*BEEEEP* your alarm clock abruptly rings at 6:00 am for the fifth time this week, the umpteenth time of your career. Begrudgingly, you maneuver off your mattress to make your coffee, commute to work, and whether it’s a good day or bad day at work, it doesn’t really matter. They’ve all started to fade together and you’ve realized the years have slipped through your fingertips. Welcome to your life.
Waiting for the weekends, waiting for the holidays, waiting for summer break, it can seem as if life is a series of waiting. Waiting for a raise, waiting to pay off your loan, waiting for good weather. It can all seem a bit, monotonous—you’ve been through this before. So if life is a continuous series of passing go and collecting $200 (monopoly ref), why can’t we seem to enjoy more of it?
For starters, we are constantly conditioned through social media and advertising to never be happy with what we have. If we could just have this new iPhone, headset, car, jacket, you name it, our lives would be *perfect.* Hopelessly, whenever we acquire that new thing, we go back to wanting the next new thing. With this in mind, how can we resolve what we truly desire while being happy with what we have?
The funny thing is, what if I told you that you already have everything you desire? It’s all right there in front of you. I’ll share a quote I came across on LinkedIn today:
“Your terrible job is the dream of the unemployed.
Your house is the dream of the homeless.
Your health is the dream of the ill.
Your lifestyle is the dream of somebody else.
Don’t let difficult times make you forget your blessings.”
Unknown source
Sunrises, that perfect sip of coffee, noticing someone’s genuine smile when you enter the room—there is so much beauty and opportunity in every day we can get used to taking it for granted. The goal is to enjoy each day you are given to the fullest, because you never know when it may be your last. There is no reason we can’t enjoy every day. Sure, there will be bad moments, but there is at least some good in every day. Simple pleasures are the key to enjoying the repetition of life. Don’t let your life slip away by waiting for something that may never even come. To experience joy and happiness in each day is a way to show gratitude for the gracious gift of a day you were given. Learn to love the repetition of life by enjoying small things that bring you joy every day.
With all my emphasis on simple pleasures, I am not negating hard work, which is paramount to achieve your goals. But try looking at hard work as a blessing, not as a chore. You owe it to yourself to work hard and achieve all your ambitions. I’ve realized that life is an elegant equanimity of pushing myself to be better with being content with where I am. In other words, work hard, play hard(er).
So what are some simple pleasures you do to enjoy every last ounce of life? Share them in the comments below and we can get ideas of what others do as well!
Here are some simple daily pleasures (minimum effort+minimum cost) I do throughout my week:
- Finding a new song I love
- Enjoying my favorite cup of peppermint tea
- Making a homemade dinner for my family
- Trying out new vegetarian recipes
- Meeting a new friend
- Eating dessert first
- Spending a couple hours writing in a quaint cafe
- Crushing a hard workout
- Rock climbing a new route
- Noticing something I’ve never noticed that I pass every day
- Re-reading passages of my favorite book (A Little Larger Than the Entire Universe by Fernando Pessoa)
- Finding a new book I can’t wait to read
- Homemade pancakes on the weekend (beet pancakes are the best!)
- Wearing my favorite outfit
- Wearing pajamas all day
- Daily morning vinyasa yoga practice
- Taking artistic photos
- Doing a face mask
- Taking a long, hot shower
- Going to bed early
- Watching a show of my favorite stand-up comedian
- Reading a book or watching a documentary about my favorite animal (wolves are the best)
- Going on a hike to relax in nature
- Spending quality time with my pet—a friend’s pet works too 😉
- Catching up with my best friend
- Watching a movie with friends and/or family
P.S. The featured photo is one of me as a little girl cerca 2000, a tribute to finding joy in the simple things, as children so naturally and so beautifully do. Namaste!
For ideas surrounding the struggles we face making decisions, read my blog called “The Paralysis of ‘I Don’t Know'” found at: https://wiseandshinezine.com/2020/03/10/the-paralysis-of-i-dont-know/
My personal blog can be found here: http://www.poemsandprose.travel.blog
Having anxiety, it takes a lot of effort to be happy on a daily basis. But I try very hard to do so. Some of the things I do:
– drink my favorite coffee from SB (cliche, I know)
– long, hot, bubble baths
– finish a 60-minute sun salutation (at least 2x a week)
– re-watch the ending of “anne with an e” – my childhood nickname is anne, so I like seeing my namesake happy.. 🙂
– painting tulips, or sometimes butterflies
– reading horror stories or watching horror movies.. XD (yep, i am that weird girl)
– talking to my sister and my bff – we’re in different countries, so, hearing their voices makes me calm
– seeing random animals on my walks.. <3
I totally feel you on that, some days are harder than others to find joy and happiness dealing with anxiety. Also I can definitely relate when you and your family/friends are in different countries just hearing their voice and catching up with them can make all the difference. Thanks for sharing your great ideas and I wish you the best! <3 Ellen
Beautiful 👏👏
Thank you Amrita! I am glad you enjoyed it 🙂 <3 Ellen
Awesome text! This made my morning!
