Disclosure: I only recommend products/services I would use myself and feel might benefit you as well. This post contains affiliate links, and I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
As I laid on the floor wrapped in a blanket as the rain poured outside with my puppy right next to me, I found myself saying, “This is the best day ever.” Of course I was speaking in hyperbole, but you get the picture. I was just so grateful to get a chance to pause that afternoon and relax on a crummy day.
As the statement came out of my mouth, I realized that I had said the same thing for each of the past two days as well. Thinking about the three consecutive days, it struck me that nothing particularly spectacular had happened on those days. So why did I enjoy them so much?
While they weren’t in the actual rankings of my lifetime best days ever, I realized that I had found them so thoroughly enjoyable for some of the most basic of reasons, such as…
Time with loved ones
One of the days that I felt this way, I found myself surrounded by family out by the pool before my cousin headed off to school. It was a simple moment but a powerful one. Three generations sitting by the pool, cooking out, and mostly just enjoying each other’s company.
This was actually a pretty typical Sunday for us and really wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. However, on this particular Sunday I had been intentional about soaking it all in since my youngest cousin would be leaving for her first year of school a few days later. Being intentional, I realized how beautiful the whole day was when I took the opportunity to just soak it all in and be grateful for all the little things that went right and a day with all of us together and no distractions.
I think that this might be one of the simple pleasures in life that we often take for granted: our loved ones. It sadly just becomes somewhat of an expectation that you have your routine plans together and that of course you’re going to be there for each other. But the truth is, it doesn’t actually have to be that way. We are blessed by the fact that our loved ones love us as much as we love them, and any time we get to spend together is a true blessing.
It’s easy to forget this when you see the same people on a daily or weekly basis, but your loved ones are truly a major source of sustainable joy if you can remember to keep this perspective, be intentional, and be grateful.
Time for R&R
As I mentioned above, another one of the days that I was so excited about was just a rainy, snuggly day. I knew that there were tons of other things I could be or should be doing, but on that particular day, I didn’t have to get any of those things done.
As a result, I decided to take full advantage of the fact that I had absolutely zero plans or commitments for the day, the weather was gray and rainy in the middle of August, and my mom was home for the whole afternoon as well working from home. This was the perfect storm for a recharge and lots of puppy snuggle time. I knew I was exhausted and while I knew my day wasn’t productive on paper, I knew it was just what I needed at the time.
While it may sound odd to be grateful for a rainy day and a nap on the floor, I couldn’t have picked anything better for the particular day.
How often do you just get to shut down and chill? I bet the answer is not often. When those moments come, seize the opportunity, soak it in, and practice gratitude for that moment. The gratitude will overpower any guilt you may have, and that’s a good thing! Because we all need to recharge sometimes!
Nature to nurture
Finally, the third of the string of “best days ever” was driven by time in nature. My day was largely spent out of on the beach by the lake laying on a tube with my puppy in my arm. The sun was shining warm on my skin, the water was calm, and the outside temperature was perfectly mild.
Again, this is actually not an unusual activity for us. But when all the elements come together so perfectly, what a treat! Personally, nature is the element of life that will most quickly and drastically bring me into the present moment and put me into a state of gratitude.
I think this is true for many people and the beautiful thing about nature is that there are so many different varieties of nature to enjoy that everyone will almost certainly find a flow in at least one state of nature.
Nature is kind of like our loved ones. Because we’re naturally constantly surrounded by or immersed in a state of it, it’s easy to take for granted our daily surroundings or climate. You might become immune to that perfect view of the sunset, that beautiful garden, or the string of crisp fall days. Just because these aren’t as extreme or rare as beautiful mountain or ocean views, doesn’t mean they aren’t extraordinary in their own right and something to be grateful for.
And so much more
The list of simple pleasures could go on and on… a favorite meal, dinner with a friend, uninterrupted time to be productive, an unexpected compliment. We come to appreciate these more when we are present in the moment and take the time to recognize them. This becomes positive momentum as you find yourself being more and more grateful and present and as a result less and less stressed in your life.
While this sounds easier said than done, let me share some of my tricks that I’ve been employing recently that have put me into this state of mind more often.
My newest trick was an idea I got from Jon Gordon in his newest book The One Truth (links to hardcover and Kindle). This new trick is a gratitude car ride. On my way to work in the morning, I turn off my radio, and I thank God for anything and everything I can think of in my life at that moment. Even if I feel I’ve run out of things to thank Him for, I make myself keep going until I arrive to work to push myself to be thankful for things that might not be right in front of my face.
Based on that practice, you may guess that another practice I have is prayer. I pray in the morning when I wake up and at night before I go to bed. This helps me to start and end my day with gratitude, mindfulness, and perspective.
Finally, I’ve worked on stopping spirals of negative or toxic thoughts by using a practice from Jennie Allen in her book Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts (links to hardcover and Kindle). I remind myself that I have a choice in where my thought patterns take me, and I try to reframe the thought as well as remind myself that ultimately God is in control, which takes immense pressure off of me.
What goes on in our mind is incredibly important in determining what our days, weeks, months, and years look like. Being present and grateful for the simple pleasures in life is an easy, yet powerful, way to get us into a mindset to reach our full potential in life, whatever full potential looks like for you.
If you’re interested in your own transformational journey, reach out to me using the button below to book your free discovery session to see if I can support you along your journey to unlock the full potential of joy, freedom, and strength within your life.
Disclosure: I only recommend products/services I would use myself and feel might benefit you as well. This post contains affiliate links, and I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Disclaimer: This blog should not be construed as providing, or intending to provide, professional financial, legal, psychological, or other professional advice. It is simply meant to share my experiences for those that may find them relatable and helpful.