this album of hers feels exceptional compared to her previous ones. I love the diversity of it – whatever you’re in the mood for, you’ll find it on this album. My favourite songs are Clementine, Graveyard, You Should Be Sad, I Hate Everybody, 3AM, Finally//Beautiful Stranger, Alanis’ Interlude, Killing Boys (particularly the line climb up to the window and I’m breaking the glass, then I stop ’cause I don’t wanna Uma Thurman your ass) Still Learning, and 929. So practically all of them haha!
Leather Backpack of Dreams
Last summer I was on the hunt for a small leather backpack to bring with me on our trip to Scotland. When we were in London I was still looking for one. I desperately wanted one because I was tired of fussing with a purse on our jam-packed days. I know I could’ve worn any old backpack, but I wanted a cute one that wouldn’t clash with my outfits while on our travels. Alas, I could never seem to find the perfect backpack. For Christmas, my boyfriend’s mom gifted me this holy grail of backpacks. It’s seriously the perfect backpack! I’ve loved using it daily, especially when I’m going to work and want to bring a book, or if I was going shopping (pre-covid) and wanted to browse without my purse getting in my way. It’s also got a dedicated pocket for my laptop and iPad, so when we do go on a trip again some day, it’ll be the perfect little carry-on bag!
Bubly and Robinsons
These drinks have been crucial in helping me kick my habit of reaching for sugary drinks. Just like I fricken’ love popcorn, I also fricken’ love Coca-Cola. If it’s in the house, I’ll drink it non-stop until it’s gone. Even when it’s not in the house, I often find myself desperately craving it. I’m aware it’s really, really bad for you and has way too much sugar in it. Has that ever stopped me? Of course not. Even if I was on a health kick, I couldn’t resist having at least one can a day. I was ready to resign to the fact that this was just going to be my lifelong unhealthy habit (some people smoke cigarettes, I guzzle copious amounts of Cola). But then Bubly and Robinsons saved the day!
Blackberry Bubly is perfect for curbing my craving for a carbonated beverage during the day. I’ve tried flavoured carbonated waters before, but they always seemed to taste a bit…off. I can testify that the Blackberry flavour of Bubly is delicious and does not taste like dusty, stale water! And the Robinsons Apple & Blackcurrant juice, introduced to me by my boyfriend, is a really delicious, refreshing, and sweet drink that has very little calories and no added sugar! Having these two drinks in the house as an option has honestly made me stop craving Coca-Cola, and I don’t really miss it (for now).
Baxter!
An activity that has been bringing me a lot of joy lately has been taking Baxter for walks, as well as just training him in general. I’ll admit that training can be a bit frustrating sometimes, but for the most part it is so rewarding. It has made my heart ache in the best way to watch him grow close to me and trust me so deeply during our time together. Getting to witness him make progress as he picks up on new commands, watching the gears in his head turning as he makes the connection between doing a command and getting rewarded, is so exciting and so much fun. Honestly nothing feels better than working with him and being successful together in his journey of learning and growth. Taking him for walks is endearing because I get to watch as he explores the world around him, reacting to new sounds, smells, experiences, and beings as we go out. To me, it’s just a simple stroll around the neighbourhood, but I know that for him it’s an exciting journey into a new part of the world he’s never explored before. He just really makes my heart happy.
Baking
Another activity I’ve been really enjoying this year is baking! I’ve always enjoyed baking, but I never really get into it unless I’ve got a lot of time off. I think whenever I was busy with work or school I just felt like I was too busy or couldn’t justify spending the time baking when I had other things needing my attention. But these past few months I’ve been able to spend more time in the kitchen baking, as well as experimenting with cooking new meals, and I’ve really been enjoying it! For me, baking is a very therapeutic activity with a delicious reward at the end. I’ve currently got some sourdough in the oven (my first attempt) and some salsa cooking away on the stove as I’m typing this!
Nintendo Switch/Animal Crossing: New Horizons
My Nintendo Switch, and in particular Animal Crossing: New Horizons, has been bringing me a lot of joy this year. Especially these past few months with everything going on in the world, Animal Crossing has provided a really great escape for me. I was talking with some friends about it and we agreed that it’s probably because while everything in the world seems to be spiralling out of control, we feel helpless and unable to control anything around us. But this game provides us with an island that we can have complete control over, and can turn into a happy little utopia. I’m sure it may seem silly that a video game like this could be so important to people, but right now I think for a lot of us it’s a source of joy and escape from the chaos of our reality.
Those are a few of the things that have been bringing me joy so far this year! What has been bringing you joy?
I hope that everyone is able to find sources of happiness in these scary times, and that everyone continues looking for joys in their life no matter how small they may be. Some days will be harder than others, and it will feel impossible to see anything good in the world, but as long as we keep getting up and trying our best that’s all that matters.
Stay safe and do your best to embrace the goodness of the world.
Until next time,
Nadine
nadinesnarratives.art.blog 