Thank you so much Naaiba, it brings me so much delight to hear that it made your morning! All I can hope to do is to make some small positive impact on my readers’ days. Best, Ellen
What a beautiful text. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and what brings you joy- truly inspiring 🌸
Thank you so much for reading Sara, and I’m so glad it could bring some joy and positive inspiration to your day. Best wishes! <3 Ellen
I love this. Couldn’t agree more!
Thank you so much Lorilin! I am glad my idea could bring some joy to your day. Best wishes, <3 Ellen
A wonderful perspective! And a nice way to end the week… almost! 🙂 Happy Friday and weekend!
Thank you for reading Ab and I’m glad you enjoyed my perspective. Yes happy Friday I wish you a weekend full of enjoyment!! 🙂
I will be sharing this one with my kids too!
Thank you so much- I am truly honored you view my post as worthy to sharing with your children. Best wishes to you and your family! <3 Ellen
You’re welcome!! Planting seeds❤️
Loved this! Great reminder to slow down and breathe life in throughout the day… thanks for sharing this!!!
Thanks for reading Bryan, I am really glad you understood my point of view and I totally agree! Sometimes just noticing your breath and slowing things down can add the peace you need for your day. Best wishes to you!
Finding happiness in small things👍
That is the key indeed 😉 thanks for reading!
Well delivered ellieejay 🙂
– Settling in to watch a new comedian while sipping peppermint tea and eating dessert wearing pajamas. Mmmmm
A reminder that everything is relative, beauty is all around us, and the potential for joy in these ‘little moments’ is boundless.
That sounds right up my alley! And I really love that last sentence you wrote, couldn’t have said it better myself! I think it should become one of those famous quotes you see appear everywhere. As always thank you for sharing your insights and of course for reading!
Love your post 😁♥️
Thank you so much Faye! Namaste <3 Ellen
Namaste , my pleasure 😁
This is a great post with much needed information to help me; thank you!
Thank you so much Tamara, it brings me so much joy and moreover gratitude to be able to positively impact your day. Best wishes and namaste <3 Ellen
Thank you <3 great read. Just shared that quote on my story.
Thank you so much for reading Kasey and I’m super happy you shared that powerful quote as well! Best wishes <3 Ellen
Spot-on young lady! Loving the Repetition of Life… I have one small correction and a giant addition. My correction is people don’t really think if I bought this jacket my life will be perfect. But they mistakenly do think their life will be better; and that ends up being a hole they can never fill. My addition is… waking up and knowing the people that loved you yesterday will love you today!
Perfect is a bit of a hyperbole here but you’re right people do think their life will be better with material things when really, what adds the most color to our lives is loving and being loved back! Thanks for your perspective, namaste <3 EJ
You made my day!
That means a lot to me thank you for sharing. 🙂 Best wishes <3 Ellen
I like your LinkedIn food for thought! A good reminder. I used to get that a lot when I nursed, but now I am not surrounded by people worse off than me all day it’s easier to forget how much we really do have, even when life is hard. Thanks for the welcome reminder!
Thanks for sharing and I appreciate your insight. When we are around people worse off than us in whichever particular way, it’s hard not to appreciate what we have. But then circumstances change and we can go right back to taking things for granted. A healthy amount of weekly reflection helps me tackle that issue. I’m glad you enjoyed my post 🙂 Best, Ellen
Fantastic! Thank you for sharing this and liking my post. I’m so new out here. And your photo is so adorable ..
Hey no problem thanks for reading my post. Good luck with your challenge!
Amen to this! Well said! Enjoying the little things is the path of happiness and inner peace. My favorite way to appreciate the everyday joy of living is to practice mindful eating, with gratitude for the chain of life energy that sustains my life. ❤️🙏❤️
Yes mindful eating really helps me slow down and appreciate the day but I can easily overlook it when I become too hungry and hangry.. haha but always something to work on! Thanks for sharing Rose! <3 Ellen
I don’t make new year’s resolutions, but one of my goals/areas of emphasis for this year is to be more mindful of life’s small pleasures. I’m not getting any younger, I have more yesterdays than tomorrows, and my life is mostly routine. I can let it slip by while I wait for the next weekend/holiday/vacation, or I can live each day and savor the small things. Thanks for the reminder to do that.
We could all have more yesterdays than tomorrows left- that’s the thing life isn’t guaranteed by any means. Thank you for sharing your new goals for this year and I wish you all the best in savoring the small things. Thanks for reading! <3 Ellen
Your job is the dream of the unemployed- SO very true! I remember desperately wanting a job when I couldn’t find work… it wasn’t a good place to be.
