Small Joys

Small Joys: Volume 25

Small Joys: Volume 25

It seems fitting to publish my latest Small Joys post today on my birthday. Birthdays are always a great time for reflection, but especially this one. I am turning 30 and entering a new decade!

My 20s brought a lot of wonderful things like love, friendship, and personal and professional achievements. This was coupled with loss and illness and trauma. I acknowledge the entirety of my life experiences, good and bad, while intentionally choosing gratitude today as I catalog my latest list of little things bringing me joy!

1. My Empaths. This group of yogis are some of the best people I know. So kind and generous and also total badasses. I have enjoyed chatting politics with them lately (you know you’ve found some awesome people when you can actually discuss politics with them!) and having a fun wine tasting! So grateful to have met them at Colors of Yoga Raleigh.

Friends posing for photo |  Fairly Southern

2. Goodie Girl Birthday Cake gluten free cookies. These are a new find for me…and very fitting for my birthday month! Initial reaction? Too sweet. But they grew on me. Perfect paired with a spoonful of peanut butter (I buy unsweetened peanut butter, so it’s perfect to cut the sweetness of these cookies just a little).

Goodie Girl Birthday Cake gluten free cookies  |  Fairly Southern

3. Miss Americana. Really enjoyed this Taylor Swift documentary. I’ve always enjoyed her music, and this film made me like her as a person too. It was really neat seeing behind the scenes of the process of her songwriting.

4. Treadmilling. I have recently discovered that I can read a book or do things on my phone while walking on the treadmill. I can keep up a pretty good pace (usually 3-3.3 mph) while reading! This makes the exercise more enjoyable and entertaining. Plus I’m going to be browsing Insta anyway, so why not do it while walking a mile or two? This has been a great discovery, especially since it’s been too cold for my taste to walk outside a lot lately.

5. My first Facebook giveaway for Fairly Southern! I recently hosted my first giveaway on Facebook for a pair of Rothy’s recycled water bottle shoes. I actually ended up having TWO winners due to a little technology snafu, and they both picked the cutest shoes. Definitely head over to Facebook and like Fairly Southern if you haven’t already…I will be doing more giveaways in the future for sure! (Also, if you didn’t win this time around, just use this discount link for $20 off your first order from Rothy’s. You’re welcome!)

6. Long hair. My hair has officially, without a question, reached long status (aka my dream come true). Mermaid hair all day every day. The only downside is that it definitely looks thinner when it’s longer (plus it actually has gradually thinned over the years), so I will be getting a trim soon to take off dead ends and make it look a tad thicker. But right now I’m just enjoying the length!

Long beachy waves  |  Fairly Southern

7. When y’all send me articles. I have had quite a few of you send me sustainability-related articles lately or tag me in a comment on Instagram posts you think I might like. I LOVE it when you send me stuff! Keep it coming!

8. Costco. My sister took me to Costco this past weekend, and I had so much fun exploring (you know you’re almost 30 when exploring a warehouse club is a major highlight of your week?). I found so many great organic and gluten free goodies, including birthday cake granola, which of course I opened and enjoyed this morning for my birthday!

9. The ulcer is healing. Those who follow me on Insta may know that I’ve been dealing with an esophageal ulcer (aka THE WORST). I am thrilled to report that it has more or less healed. I’m still dealing with some minor issues but am so grateful that the pain and killer heartburn have dissipated.

10. My washing machine. Yep. Lots of gratitude lately for the invention of the washing machine. Having three dogs in the house turned out to involve quite a bit of laundry. How women coped with all the dang laundry prior to the invention of the laundry machine is beyond me. Y’all the real MVPs.

11. Women. And while we’re on the topic of badass laundry scrubbing women, let me just say that I really freaking love and admire women. When I went to vote on Super Tuesday, my polling place was entirely women-run except for one token man. This is how it is for every election. Women get it done, y’all.

12. A surprise birthday party! This is the real reason my weekly post is a couple of days late this week….though publishing it on my birthday is an added bonus. I had a surprise house full of people this weekend! My family and lifelong friends-turned-sisters traveled from near and far to surprise me on Friday evening. Gosh, I am so grateful for them, as well as the other friends who weren’t able to be there due to coronavirus concerns.

30th Birthday Party  |  Fairly Southern

What’s bringing you joy lately, friends?

xoxo Laura

P.S. – This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you) if you purchase a product using a link from this post. Read more here about my disclaimers/disclosures.

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