WRITTEN by
They say the best things in life are free. Beyond a shadow
of a doubt, the list below proves that statement to be true. Life is
filled with simple pleasures, the little satisfying effects you never really
anticipate, but always take great pleasure in. They are the gifts of life
that we each subconsciously celebrate in our own unique way.
Here are 30 of the most satisfying simple pleasures life has to
offer:
1. Sleeping
In on a Rainy Day – As the rain beats lightly
against the window, you nestle your head deeper into your pillow. The
sound is soothing and your bed feels like a sanctuary. There is no place
you would rather be.
2. Finding
Money You Didn’t Know You Had – You reach into your pocket
and find a $20 bill from the last time you wore these jeans. You aren’t
rich, but you are richer than you were a second earlier.
3. Making
Brief Eye Contact with Someone of the Opposite Sex – You pass her on the street or in the subway. She glances
up at you momentarily, making direct eye contact in a way that seems to
communicate a subtle curiosity. For a split second it makes you think…
and then it’s gone.
4. Skinny
Dipping – There is something
mysteriously liberating about being naked in a body of water. You are
naked, but it feels natural, a sense of unrefined freedom.
5. Receiving
a Real Letter or Package via Snail Mail – E-mail has become the primary source of written
communication. Most snail mail these days is junk mail. When you
check the mail and find a real letter or package from someone you know,
excitement overtakes you as you tear into this rare gift.
6. Making
the Yellow Light – It’s one of the most
common simple pleasures, the act of beating the pack. As you blaze
through the yellow light you glance in your rearview to see all the cars behind
you stopping at the red light. Yes! You made it!
7. Telling a
Funny or Interesting, True Story – One of the most enticing roles you lead in life is that of the
storyteller. You love to share stories, especially those that will
captivate your audience with deep curiosity and humor. There are few
things more satisfying than telling a true story that others enjoy listening
to.
8. Seeing a
Friend Stumble Over Himself – As you walk across the
street with your friend, he fails to accurately address the curb on the other
side. He trips and stumbles around momentarily before regaining his
footing, then swiftly attempts to play it off like nothing happened. This
can be a hilarious sight if the moment is right.
9. Hearing
the Right Song at the Right Moment – It doesn’t matter what the setting is, hearing the right song
for that moment is one of those simple pleasures in life that instantly lifts
your spirits. You could be driving home from work, hanging out at a bar with
friends, or jogging. When the right song rattles your ear drums the entire
meaning of life seems crystal clear.
10. The First Sip of a Beverage When
You’re Thirsty – You just finished mowing
the lawn or taking a long jog. The only thing on your mind is an ice-cold
glass of water. When you are really, really thirsty, that first sip of
any liquid beverage is sheer bliss.
11. Catching
a Glimpse of Bare Skin on the Opposite Sex – For guys, it’s when the waitress bends over a little too
far. For girls it’s seeing that buff guy in a Speedo. Either way,
when you see a bit more skin than you were expecting on the opposite sex, you
can’t help but to smirk on the inside.
12. Saying
the Same Thing Simultaneously – There is a moment of
silence. Then all of the sudden you and your friend blurt out the same
exact set of words simultaneously. This rare occurrence is something to
smile about.
13. The
Pull-Through Parking Spot – You pull into a parking
spot and are delighted to see the availability of the parking spot immediately
in front of you. You pull through to the spot in front so that when you
return to the car you can drive forward out of the parking spot.
Why? Because driving backwards is a pain in the butt.
14. Realizing
You Have More Time to Sleep – Something abruptly awakens
you and you think it’s time to get up. Then you squint over at your alarm
clock and realize you still have 2 more hours to sleep. A warm euphoric
feeling shoots though your body as you glide gracefully back to your dreams.
15. People
Watching – Sitting there on your
bench you can see people in every direction. Tall people, small people,
thin and plump. Blond, brunette, and redhead alike. Each of them
has a different stride and a unique expression. As you drift from body to
body you are mesmerized by what you see.
