What makes you happy? Not what you think makes you happy, but what makes you intrinsically happy? The moments when you smile from ear to ear, laugh until you cry? When you feel utterly content and at peace? It might seem like an easy question to answer: Your health. Family. Money. Friendship. Love. Beauty. Success. What makes you happy?

Recently as part of our goal to watch more documentaries this year, I watched Happy, in which director Roko Belic seeks out answers to this eternal question. From the bayou in Louisiana to a co-housing community in Denmark to the slums of Kolkata, the compelling documentary examines how people live in a variety of circumstances, while also considering the role of psychology, genetics and dopamine in determining the root cause of happiness.

The documentary suggests happiness comes from a variety of things, like connections with others, community and exercise. It encourages you to choose to be happy and to learn how to cultivate your own happiness.

Watching the documentary encouraged me to reflect on what makes me content, what makes me happy. A lot of my happiness is rooted in connections, community and exercise, all things that living the good life in Vermont offers me. Here’s a list of some simple pleasures in Vermont that contribute to my overall happiness… What makes you happy? Share below in the comments.

We stumbled upon the Chiselville Bridge in Sunderland, Vermont, this past weekend. I love the “speed limit” sign!

Drives on Back-Country Roads

No matter the season, I love hitting the road without an agenda. I’m not a sponatenous person by nature, rather I often prefer having a plan. But when we road trip, I let go a bit, ready for adventure. It’s amazing how many beautiful views, quirky general stores and stunning covered bridges you can find in Vermont as you wind through back roads without a good sense of where you’ll end up. On our drives through Vermont, we always discover something new and something beautiful that reminds me why we’ve chosen to make our home and our lives in the Green Mountain State.

I never liked tomatoes until I was introduced to heirloom varieties that are perfectly eaten off the vine with a pinch of salt. Summer, hurry up already!

Flavorful, Wholesome Food

With access to ample local meats, cheeses, CSAs for year-long fresh veggies and chefs who have traded the big city for the simple life and quality ingredients the Green Mountain State offers, Vermont is an ideal home base for food lovers. I really believe you could find something that’s locally made for all of your cooking and eating needs with the many farmers, producers and purveyors in Vermont. Food makes me happy (perhaps too happy). Whether savoring a piece of a stinky local cheese, biting into a perfectly cooked grass-fed burger or picking cherry tomatoes right off the vine in the summer, flavorful, wholesome food makes me happy.

There’s something so simple and beautiful about a snowy mountain scene… taken in Sunderland, Vermont.

Snow

As a non-skier, it might be surprising that snow is on my list of things that make me happy. Maybe it’s the memories of snow days and big mugs full of hot cocoa as a kid… But all of the hassle of snow (plowing, shovelling, white-knuckle drives and bitter cold) is outweighed by the beauty of snow stuck to trees limbs, the satisfying physical burn of a long snowshoe (and the après snowshoe craft beer!) and also the excuse to stay inside, close to the woodstove during a snowstorm.

The Adirondack chairs sprinkled through Bread Loaf’s campus in Ripton, Vermont, invite you to sit and think and become inspired.

An Invitation to Sit, Relax and Observe

Life often goes by so quickly that sometimes I like heading up into the mountains where I know I won’t have cell service. Whether we take a hike, sit and enjoy a sunset, picnic at Texas Falls or explore new-to-us dirt roads, I begin to observe our surroundings. I concentrate on the seemingly small things that make life feel so full: the smell of woodsmoke, the unique call of a bird, an ombre-colored sky, the architectural details of a worn-down barn. Taking the time to live in the present makes me happy.

A Partner to Explore With

One of my best trips ever was a solo road trip to Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks when I lived in Montana prior to attending Middlebury and making Vermont my home. I heard bugling elks, saw gorgeous snow-capped peaks and observed amazing natural phenomena, like Old Faithful. What I didn’t have was someone to share the experience with… It makes me happy to have someone by my side day in and day out that enjoys travel, exploration and adventure as much as I do, and is the perfect travel companion, by my side as we uncover and discover so much in our own backyard.

What makes you happy? Share your thoughts below. We could all use a bit more postitivity and happiness in our lives.