I like breathing deeply. It sounds a little weird to come out with it like that, but for me, breathing deeply is one of the simple pleasures in life.
I want to celebrate the simple pleasures. They’re those little things that are inexpensive – or free, in the case of breathing! – and usually easy to achieve while making you feel pretty damn great.
And they’re also great for helping you to feel creative. Sometimes they’re a source of inspiration in their own right. Simple pleasures even make a good art journal theme…
- Related: 14 Ways To Find Creative Inspiration
Life is so busy. We’re always doing something or going somewhere, focused on the next goal or milestone. Sometimes we forget to stop and think and appreciate what’s around us.
It’s good to remember that not everything has to cost a lot of money to do. And sometimes, the simplest things really can make the most difference.
So, I’ll take another deep breath (just because!), and list below fifty of my favourite simple pleasures.
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50 of the simple pleasures in life
- Getting into bed after a busy day
- A hot shower when you’re cold
- A lie-in at the weekend after a week of early starts
- A cool breeze on a hot day
- The smell of the sea
- Your favourite smell – freshly cut grass, a cake baking in the oven, your other half’s aftershave or perfume…
- The first bite of a warm cookie, just out of the oven
- Laughing uncontrollably
- Sunshine
- A sound or smell that brings back happy memories
- Reading a book that’s so great you want to rave about it
- Listening to the birds singing
- An impromptu hug from a loved one
- Getting into bed with clean sheets and clean PJs, just after a shower (triple whammy!)
- Getting a compliment
- Giving someone a compliment
- Blowing the seeds from a dandelion clock
- The feeling you get after exercising
- A long drink when you’re thirsty
- Having a really good stretch when you wake up in the morning
- Listening to the rain falling outside when you don’t need to go out
- Finding money you’d forgotten you had in a pocket
- Waking up in the middle of the night and realising you don’t have to get up for x more hours
- The feeling you get after finishing a big project (like decluttering the house, training for a half marathon, knitting a jumper, planting a veggie garden)
- Popping bubble wrap
- Immediately clicking with someone you’ve just met, in a friendly or romantic way
- The smell after rain on a hot day
- A long walk in the middle of nowhere
- Ice cream on a hot day
- Foraging for wild fruit and herbs
- Eating your favourite meal (and even better: eating your favourite meal when someone else cooked it for you!)
- Scratching an itch
- Watching the sunrise
- Watching the sunset
- Knowing you have nothing urgent to do, and can have a lazy morning/afternoon/evening (or all three!)
- Looking at the stars on a clear night
- Making the first footprints in fresh snow
- Deliberately stepping on a satisfyingly crunchy leaf
- Sitting and watching the world go by, rather than rushing through to get somewhere else
- Singing along to your favourite song
- Playing board games
- Reminiscing with friends
- Finding the perfect pair of jeans without having to trawl every clothes shop you can think of (tell me this isn’t just me!)
- Your favourite sweets from your childhood
- Walking bare foot on grass
- Taking a deep breath, as deep as your lungs will allow, and then really puffing it back out (Now you now what I’m talking about, hmm?)
- Playing on the swings at the park
- Dancing – wherever and however you like!
- Getting something for free (legally, though!)
- And, especially for my partner – flipping the pillow to the cold side!
The simple pleasures in life can be a pretty personal choice, so I’m sure you can think of loads more. Let me know in the comments what you would add to this list!
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About Stacey
I’m Stacey and I’m a blogger, abstract artist and freelance writer. My aim is to help busy people feel inspired and get more creative with tutorials, hints and tips.
I live in Cardiff with my partner and dog, and in my free time you’ll find me hiking, reading, painting or sampling a craft beer or two.