The Happier Things in Life are Lighter
Sometimes, it can be easy to lose sight of all of life's little gifts. Bills pile up, obligations and responsibilities distract us, errands and chores take up that one day off we happened to get in the week.
However sometimes, no matter how busy your day may be, it just goes wonderfully. The sun shines brightly, you happen upon an old friend and make plans to catch up after work, you get a compliment on your outfit, and your favourite song comes on while you're on your way to or from work. These moments may seem small in the grander scheme of things, but in that moment they make your day feel great.
Moments like these, if we can learn to put more focus on them, make the tedious trademarks of being an adult that much more bearable, enjoyable even.
Having a difficult time remembering what these little things may be? I recommend reading The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha, also the author of 1000 Awesome Things, or looking up some of your favourite youtube go to's that put a smile on your face even when your day has been long. Personally, I gravitate towards Thomas Sanders vines and Jimmy Fallon games.
There's just something about the wholesome, non-prejudiced, light humoured fun of six seconds with Thomas Sanders that has me watching all of his videos back to back, and before I know it, an hour has gone by. There's something so ridiculous about the games they come up with on Jimmy Fallon that always have me laughing.
These are the simple things in life, the ones that cause no one harm but instead remind us all to smile and enjoy the moments we are given. These are the things that remind us not to take life quite so seriously. I mean, no one gets out alive anyway, right?
What about that feeling you get when you're walking somewhere on a really hot day and the wind picks up. That moment when you feel refreshed because you're focusing more on the current wind than the heat that affected you moments prior?
What about that moment when you get in the door and you see your cat or dog as they greet you, as you let yourself appreciate their excitement to see you? Or when you get home and can walk up to your loved one and just wrap your arms around them for a hug?
The responsibilities we face in life can grow quite heavy when we carry them with us every minute of the day rather than taking a moment to mentally set them down while we stop and smell the roses.
There's a story that I'm quite fond of about a Harvard Professor who holds out a glass of water in front of his Psychology class. Everyone expects him to address the glass half empty or half full anecdote. Instead, he teaches that it's not about how much water is in the glass but how much it weighs according to how long we hold on to it that matters. I highly suggest reading it Here.
There are so many things in life worth smiling about that would impact us so much more if we allowed them to. If we took a moment to put down the glass of water while we truly let ourselves absorb the happy moments, we'd find that this allows us to recharge our burden carrying muscles.
Moments like these, if we can learn to put more focus on them, make the tedious trademarks of being an adult that much more bearable, enjoyable even.
Having a difficult time remembering what these little things may be? I recommend reading The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha, also the author of 1000 Awesome Things, or looking up some of your favourite youtube go to's that put a smile on your face even when your day has been long. Personally, I gravitate towards Thomas Sanders vines and Jimmy Fallon games.
There's just something about the wholesome, non-prejudiced, light humoured fun of six seconds with Thomas Sanders that has me watching all of his videos back to back, and before I know it, an hour has gone by. There's something so ridiculous about the games they come up with on Jimmy Fallon that always have me laughing.
These are the simple things in life, the ones that cause no one harm but instead remind us all to smile and enjoy the moments we are given. These are the things that remind us not to take life quite so seriously. I mean, no one gets out alive anyway, right?
What about that feeling you get when you're walking somewhere on a really hot day and the wind picks up. That moment when you feel refreshed because you're focusing more on the current wind than the heat that affected you moments prior?
What about that moment when you get in the door and you see your cat or dog as they greet you, as you let yourself appreciate their excitement to see you? Or when you get home and can walk up to your loved one and just wrap your arms around them for a hug?
The responsibilities we face in life can grow quite heavy when we carry them with us every minute of the day rather than taking a moment to mentally set them down while we stop and smell the roses.
There's a story that I'm quite fond of about a Harvard Professor who holds out a glass of water in front of his Psychology class. Everyone expects him to address the glass half empty or half full anecdote. Instead, he teaches that it's not about how much water is in the glass but how much it weighs according to how long we hold on to it that matters. I highly suggest reading it Here.
There are so many things in life worth smiling about that would impact us so much more if we allowed them to. If we took a moment to put down the glass of water while we truly let ourselves absorb the happy moments, we'd find that this allows us to recharge our burden carrying muscles.
What are some of the little things that bring a sense of happiness to your life? Do you savour a nice glass of wine with your dinner or perhaps a nice mug of hot chocolate on the deck or balcony? Perhaps its that glorious moment when you finally make it to your La-Z-Boy recliner or steaming bubble bath after a particularly long day at work? Take a moment to think about it, to make a mental note to enjoy those moments more thoroughly throughout your day and as always, feel free to share them in the comments below.
Cheers!
The Bra Street Rambler
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