22 Of Life’s Simple Pleasures

Life. One little word that has so much meaning. However, the past two years, life as we knew it changed drastically due to you know who and had devastating results still do to this day. Now, we’re all trying to get back to some semblance of normalcy, it seems world war 3 is about to start. We all need a break and my prayer is that people will start showing humanity towards their fellow humans. Despite everything that’s going on in the world and around us, it can become very easy for us to lose hope, faith and just feel overwhelmed and drained by it all. Today I want to remind you that despite all that’s happening, we can’t forget to stop and embrace the beauty this life still offers. The things I’m about to mention are nothing seemingly grand in the scheme of things but they are worth taking note of and being embraced fully.

1) Life: Okay, okay this one is pretty huge. More often than not we sometimes take life for granted and think that we have forever on this earth. However, I pray that all who read this are blessed with a very long and healthy life. We often get caught up in the mundane, cyclical routine in our lives that we sometimes forget to actually live. In case you didn’t know, life is meant for living and to be lived. I’ve always said and I will say it again. I do not believe that God placed on this earth to just go to work for 65 years and then drop dead after. God forbid it. These days I’ve been thinking a lot about, the kind of life I want and I am slowly building it the way I want it because I refuse to just work, eat, sleep and repeat all the days of my life. So I encourage you to find your purpose and run with it. Take the time to truly enjoy and actually live your life.

2) Fresh Air: Have you ever stopped and taken in a big whiff of the air outside, especially now that it’s springtime. Open your windows and let fresh air circulate throughout your home or go outside and take it all in.

3) Savoury Foods: More often than not, we tend to do everything in a rush and that includes eating. When’s the last time you really enjoyed and savoured what you were eating? For your next meal, try putting down the phone and focus all your attention on your meal. Use all 5 senses if you can to enjoy it.

4) Birds chirping: I love the sound of birds chirping, so much so that it’s my alarm sound. (if you’re an iPhone user you know their alarm sounds induce anxiety😶). Now that it’s spring, the birds are out and I hear their tweeps throughout the day as well as in the mornings when I wake up (aside from my alarm). I can hear them now as I type this😊

5) Babies laughter: This has to be one of the purest sounds you will ever hear. A baby’s laugh/giggle is the cutest yet funniest thing I’ve ever heard and it puts a smile on my face every time.

6) Stillness: When was the last time you took 5 minutes to just be still and do nothing? I find great serenity in those moments. I put all electronics aside, close my eyes for 5 minutes and just do nothing, including thinking. It’s a way to help ground yourself and help your mind and body relax. Obviously, if you have more time, you can do it for a longer period but 5 minutes out of your day is not bad.

7) Cup of tea/coffee: I am an avid tea drinker and need to have it at least every morning. If you’re a coffee drinker the same applies. Savour your cuppa whenever you have it. I will say I love the smell of coffee but I can’t get behind the taste😀

8) Love: This is not small by any means; however, there are some that treat it as such. Love is an absolutely beautiful thing and as the saying goes “to love is one thing, to be loved is another but to be loved by the one you love is everything”. There are different types of love and to experience them all in this life is a beautiful feeling. Whether it’s your spouse/partner, family or friends, let the people close to you know how much you love them in words and action.

9) Peace: The world around us may be in chaos; however, you can still cultivate peace in your life. Remove anything and anyone that disturbs your tranquillity because life is fragile enough to be dealing with drama, toxicity, or chaos.

10) Flowers: I love pretty blooms and being surrounded by them. One thing I want to do this year is to purchase fresh flowers every week for my kitchen/dining areas. They can brighten up any area they’re placed in.

11) Rainy days: I know some of you are probably saying heck no to this but I associate rainy days with lazy days. I like to curl up on the couch or in bed with a good movie/TV show or a good book. Also, I love the sound of rain falling, especially hitting the window pane. I also go to sleep with the sound of rain. BTW, let me know in the comments if you need complete silence to sleep or if you need sound.

12) Good book: If you’re an avid reader like I am, then you can appreciate a good book. The bookstore is quite possibly my favourite store. Although I don’t mind e-readers/kindle, they cannot compare to the feeling I get when I hold a physical book in my hands.

13) Bubble bath: A must for me. I try to incorporate baths into my routine at least twice a week. I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t have candles burning and soothing music (my playlist is listed below). I love using Dr. Teal’s Foaming Bath or Dr. Teal’s Melatonin Bath. Both help relax my muscles and mind and fall asleep faster.

Soothing Playlists To Help Calm You

14) Fluffy Slippers: These are self-explanatory. Nothing beats putting your feet in a pair of warm fluffy slippers, especially the ones with memory foam. This is a cute pair

15) Sunshine: I’m an island baby and by default, I love the sun. I don’t care how hot it gets I will always love summer more than winter. The sun on my skin is a lovely feeling (please wear sunscreen and don’t look directly into the sun). During the winter months, we hardly see the sun and that lack of vitamin D can cause our moods to decrease. When the sun is out try and soak up as much of it as you can.

16) No social media: I know a lot of people these days work via social media or social media is their job. Owning a blog has me stuck between a rock and a hard place as I still need Twitter to promote it. However, I’ve deactivated my IG and FB pages and honestly, I sometimes forget I even had them. The time I used to spend scrolling is now being put to use for more productive things. Personally, social media started to become very mundane to me, no matter how much I curated my feeds, it still felt very blasé.

17) Good TV show: I just finished binge-watching ‘Ugly Betty’ and I am sad that the series is over. What’s your favourite show and when’s the last time you carved out time just to watch it?

18) Baking: There’s something about baking that puts me in a good mood. I actually enjoy the process and the end result means I get to eat delicious baked goods. 19) Receiving a hug: Whether it’s from your spouse/partner, family or a friend, nothing beats a hug.

20) Great night’s sleep: I didn’t start to fully appreciate a great night’s sleep until I started getting older because when we’re young, we think we can catch up on the loss of sleep on the weekends by sleeping in. Wrong. I have established a great night routine and sleep schedule and it has been incredible. Get your sleep.

21) Decluttering: Studies have shown that clutter affects your mental health. Personally, I can agree with that because I cannot function at all in a cluttered environment. Things need to be in order and in their appropriate space and I NEED to see space (maybe I have slight OCD, we will never know 😀) but I live for a clutter-free environment. Once my space/home is clear, my mind immediately becomes clear. Also, clutter triggers anxiety and I avoid that at all costs. Check out my list below on what you should declutter in your home.

End of year declutter

22) Snowfall: I will be the first to admit that I dislike winter; however, I love snow. particularly watching the snowfall. There is a serenity that falls over the city when it’s snowing, especially heavy snowfall. Not only is it freshly fallen snow beautiful to look at, but it also blankets the city in quietness, making time seemingly go still.

This is not a comprehensive list by any means because there are so many more of life’s simple pleasures. Each person’s list may look different from another but the point is that we should all find simple things in our daily lives that bring us joy. if you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading. Leave a comment letting me know one of your Life’s Simple Pleasures.

Xx,

Abi💕