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“The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things.” Henry Ward Beecher



It is important to count your blessings every now and then, especially the simple pleasures that make life worth living.

By making lists of the things you enjoy and appreciate, you are reminding yourself that life is infinitely awesome. And in fact, studies show that indulging in “small pleasures” is important for our mental health and well-being.

I challenge you to take 5 minutes right now and write down as many simple pleasures as you can remember.

This is an exercise that is especially useful when you are down or depressed and need that extra boost. It’s difficult to physically stay sad when you’re thinking about so many positively-energized experiences and memories.

Once you’re done with your list, compare it to some of the ones I’ve gathered (about 50% of these are mine, the other 50% are ones I’ve gathered from others):





50 Simple Pleasures to Brighten Your Day

1. Putting on pajamas right after they come out of the dryer



2. Switching to the cool side of the pillow in the middle of the night



3. Waking up in the middle of the night with dry mouth and getting a cold beverage from the fridge (preferably orange juice)



4. Completing a long ass paper assignment



5. Waking and baking and then deciding to lay in bed for another 4 hours



6. The feeling of grass on bare feet



7. Diving into a cool-temperature pool after a hot day at the beach



8. Finding money in one of your old pant’s pockets



9. Milk and cookies



10. Taking a piss after six beers



11. Washing your hands, after counting and rolling hundreds of dollars in change



12. Finally getting to the toilet after a long and excruciating wait



13. That little flutter you get the first time that special someone kisses you



14. A good back massage



15. Cooking a monster of a meal and enjoying the fruit of your labor



16. Receiving a letter from an old loved one



17. Freshly baked bread



18. Visiting a foreign country and absolutely falling in love with its culture



19. Taking a nap in the sun



20. Being lazy for a whole Sunday



21. Sore muscles after a long and productive workout



22. Getting away with the consequences after making a really stupid mistake



23. Smell of BBQ on a nice summer day



24. Minty breathe right after you brush your teeth



25. Stargazing on a clear night sky



26. Finally seeing your all-time favorite band live



27. Morning thunder



28. An unexpected compliment



29. Smoking a cigarette while driving with the windows down and music blasting (good weather is a must too)



30. Smell of a good bacon, egg, toast breakfast in the morning (why not some pancakes too)



31. Hot cocoa with marshmallows after playing in the snow



32. Cool sand in between your toes on a sunny day at the beach



33. Smell of good food cooking in the other room



34. Waiting all night and finally getting to dance with that special girl/guy



35. Rollercoasters



36. Looking back on a piece of art or writing that you did a long time ago and liking it better than you remember



37. Getting a new puppy, kitten or other cool pet



38. Finding new things to ponder about



39. First cup of coffee in the morning



40. Long, hot, sweaty sex



41. Driving your brand new car



42. Coming back home after a long overdue vacation



43. Finishing a really good book



44. Discovering a new music artist that simply blows you away



45. The calm before the storm



46. Being in an airplane when it takes off



47. Completing an hour long meditation



48. Winning a board game



49. Getting a hole-in-one in miniature golf (or golf in general is pretty sweet)



50. Finding the good in someone

Of course, at the end of the day, you shouldn’t just list these simple pleasures; instead, you should try to engage in them as much as possible – because these are the little things that really make life enjoyable.



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