Yes I just recently got a job and when I was career searching I realized it can be a demoralizing process- even if you are self-confident usually. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts!
Great post !! Again, got me thinking. I think I appreciate many simple pleasures- here are some that I’ve thought through over the past couple of days:
The clean white look of a new covering of fresh snow
The feel of the ink on paper when I use my fav blue pens
Being In the same time zone, country and LIVING ROOM to share morning yoga with my daughter
A glimpse of sunrise over the mountains before my head leaves my pillow
Spending quiet time enjoying the company of my pet
Noticing animal tracks in fresh snow
Turning a corner and noticing a new view of the mountains
The scent of my fav rosemary mint body lotion
Candles
Viewing a herd of mule deer grazing along my route
These are some of my favorite WinterSimplePleadures 💙❄️🗻
Thanks for sharing your simple pleasures! Those are all wonderful simple pleasures and the best part is that they’re free and cost barely any effort at all – especially looking at the mountains before your head leaves the pillow! I will be excited to hear your Spring, Summer, and Fall Simple Pleasures 🙂 <3 EJ
Again reminded today that this is a daily priority . I love the snow!! Again animal tracks in the snow. Fresh covering of snow on the mountains. And… digging my car out of the snow … because that means more snow on the mountains ❄️💙🌞🏔
We love snow! 💙
I love your list, and your childhood photo. 🙂
Thank you for reading I’m glad you enjoyed it! <3 Ellen
Inspiring & I’m taking notes..
Thanks for reading and even you think it’s worthwhile to take notes! <3 Ellen
Explaining life, a teacher of mine once said, “We’re all dead people, sons and daughters of dead people.”
The sentence might seem crazy on its own, but when he quoted it amidst his explanation, it was so strong and meaningful. What the man meant was, life is a very short moment, that’s what it is. No matter how long you live, it’s still a very limited portion of time. As such, try to make it count, try to change things to the better according to your capacity; it’s the difference that you make that defines you.
Hi Ehab, thank you for sharing that quote. It really is mind boggling to comprehend that our reality is such a short glimpse in time. To think how distant away our great-grandmothers and great-grandfathers feel to our personal generation shows how much feels out of reach. And to think our world, our entire reality will feel the same distance to our great grandchildren. Circle of life! Thanks for reading, Ellen
Some of the simple pleasures that I enjoy almost daily: Watching funny videos, playing with my fur baby (or as you say – friend’s fur babies work too), spending time with my husband, working on my website, doing Qigong, having a good meal, taking naps when needed, and reading whenever I get the chance.
Thanks for reading and thanks for sharing your simple pleasures! Have a great weekend, <3 Ellen
Great post! I needed this. Thank you!
Thank you Gila! I am really happy you were able to enjoy this.
What a wonderful way to see life.
Sometimes life gets a little boring doing same things over, again and again. But you have a point. If we can’t find happiness in little things, we will never be happy.
Thank you for reading Adil and I’m really happy you found something in my post that resonated with you. Indeed you are right, if we can’t find happiness in little things life will pass us by. Take care <3 Ellen
Wise words here. 👌 the Bible agrees and it was written thousands of years ago.
1 Timothy 6: 7 For we have brought nothing into the world, and neither can we carry anything out. So, having food and clothing, we will be content with these things.
Hey thanks for sharing this quote! That really resonated with me- we haven’t brought anything into this world, therefore we won’t carry anything out. Love that. Reminds me to be and live in the present. Thanks again! Ellen
Love your list. It says a lot about who you are. Thanks for sharing.
That’s great to hear! Thank you for your support and thanks for reading 🙂 Ellen
I love your post! We have a lot in common! Keep writing and inspiring others. ❤️🌞
Thanks for your support Diadel! It’s my honor to inspire others by simply urging them to think differently or get unstuck from old habits. Best wishes! <3Ellen
Waking each day in anticipation of the possible infuses the day — and life — with positivity. I wake each day and remind myself this is so; for others, I expect it may come more naturally. Such a frame of mind — waking to the possible — becomes a touch stone that guides me through darker times. Lost, I swing back toward what is possible rather than descend entirely into a negative space. Insightful post! I look forward to investigating more of your blog! This was a great way to start my day!
That’s a wonderful way to start the day which inspires me as well. Thank you for sharing and for supporting my blog. It’s my honor to be able to communicate with intelligent readers that care! <3Ellen
A great reminder to always appreciate what we have and to give thanks daily. Having a time of prayer and reflection during my morning with a cup of hot tea gets my day off to a great start!
Yes I love that! Giving thanks daily to whomever it may be— our family, friends, our creator, a stranger who made us smile, is a great way to consciously appreciate everyday as a gift. Great addition!
