Happiness is defined as a mental or emotional state of well-being by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.

An effective route to happiness is not necessarily only through experiencing major events that we might have planned out, such as getting married, moving houses, getting that all-important promotion, or even being on vacation.

Rather, it is the little, and often unexpected, pleasures in life that can make us smile each and every day to help us build happier and more meaningful lives for ourselves and for others.

Here are 36 little things in daily life  that give all of us true happiness.

1. Seeing the lines from the vacuum after you finish

2. Watching raindrops rush down a window

3. Stopping the microwave with one second left

4. Wearing your favourite pair of pants

5. Hearing your favorite song on the radio

6. Walking on gravel

7. Throwing leaves in the air during the fall

8. Breaking a KitKat perfectly down the middle line

9. Giving a hug to a friend you’ve missed for a long time

10. Getting a compliment from a stranger

11. Getting the perfect parking spot

12. Finding that all the socks have a match when you do laundry

13. Finding money in your pocket that you didn’t know you had

14. Being asked by someone who cares how you are doing

15. Climbing into bed when you have fresh sheets

16. Taking an extra-long bath or shower when you have some free time

17. Watching the sunset or the sunrise

18. The smell outside after the rain has stopped

19. Listening to your favorite artist or album

20. Wearing warm clothes straight out of the dryer

21. Seeing a double rainbow

22. Singing under the shower

23. Guessing someone else’s password correctly

24.  Breaking perforated seals on just about anything

25. Peeling a clementine in one peel

26. A perfectly popped bag of popcorn

27. A good hair day

28.  Getting off work while it’s still light outside

29. Waking up early and realizing you have hours to sleep

30. When the Starbucks barista spells your name right

31. Finding money in your pocket that you forgot about

32. Popping bubble wrap

33. Raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens

34. A long back rub/scratch

35. Remembering you have left overs in the fridge

36. When a deadline is extended

All it takes is the awareness to take note of all of the beautiful little things in your life. You can always rush through life without looking right or left, but you can also pause for a moment to appreciate the beauty of a simple pleasure you’ve just came across.

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” ~Robert Brault