Enjoy the Simple Pleasures in Life
Taking time to notice and appreciate what’s around can help us to slow down and remain present in everyday life.
"Happiness consists more in small conveniences or pleasures that occur every day, than in great pieces of good fortune that happen but seldom to a man in the course of his life." - Benjamin Franklin
Enjoying Life's Simple Pleasures
Here’s how we love to enjoy our days as a family; seeing the beauty in the small moments, finding fun in everyday exercise and chores, and filling the days with simple pleasures that feed our soul!
Spend Time with Family - this is a core value for us at Round the Woods and is something we encourage our guests to make time for every day as well as on holiday. Quality time is the most rewarding and enjoyable, not sat in the same room on separate devices. Play a game together, enjoy a daily hug with each member of your family, tell jokes on car journeys, and eat dinner all together at least once a week and talk about each other’s day.
Listen to Music - music has great power to set our mood and bring us back to the present moment. We love having different playlists saved ready for any time we want some inspiration and calming background tunes. Listening to birdsong is another great way to appreciate the simple pleasures of life.
Spend Time Outside in Nature - aim to spend at least 5 minutes every day outside looking around at something natural,no matter what the weather. Can you start your morning enjoying a hot drink outside? I like to stand barefoot on the grass when the weather is warm to help centre me for the day ahead. Have you ever noticed how young children notice little creatures and can spend ages admiring them? Bring a childlike sense of wonder to your everyday movements, if you’re walking to work or the local shop look for something new each time you take that route and spend a moment appreciating it, whether it’s natural, like plants growing through cracks in the pavement or manmade, like grafitti or something new in your neighbourhood.
Go for a Nature Walk or Hike - Weekends are best when spent outdoors in nature and with more time on your hands why not plan a trip to an urban nature reserve or enjoy exploring a rural footpath. Our family are big fans of geocaching as it can give little legs a focus, it’s like a treasure hunt! For daily walks in nature visit a park on your lunch break or enjoy an evening stroll when you get home, not only will it help you keep active but will also be great for destressing and unwinding after a busy day at the office. If you’re feeling frustrated by your fitness or an injury just notice what you are able to do, what your body is capable of and what you can be grateful for as you’ve only got one body and it deserves love for enabling you to go about your days living life.
Be Grateful - try to begin each and every day by thinking about 3 things that you are grateful for. Our mornings set the tone for our day so if you find yourself rushing about trying to get out the door in time set your alarm 5 minutes earlier and before you even get out of bed spend a few moments thinking about what you’re grateful for. It can be anything at all, no matter how big or small, in fact to keep with the theme of this blog small things are just perfect. It could be a kind thing someone did for you recently, the fact that you didn’t get rained on getting to work, the good night’s sleep you’ve just had or the fact you know there’ll be a hug from a loved one ready for you when you get up. I like to begin my day with this gratitude practice before the chaos starts as it’s a gentle reminder of what’s important to me and that life is here to be enjoyed.
Eat Delicious Food - cram as many fresh ingredients into your meals and savour the flavours. We’re big fans of local produce and grow as much of our own vegetables and fruit as possible which adds an extra element of destressing as we patiently nurture the seedlings anticipating harvest time. If you haven’t got space or time to grow your own how about getting a veg box delivery and growing a few herbs on your window sill. Fresh juices are not only a great way to get nutrients into your body but are also a delicious drink to take a quiet moment to enjoy.
Read a Good Book - books are full of inspiration and help us connect to many emotions, whether it’s joy, laughter, sadness or curiosity. Reading is a great way to learn more about the world and other people and libraries are one of our family’s favourite places to spend time. We always leave with bags bursting with books, whether it’s fiction or non-fiction. Make time each day to enjoy reading a good book, bonus points if it’s outside in nature! If you’re not sure what to read, there are best-seller lists as well as very helpful librarians who can point you in the direction of something you might enjoy.
Approach Daily Chores with a Sense of Positivity - whether it’s washing the dishes, sweeping the floor or making the bed, bring intentionality and presence to the moment and use the time to slow down and notice how you’re feeling. It can be all to easy to rush about our days manically ticking jobs off to keep our homes and lives under control but there are wider benefits that can be gained by appreciating the everyday tasks that are required for a well maintained home. Put on some tunes, listen to a podcast or think about what you’re grateful for us you go about these activities and notice how you’re able to bring joy to even the most mundane of chores.
Go Cycling - find an off-road cycle route locally so you can enjoy the view and enjoy spotting nature around you, rather than needing to concentrate on traffic. Can you enjoy a cycle on the weekend or in the evening with your loved ones whilst there’s daylight? If you commute to work by bicycle can you find a slightly more wild route to take ocassionally when you’re not in a rush?
We believe it is integral to prioritise and enjoy life’s simplest pleasures – it honestly is the best way to find joy from day to day!
What is your summer simple pleasure?