Some days you just have to laugh. 🙃
Yes sarah I totally agree! I firmly believe laughter is the best medicine 😉
Elieejay, what a rich vibrant life. I’m a grandpa in the last season of life. If I were to die tomorrow, I would not feel shortchanged. Each day is a gift of service to Almighty God, an opportunity to be his hand extended. Love, work, pray, repeat. Pour yourself into others, embrace your family, and continue to do all the wonderful things you are doing. Thank you for these awesome thoughts.
Hi Diogenes, thank you for your support and meaningful advice. Oddly enough, I have experienced so much love and light in my life thus far, I would feel silly saying I haven’t had a fulfilling life already. Each day is a gift and I look forward to how I can shine more light onto others. Thank your for reading and I look forward to reading more of your blog as well, as I can tell they are about topics you care about and put a lot of thought into. Best, Ellen
I absolutely loved reading this! Every year in January I write out 3 things I am thankful for. It is so AMAZING at what it does for your soul. Reminding myself to appreciate the things we sometimes take for granted that others only WISH they had is truly eye opening. For example running water and heat, or as you listed a home where the homeless wish they had one.
Beautiful post. Thank you. 🙂
Hi Amy, thank you so much for your support and your insightful comment. Your annual practice in January is very powerful and resonates with me. Taking note of things I’m grateful for is one of my go-to’s when I’m in a slump. Thanks for reading 🙂 <3 Ellen
Loved reading this 😉 . So beautiful posts 😉
Thank you for your support 🙂 <3 Ellen
I enjoyed reading your post and the quote is priceless! How many of us get caught up in the “boring’ process of every day life and forget how blessed we are. It is easy to fall into a rut but so good to be reminded to climb out of that rut and gain a new perspective. Thanx
Thank you for reading and I agree- it’s easy to take our lives for granted sometimes but I’m trying to be more aware of it and enjoying the simple things. Thanks for your support!
That quoted poem speaks to nothing but the truth. It is much much more important to experience gratitude while still reaching out and looking forward. Waiting is life, but we keep moving while we wait. Nice post!
I love how you said that at the end, waiting is life, indeed. Life is a series of waiting; if we’re not “waiting” for something we’re not breathing. But it’s essential to turn that waiting into joy, peace, & harmony, and enjoy the ride along the way. Thanks for reading and for your thoughtful response! Best, Ellen
Thank you for the piece. Truly enlightening. I found the quotation very uplifting.
Some of my simple daily pleasures;
– My “Me Time” at 4 am every morning (except on the weekends). To listen in to my conscience and God.
– Going to bed early
– A chapter of a good book at some point during the day, every day…
– A beer & good banter with close friends at the weekend
– 7:30 am church service to refresh my soul
Hi Andrew, thank you for your insightful comment. It’s truly my honor to have the opportunity to positively impact people’s days, and I’m gratified to know you found some benefit from my post. Your daily pleasures are simple yet powerful, and I can tell they mean a lot to you. Waking up at 4am takes a lot of determination I’m sure, so props to you on that! Do you have any book recommendations? I’m fascinated by self-help books and have an affinity for naturalistic poetry. Thanks for reading! Best, Ellen
Thank you so much for sharing. For stopping by my blog and leaving the lingering scent of pleasant company – even if it was just for a moment.
Thank you.
Thank you Seun for your support and it is my pleasure to have positively impacted you. Thanks for reading! Best, Ellen
This post reached out and grabbed me. Thank yo!
Thank you so much for your support, it truly makes my day to know I can positively impact my readers. Best, Ellen
Very interesting and empowering post. Loved it. A few things I daily do:
– Writing morning Thought for my people
– Spend time with music of my choice
– Explore my screen reader
– Pat my pet
– Work out
And so on. 😉😉
Hi Divya, thanks for sharing some of your daily uplifting activities! I enjoy all of those too , and I think it’s important to have a wide variety of activities we can go to for any type of day we’re having. Thanks so much for reading and for your support. Best, Ellen
😊😊
Hi Ellie. I love your post ♥️ It’s absolutely amazing…so much natural…and i feel really good after reading this. I am a budding blogger and am very new to this site. Thank you for sharing such an inspirational thoughts. Am looking forward to read more of your writings. 🙂
Hi Sarah, thank you so much for reading and it makes my day to offer some inspiration to my blogging community. I can’t wait to read some of your writings! Best, Ellen
Hi Ellie, thank you for this post. First and foremost, I love the title of the post. The repetition of life can be looked at as such a monotonous, boring, uneventful thing. But if we get down to it and really awake to life and love, we then see the repetition as a gift. I believe your post will help awaken people to that gift. Thank you for sharing! ❤️
This is amazing
http://lifesmeaning.me/
Thanks for sharing!