These Are The Simple Pleasures That Make Life Beautiful
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The world can be a cold, harsh place to be in.
On the flip side, there’s so much beauty around us, most of which goes unnoticed because we’re so busy coping, surviving and scheming our way through life.
This is why I wanted to write this post: To remind you that there’s so much more to life than the hard, complicated stuff.
And that a beautiful life isn’t just made up of the big, obvious milestones.
It’s often about the little, everyday things that make you want to smile from the inside-out.
If you haven’t already, I’d like to invite you to give yourself permission to notice and enjoy the simple pleasures in your life.
To give you an idea of what to look out for, here are 50 of mine.
Most cost little to no money, and tend to be experiences rather than things:
- Feeling safe where I am, and who I’m with.
- A meaningful conversation.
- Snuggling with my cat.
- The warm, morning sun on my skin.
- A soft, cool breeze.
- Waking up feeling rested and fresh.
- Working out with my friends.
- Being enveloped in a big, bear hug.
- A friend checking in on me.
- A hot, steaming cup of tea.
- An ice-cold drink on a hot afternoon.
- Finishing the last repetition of a challenging workout.
- Giving an unexpected gift.
- Receiving an unexpected gift.
- That soft, golden hour glow.
- The clean, light feeling after a shower.
- A calm, peaceful day.
- Getting lost in my favourite television show.
- Being completely engrossed in a good book.
- Snuggling into a soft, cozy bed.
- Knowing that someone’s coming to get me.
- Having faith in someone.
- Serendipity.
- Cooking a delicious meal that hits the spot.
- Being with someone who feels like home.
- Lights that make my space feel magical and comforting.
- The plane touching down (finally!).
- Exploring a new place.
- The excitement of trying out a new restaurant or cafe.
- Shoes that let me walk for miles without hurting my feet.
- Putting on an outfit that makes me feel good about myself.
- Drifting off to sleep.
- Watching the rain pour down from my cozy spot inside.
- My feet on cool, soft grass.
- Laughing with complete abandon.
- Crying tears of relief.
- Sleeping in on a lazy Sunday morning.
- The relief of letting go.
- Finding the right fit (be it shoes, clothes or people).
- Spotting a rainbow after the storm.
- Making plans with people I love.
- Feeling hopeful.
- Being completely present in a beautiful moment.
- The warm, hypnotizing glow of a burning candle.
- Listening to my cat purr with contentment.
- Paying it forward.
- Sinking into my bed after being on my feet all day.
- Giving someone who needs help, a hand.
- Savouring a healthy, nourishing meal.
- Feeling loved.
Everything on this list may seem obvious, but for the longest time, it rarely occurred to me to think of them as pleasures, until I was forced to slow down and make mindfulness a daily practice.
Now, I think of these little moments of joy and beauty as ‘glimmers’ to look forward to each day.
What are the simple pleasures in your life that are making you happy?
HELPFUL RESOURCES
Simplify Your Life: 100 Ways To Slow Down And Enjoy The Things That Really Matter by Elaine St. James I got my hands on this treasure over 15 years ago, way before simple living and minimalism became popular, and it was the first resource that introduced me to practical, everyday steps I could take to ‘un-complicate’ my life. I didn’t have enough life experience then to ‘get’ everything that St. James presents in this book, but when I revisit the pages of Simplify Your Life now, they make perfect sense. If you’re just starting out in your simple living journey and are exploring your possibilities, I highly recommend giving this a read first. Get your copy here.
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying: A Simple, Effective Way To Banish Clutter Forever by Marie Kondo Being able to pay attention to the little things in your life starts with decluttering — not the easiest thing to do if your living (or even work) space is disorganised and drowning in stuff. This is my bible as far as tidying up my space and keeping it that way goes. Get your copy here.
The Minimalist Home: A Room-by-Room Guide to a Decluttered, Refocused Life by Joshua Becker with Eric Stanford In this detailed home decluttering guide, Joshua Becker of Becoming Minimalist walks you through the mental, emotional, physical and financial toll our desire for more ‘stuff’ has been taking on us, how minimalism at home can set you free, and how to go about reclaim your space using what he calls The Becker Method. Get your copy here.
Audible Premium Plus Want to learn more about minimalism but don’t want to clutter your home with more physical books? Try listening to them instead. Get A FREE 1-month Audible Premium Plus membership, which gives you access to the entire Audible catalog of audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Originals series, in addition to a free audiobook of your choice each month. Sign up for your free month here.
START SIMPLIFYING YOUR LIFE.
Having trouble leaving behind the clutter, excess and drama that’s making you feel suffocated? Start shedding the stuff that’s holding you down along with everything that’s not contributing to your health, wealth and happiness with my FREE Simple Living Guide. Get your copy of this guide-and-workbook-in-one here.