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A few weeks ago, I shared my personal recipe to nourish my soul and live a meaningful life. My recipe includes a cup of positivity combined with a handful of authenticity, a pound of wisdom, and a generous drizzle of love. Since I invented this concoction, I’m feeling pretty good about my ability to pull it all together by surrounding myself with people who exemplify these qualities, and continuing to seek out inspirational content – lectures, articles, and meaningful conversations – that drives me towards this way of life.

While visiting good friends in Montreal over the winter break (a couple and their two young girls), my girlfriend and I left our hubbies and kids at home for a much-needed girls’ night out – a little shopping, a casual dinner at a cool salad bar right up my alley, and a good dose of sharing. We shared some of our goals and action plans for 2016, ideas and tools to help each other’s careers and side ventures thrive, and discussed ideas to implement to live more meaningful and fulfilling lives.

We only scratched the surface, but it was just what my soul needed and I can’t wait to continue this sharing journey. Not to mention, I emerged from the night armed with knowledge of a term I hadn’t heard before – “Squad Goals.” Apparently it’s a Taylor Swift thing and I’ve read a bit about the Squad debate, but for my purpose, I’m choosing to focus on its positive intent, consistent with the way Bustle.com defines it: “An aspirational term for what you’d like your group of friends to be or accomplish.” For me, it’s awesome to have friends on the same page of life, in the same Squad, and reaching for the same goals.

As much as I feel great about the four ingredients listed above and I have no doubt they’ll feed my soul, the good times my husband and I had with friends over the break shed light on one very important ingredient I left out: Laughter.

Sure, one could argue that laughter could be covered under “positivity.” But given the good dose of belly laughs I’ve had recently, I’m breaking out the handheld mixer (the one I’ve had since I was sixteen and it’s still going strong!) and adding a few heaping cups of laughter to this theoretical dough.

It probably goes without saying, but there’s nothing quite like just being goofy, letting loose, and laughing with good friends until your face hurts about nonsensical things. That and a good family room dance party to Young MC’s “Bust A Move” and Kelly Clarkson’s “Since You’ve Been Gone.” Yup – that’s how I roll.  

When I look back at the last couple of weeks and think of all the friends we’ve laughed – and danced – with, it’s such a wide spectrum but the feelings of pure joy and silliness were consistent. Vegging out in Montreal, New Year’s Eve and Day with old friends and new, a spontaneous New Year’s Day Shabbat dinner with one of my oldest friends….it was good times all around!

So in 2016, I’m looking forward to whipping up generous helpings of learning, growing, and sharing. And in the company of my Squad, I hope to be laughing.

Jori Lichtman is a 2015 Momentum Trip Participant with the Village Shul.