7 Simple Pleasures That Will Make Your Life Brighter

Put some small sparks in your day by adding some simple pleasures to your life.

We all have goals. Everyone knows what they want to accomplish by the end of the month, by the end of the year, and perhaps even five years from now.

We work hard and enjoy some big pleasures – a vacation to someplace great; perhaps the birth of a child; buying a new car or house; getting a promotion, and more. In between those big pleasures, however, are long spans of time when we can become used to the day-to-day routine and accustomed to the monotonous schedules of our lives. Nothing really provides even little simple pleasures and random moments of joy that can just brighten our day.

To get those simple pleasures into your life, here are 7 things you can do every day:

1. Become a Kid Again for a Few Moments

When is the last time you got a bottle of bubble solution and blew some bubbles? How about getting a paddle ball or a slinky? Think back to your childhood and those small toys that didn’t cost much but were just fun. Pick up a few and keep them on hand. You can pick them up at random moments and put a smile on your face. As children, we were carefree. By adding a few our childhoods back into our lives, we can pull up those memories and enjoy a few moments when life was so much simpler.

2. Enjoy Your Grubs

No matter what time it is – 5, 6, 7, 8 – when you are in for the rest of you day, get out of your work clothes immediately, before you read your mail, check your messages, or start your dinner. Hanging around in the clothes of work will not take you mentally away from that work. Getting into your sweats or shorts, getting your feet free of those shoes, getting any jewelry off, and mentally divorcing yourself from your busy, hectic work day, may not make you gleeful, but it will bring a pleasure of comfort that is just a sweet piece of joy in your day, every day.

3. Music

Everyone has his/her specific musical tastes. Whether you are into classical, jazz, oldies, hard rock, or alternative, find that station on your radio, crank it up, and start humming or singing along. Tap your fingers on your steering wheel, the wind down your windows, weather permitting, and let others around you feel your joy. They may frown or look at your strangely (especially if you are definitely middle-aged), but just smile back and keep on making your music. At times like these, you feel completely abandoned, and there is such freedom in that place.

4. Soaking in the Silence

Most of us have lives that are hectic and filled with other people. We get used to all of the noise. While we may think we are numb to it, we aren’t, and it does take its toll on our peace. We don’t realize what a small pleasure it is just to have silence – no other voices, no radio, no TV – only the hum of the refrigerator. If you haven’t experienced it, you may want to, and you may want to return to that silence often, if only for a few minutes. If you cannot get it at home, then find a nearby spot. Maybe it’s in your car, parked at the end of a quiet lane. You are still, and your world is still, if only for 5 minutes. If you can have it at home every once in a while, all the better. It’s pretty renewing.

5. Dance

You may not even really know how to dance. So what? Put on some favorite music and just move. Move your feet and legs, swirl around, get those arms up in the air. You can do it while you have a meal; you can do it while you get dishes done, or in front of a TV dancercise program. And if you sing along, all the better. When you have worries on your mind and they are overtaking you, this small pleasure is the best remedy. It just seems to wash everything away, at least for that short period. And the best result? Dancing seems to change our attitudes as we go forward to deal with our issues.

6. Commit a Random Act of Kindness

There are some people who commit to this activity every day, and you might want to consider it too. These do not have to be big things. Slow down and let someone in your lane ahead of you; compliments the checkout clerk; tell a co-worker how nice s/he looks; buy a cup of coffee for someone; let another shopper who has fewer items in their basket go ahead of you. Here is what happens – you make another person’s day and your brain releases endorphins which make you feel good too. When you wake up in the morning, think of one random act of kindness you can do that day.

7. Find a Task You Can Take Off Your Plate

This is one of the best feelings ever. Every once in a while, there may be something, that you can ask someone else to do for you. You may want to avoid a routine job that is not critical – walking the dog, taking out the trash at home, or entering some data or making some calls at work. Of course, you will reciprocate at another time.

You may be able to identify other simple pleasures that you can put into your days that will give that little moment of joy – a spark that will just put a smile on your face. Enough of those simple pleasures can change your whole day.

Author Bio: Diana is an experienced creative director while a beginner in guest-blogging. Nevertheless, writing is her passion. Diana’s purpose is to share some value among interested people. Apart from work, she likes traveling and reading. You can contact her through Twitter or read her blog.