How often do you stop to appreciate some of the simple pleasures of life?

I, rather too often, manage to construct my life in such a way that I end up whizzing through it, barely present. I get it that I’m one of the fortunate ones on this planet, privileged, healthy, roof over my head, food in my belly etc. However, stopping to drop down into a place of true appreciation can be rare.

I do it in fits and starts as evidenced by my Gratitude Journal. It’s pages confirm my erratic acknowledgement through dates sometimes months apart.

No longer!

Make it last

Dr. Chatterjee’s podcast – How to make lifestyle changes that will last – has recently catapulted me into a regular gratitude practice. Thank you Dr. C. He suggests we do 5 mins of something new, only 5 mins. The part however that grabbed me was about attaching it to an already existing habit, thus making it more likely we will actually remember. In other words, we support and make it easier for ourselves.

So my gratitude trigger is getting into bed. In fact I have started putting my Gratitude journal on my pillow after I’ve made my bed in the morning. No excuses now.

Good reasons to practice

There are so many good reasons to practise gratitude but for me the one they often miss out is about the changes we need to see on our planet. We who revel in plenty need little more, we live saturated lives bursting with stuff which often brings us despair as we try to manage it all.

Instead of seeking more as the industrial growth system would have us do, we can instead practice Radical Self Care.  Connecting  with the abundance in our lives fills us up. By regularly focusing on our good fortune, what is beautiful, useful and supportive in our lives we find we need less of “all that stuff” that is so heavily marketed at us.

Gratitude is a radical act in a consumer culture. 

So my invitation today is about the Simple Pleasures in life.

What are they?

Do you notice them?

How about we share them?

Today mine are:

• The bulbs I finally planted, I thought too late, now blooming and filling the room with their beautiful scent.
• My tidied up office space, peace in which to focus on my work.
• Tea, who doesn’t love a cup of tea? This one is sea buckthorn gifted to my by one of my lovely sisters.

Please share something you are grateful for in the comments below. Let’s start our week soaked in the simple pleasures which abound in our lives.