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We can all use some simple joys in life to brighten up our days. Beauty and joy is all around us and we can create opportunities to have more balance and comfort daily. Here are some simple joys that you can find in your daily life. There are also some experiences you may not have even thought of that you can introduce into your life. I also list some of my favorite things that may be worth the splurge.
Learn something new
Learn something new everyday. You are doing this already just by reading this article. You don’t have to read Shakespeare or nuclear physics (unless you want to:)). Pinterest or the web is a wonderful way to get a quick tidbit of knowledge. Even the simple joys in life of reading something fun – fashion, makeup, recipes, a good magazine, will engage your brain and contribute to joy! Better yet, take a course, go to a museum , watch a TED talk, etc.
Wear something comfortable and cozy
I love to feel cozy at home. One way to do this is wear a comfortable white nightgown. Maybe accompany this feeling with a cup of tea, a good magazine or binge watching your favorite series on tv.
Lavendar Fields Jacaranda Living Chrissy White Cotton Nightgown – This elegant but comfortable, cotton nightgown falls below the knee. It has spaghetti straps and is oh so lovely to wear around the house and tip-toe right to bed. Shop now.
Play Pickleball
Yes, you read it right! Play pickleball or any social sport, tennis, golf, badminton, etc. Maybe take a zumba class. The point is to get activity and move your body while making friends. Last year, I took up Pickleball and made so many friends. It is a quick pick-up game that is easy to learn. Read my blog on ‘How to get started with pickleball’. The combo of fun people and blood pumping exercise is a prescription for joy.
Lose yourself in a good book
Carve some time into your schedule. Maybe you do this every evening instead of watching tv. Or maybe Saturday afternoon after all the errands are done is a good time. Use this time to read what you love (fiction, self-help, suspense, business, biography, etc.) not what is expected of you (insurance papers, bills, etc.) or what you are ‘supposed’ to be reading. This is the time for joy, not guilt. Read my blog on 8 must read books to take on vacation where you can see my favorite books in every genre.
Plan an event to look forward to
Having the anticipation of fun event planned in the future can really keep you going through the humdrum day-to-day busy-ness. It could be a lunch with friends, a night out with your spouse, a vacation, etc. It’s always great to have something on the calendar to look forward to.
Wear a fabulous outfit
Raid your closet and find that one fabulous dress that makes you feel amazing. It could go well with the event your planned in the previous step. Sometimes just putting on something that makes you feel confidant and beautiful has a way of reenergizing us.
Pause….and take a deep breath
It’s easy to get swept away in the anxiety and stress of the go, go, go, mentality of a usual day. The easiest thing we can do wherever we are is to pause and breathe. We have this at our disposal, whenever we need it, and it will surely bring you some space and calm.
Listen to music that moves you
Something I have discovered while washing dishes after dinner is that if I put on some great music it really makes it go faster. I even prolong the washing just to hear more tunes. Music has a way of shifting our brain chemistry.
Amazon Echo Show – I have this in my kitchen. Just say “Alexa play smooth jazz or R&B (or fill in your favorite music)” and I have instant music while I cook. Watch the news, podcasts, and tv shows you stream on certain services too. This is my latest favorite device.
Make your bathroom a make-shift spa
Save some money on the occasional expensive spa treatment and have the convenience of turning your bathroom into a spa-like serene environment. Light some candles, take a warm bath, luxuriate with some bath soap. Put on a comfortable robe. This is a great go-to for tough days or ‘me-time’. Click on the links to shop.
Coconut & Rose – coconut milk soap, bergamot & geranium
Peacock Alley Textured bath robe
Write a letter to a loved one
I miss the slow art of letter writing where you actually have a pen, beautiful stationery, and a sealed envelope. My mother-in-law and I exchanged letters for years until she passed at 95. Any excuse, a thank you, birthday, or a holiday brought the simple joy in life of writing a small note. If snail mail and paper is not your thing, than even email, or a text will do. The point really is to reconnect with someone to say “I remember you” and am thinking of you.
Swim
For me swimming is a way of regaining balance. On a sunny day, just being in the water helps to rejuvenate me and is a truly one of the simple joys in life. I’ll take a pool, an ocean, a lake…..any body of water will do. Something I believe in is having a comfortable yet flattering swimsuit. Read my blog where I show you two suits that fit the bill.
Be Grateful for the simple things
My most simple, beloved thing – my coffee in the morning. It is my time to wake up properly. I take it back to bed, meditate over the rich aroma, read the news, do a crossword etc. What other simple things do you do that bring you joy in life? Maybe it is to cook your favorite meal, do a craft, say “hello” to a stranger. Please practice them regularly and bring them out whenever you need a quick pick-me-up. May the simple joys in life brighten your 2025!
