Simple Pleasures

Simple Pleasures

Simple pleasures are powerful. They are powerful because they are indicators of our authentic selves. They make our heart sing and energize our mind and body. Simple pleasures are so beneficial and desirable it’s a great idea to identify, nurture, and incorporate them into our lives.

The cool thing about simple pleasures is they are personal to each of us.

They also tend to be rather ordinary, nothing earth-shattering or monumental. At their best, simple pleasures just “are”. If you’re open to them, you can allow time and space for them to flow in your life. You can feel and savor their resonance.

Because simple pleasures bring such joy, I recommend engaging in them as often as possible. To spark some ideas, here are a dozen random simple pleasures that one or more of my clients have shared with me through the years:

  • Playing guitar. Get it out of the attic, the spare room, or the basement. Dust it off, tune it up, play it. Just for yourself, for your sweet toddler, for no one in particular.
  • Bike riding. Get some exercise, connect with nature, do an errand. Ride on the trail, in the city, on the boardwalk.
  • Horses. Ride them, groom them, simply be in their presence. My equine loving clients report major benefits from hanging out with horses; physical, spiritual, emotional.
  • Swimming. Indoor, outdoor, in the ocean, a lap pool, or a mountain lake. Set your pace, choose your stroke, feel the pleasure.
  • Library visits. Browse the stacks and sample the selection. Do it the ‘old fashioned’ way . . . borrow books.
  • Cooking/baking. If it’s your thing, you know it. It’s not a hassle, it’s heavenly. Experiment, create new recipes, share the rewards.
  • Dancing/dance lessons. Ballet, ballroom, or interpretive dance. If dance is one of your simple pleasures, there are plenty of options to consider.
  • Laundry. Yes, laundry! I once had a client tell me her sweetest simple pleasure was hanging her laundry outside. The fresh smell, the easy effort, the eco-friendly choice . . . it all appealed to her.
  • Flowers, flowers, flowers. Grow them. Smell them. Arrange them. Not only did one client talk about her lifelong love of flowers, she also shared the pure, simple pleasure of “smelling the earthiness” every time she indulged in gardening.
  • Fabric and fibers. Varied textures, wonderful colors, a range of possible creations. Yarn, felt, cotton. Rugs,pillows, wall art — so many variations.
  • Tracking statistics. Yes, you read that correctly. We’re talking sports stats, baseball specifically. This client loved, loved, loved tracking stats on many teams throughout the season, over the years. Spreadsheets, systems, the process. He enjoyed it all and found it relaxing.
  • Music. Searching, listening, rewriting lyrics of popular songs to increase their personal meaning. At his computer, headset on, heart wide open — my client could joyfully spend hours lost in music. It provided a definite boost to his well-being; a beautiful thing to hear him describe.

So what about you? What simple pleasures can you excavate? One or more of the above? Something new and different, yet equally powerful and pleasurable?

Give it some thought. Dabble in your ideas. Enjoy the process of discovery.

 

Daily ideas and inspirations to help you create a more authentic, balanced life are available here:  https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00FEQHI7I

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