My Step Two to Live Simply: Every Day Can Be a Unique Experience with Small Joys

My Own Utopian Experiment #11: Making every day as a unique experience with all of the small joys I can find.

I want every post to be a discussion rather than a lecture. Please share your joyful moments. I would love to share my small joyful moments. I can’t list all of them but I would love to share my favorites. These little moments make up my day, week, month, year and life. I know I can’t put a hold on my life until a big vacation or a certain external accomplishment. This is how I find joys and de-stress daily. I already wrote a few posts on gratitude, journaling and reading even though they are big part of my life. I do not want to repeat and this also should be about little joys I can find daily. These little moments accumulate become one whole day. One complete and joyful one! The essence of my days!

1. Mr. Peck and my bird friends

I have several birds come to my evergreen and window potholders. I let the blinders up as soon as I wake up for morning sunlight and also to watch my bird friends. They sometimes tab on the windows letting me know they are there. They sing very beautiful songs every day. I love to watch them whenever they visit. When they come more often, it feels like a special treat. When I come across with a red cardinal, it is a jackpot. The color is magical and stands out on any green trees. The spiky hair style is so funky. All of them are so cute and beautiful in their own ways just like every one of us. They look so free roaming the sky and we co-exist. I just like the idea that we all have our own corners on this planet. I am truly never alone.

2. Open all the sense and enjoy each season

I love four seasons. Each one has its own beauty, color, smell, temperature, vibes, sounds and fun. It is Spring now. I smell the rain. Rain and snow have their distinct smells. If you never tried it before, please do next time. I love how the air smells after raining. I see Daffodil and Yellow Forsythia near my house. I am waiting on tulips and purple Hyacinth. When I take a walk, I check the corners where they come up every year. The anticipation is the best. Each day, I am curious if any of them came out. Little green spouts and wild flowers started coming out. Winter here is brutal and long here in IL but everything I enjoy is dormant during the winter. It is always surprising to witness their natural strength, pushing themselves up through still cold ground. It is reassuring we all have similar strengths as part of nature. Looking at the sky everyday reminds me that I am living on the most beautiful planet, Earth. Beyond the sky, there’s whole universe out there. When I walk, I look at all colors and listen sounds around me. Birds, squirrels bustling through leaves on the ground or trees. Wind is the best windchime! Just feel how wind touches my cheek and brush my hairs. I feel each foot touches the ground and take a few deep breaths. All of these helps me to be in present and manages my micro-stresses. 10-15 min walk gives me to reconnect with my surroundings and a mental break I need.

3. My neighbors & friends

There are three ladies in 70s walking and going out together. I really can’t put straight forward words on this why but it makes my heart fuzzy. In the summer, I sometimes join their conversation in the front yard. I do not know where the times go. Age is just a number. My next door occasionally gets my mails and give it back to me with a hello. A couple gardeners share their veggies. I sheltered a few at my place when lock-myself-out situations happen. One of them gave me a ride when I lock myself out of my house and it was time for me to pick up my child. When the weather permits, I see familiar faces at playground and shared the township pool. I love my friends. I wish we see more often but I know we are so busy with jobs and small kids depend on us. All of them definitely make me feel like I am living in a community.

4. Cooking

Aren’t you surprise to see if you catch an animal washing, chopping veggies, cook with heat and then nicely put it on a plate to eat on a table? We are only animal who uses fire to cook. In a way, it is very unique and solely human experience. If you really think about this, you may find it cute and even privilege. It is also part of self-care, cooking your own meal. Giving the right nutrients and what your body craves are rewarding experiences. You feel the difference right away. We sometimes give ourselves soul food what our soul craves. How satisfying! Cooking is a life skill to take care of our body and mind. I enjoy cooking in unrushed manner, listening music and sometimes sipping wine. At the end of day, we sit on the same table and enjoy. One evening activity as a family can have in a regular basis. I bake banana bread with my boy. We sometimes make banana pops which makes great deserts. My favorite is chocolate with coconut. His favorite is chocolate with salted roasted peanuts. Cooking can be therapeutic and fun when you slow down.

5. Trying to be mindful to be present

This is still a hard one for me but I am consciously trying. I pull myself to now when I feel a drift. When I am present with my moments, I notice and feel joyful moments. Time flows. It is a lot easier to do a monotask one at a time. When I feel the struggle to be present, I typically listen piano music without words. Repetitive hobbies help like cross stiches. It calms my nerves and rushing thoughts down and feel peaceful. Talking to someone I love helps me tremendously. There’s nothing better than soul-to-soul conversation even though we just talk about our day. What we do and talk matter less but their presence matters to me. Writing a few words also help. Jotting down my feelings and gratitude make a huge difference. Or being still for 5 mins by doing absolutely nothing also helps. These activities bring me back to where I am supposed to be, now. I can really listen to me and others. I notice little joys. Each day is complete in its own way.