Episode 7- The One Where I Find The Little Things In Life

I hopped over to my friend Sinead’s blog, and took some inspiration from her free inquiry she is doing on finding joy in the small moments in life. I found an article that talked about finding joy in the little things in life and its connection to mindfulness. First of all I like how this article defined the “little things” by saying, “the ‘little things’ refer to the simple pleasures and small moments that bring us joy in our day-to-day lives. They are the often overlooked or taken-for-granted moments that can be found in the ordinary routines and activities we engage in.”  The article then goes on to talk about how enjoying the little things can cultivate mindfulness by saying, “paying attention to the little things in life requires us to be present in the moment and practice mindfulness. This state of awareness has been shown to reduce stress, improve mental clarity, and enhance overall wellbeing.” After reflecting upon this article and what it had to say, I decided to write down all the little moments in my week that made me happy, and how it made me feel in connection to mindfulness.  

Here are some of the little things this week that brought me joy:

-I have been enjoying my mornings with my roommate, we play songs that make us “happy” and we just dance and sing and laugh while getting ready, and I left the house smiling every time we did this. I am very grateful for her.

-Face timing my parents and laughing with them. I often feel like I have no time in my day to face time those I love, but I made an effort this week to do it, and it made me so happy.

-This cherry blossom tree right by my front door is starting to bloom, and I am so grateful for these beautiful trees and that I get to see it every morning.

Photo by Ashley Hall is licensed under CC BY 4.0

-Having ice cream with my friends during our break.

Photo by Ashley Hall is licensed under CC BY 4.0

-Hanging out with my friends in the sunshine!!!

Photo taken by a UVic student who got roped into taking this photo licensed under CC BY 4.0

-Playing crib with my roommate at the beach.

Photo by Ashley Hall is licensed under CC BY 4.0

By embracing these moments and taking it all in, I felt a state of calm every time I focused on being in the present moment. It was like all the worries I had in the moment stopped while I was focusing on the good of the day and it made my days feel less stressed and more calm. When I reflected upon my day, I was able to point out those moments, that made my day feel more happy. Before practising finding the little things in life, it felt like I was just trying to get through each day one step at a time, which is ok, but at the end of the day I never reflected on how I felt during the day. When you become present in the moment, it feels like you are living a more authentic life and its amazing what finding the joys in life can do to your overall happiness.  

I would like to finish this blog post by sharing a quote that goes hand in hand with this topic, I thought it was quite beautiful. “Our appointment with life is in the present moment. If we do not have peace and joy right now, when will we have peace and joy-tomorrow, or after tomorrow?” -Quote from the book  Peace is Every Step by Tich Nhat Hanh (page, 10).