16. Putting
On Clothes Straight from the Dryer – As soon as the dryer buzzes, you pull out your clothes and put
them on. They feel soothingly warm on your skin and emit a fresh-scented
aroma into the air. A sentiment of ease comes over you as you head out to
conquer the day.
17. A
Familiar Smell – You just pulled into your
parent’s driveway and opened the car door. You haven’t been home in a
long while. You smell familiarity in the air, the scent of a large pine
tree in the neighbor’s yard. As you head through the front door, more
familiar smells consume your senses. Gosh, it feels good to be home…
18. The
Feeling You Get When Your Idea Works – You have been struggling to resolve a complex problem all day
and you just can’t seem to get it right. Filled with frustration, you
decide to exercise one last idea before calling it a night. You’ve had
many ideas before that failed miserably… but this time it works.
19. Fresh,
Clean Bed Sheets – You yank at the corner of
the bedspread to create just enough space to slide your body under the freshly
cleaned sheets. The sheets feel cool to the touch. Everything seems
so clean, like nobody has ever slept in this bed before.
20. A
Beautiful View – As the car veers around
the side of the mountain you gaze out the passenger window. It’s a clear,
sunny day and you can see the entire valley below filled with wild flowers and
bright green vegetation. The scenery reminds you of something you once
saw in National Geographic. But here it is live, right before your eyes.
21. Reminiscing
About Old Times with Your Closest Friends – Pink Floyd once said “the memories of a man in his old age are
the deeds of a man in his prime”. There is no simple pleasure more
satisfying than recounting the greatest moments of your life with your closest
friends who lived these moments alongside you.
22. Receiving
an Unexpected Compliment – It’s been an average
day. Nothing really great has happened, but nothing terrible occurred
either. This monotonous day has put you in a dreary mood.
Unexpectedly, an older, attractive lady taps you on the shoulder, calls you
“handsome” and says she loves your shirt. The day just got a whole lot
better.
23. Having a
Good Laugh – Laughter is the greatest
cure of all. Life is extraordinary in the moments when you are laughing
so hard you can barely breathe. These moments of deep laughter are divine
in the sense that they cleanse your mood and set your mind on a positive track.
24. The
Feeling After a Healthy Workout – It’s a giddy feeling of self accomplishment; the one true
activity that actually makes you feel better and look better simultaneously.
When you walk out the front door of the gym you are on top of the world.
25. The
Celebration in the Instant Something Makes Sense – Even now that it has explained to you for the third time, you
just don’t understand how it works. Everyone else seems to understand but
you. Then out of the blue the dots connect in your mind. You
finally get it, and it feels great!
26. Relaxing
Outdoors on a Sunny Day – As you relax sprawled out
in a lawn chair, the sun warms your skin and a light breeze keeps the
temperature comfortable. Birds are chirping merrily in the trees behind
you. You are at complete peace with the environment.
27. Holding
Hands with Someone You Love – Every time she grabs your
hand you are overcome with an awareness of how much she means to you.
Holding hands is sensual and physically intimate, yet subtle. There are
few people you allow to hold your hand, so when it happens you can be sure that
the moment is special.
28. Playing
in the Water – Water marvels people of
all ages. From jumping in puddles as a child, to doing cannon balls in
the pool as an adolescent, to enjoying a cocktail in the Jacuzzi
as an adult… water is enjoyable.
29. Making
Someone Smile – You notice that your
colleague has been under a great deal of stress with meeting a deadline, so you
take it upon yourself to complete one of her indirect responsibilities for
her. As soon as she realizes what you did, she comes into your
office with a big smile on her face. “Thank you”, she says. You
just hit two birds with one stone, because making her smile just made your day.
30. Finishing
What You Started – You just finished up a big
project you’ve been working on for the last few months, or maybe you just
finished your first marathon… Either way, you finalized what you set out to
accomplish. The feeling of self accomplishment you get when you finish
what you started is by far one of the most rewarding simple pleasures life has
to offer.
A comprehensive list of life’s simple
pleasures would be quite extensive. My list represents those which are
most satisfying to a sample of people in and around my life. With a few
sporadic exceptions, I believe these simple pleasures hold universal appeal.
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