Slowing down for simple pleasure

On my flight to Mexico I met a well-known blogger named Neil Pasricha who started a blog called 1000awesomethings.com and is a successful author/public speaker. After speaking to him briefly, I realized how much I have been through and how much wisdom I have earned in seeking therapy to heal from my trauma. I have been thinking a lot about slowing down and what it means to slow down. How do we feel it? During a yin yoga class a couple of days ago I was feeling very anxious. My thoughts were racing and I kept thinking the worst was going to happen to me. I kept fidgeting and found it difficult to settle into stillness and flow. After a few poses I finally settled into my practice. I felt a profound stillness inside. Calm – just here in this moment right now. Nothing before, nothing after, just now. I realized that so often even when we think we are relaxed or calm there is still so much possibility to slow down even more. And then even more still. We have become accustomed to running at this quick-tempo pace. That is why slowness and being fully in the moment feels so uncomfortable at first. We aren’t used to this feeling of luxurious repose and tranquility – so contrasting from our fast-paced world. But this is why slowing down is even more important than ever. The more moments, minutes, hours we can find to sllllloooowwwwww it right down – the more we can be here and ready for those times when we need to gear up and shift into action. 

When we slow down, we notice more. We notice the nuances and simple pleasures of life. I was inspired by reading the “1000awesomethings” blog and am going to make a list of my own simple pleasures that often go unacknowledged or unappreciated.

Here a few of them (in no specific order):

1. When you take a sip of your tea (or coffee) and it is the perfect drinking temperature. It doesn’t scald your unsuspecting mouth and it’s not like drinking luke-warm bath water. You sipped your tea in that perfect temperature window.
2. When you crawl into your cosy bed at night and it’s just the perfect nest of warm softness against your skin. Your limbs feel supported and cocooned in the best way.
3. When your dog listens to you the first time you ask them. Those times you say “sit” and they instantly sit, without any reward waiting. Ah, success!
4. Those first few moments when you step into a hot tub or hot bath after feeling cold and the warm/hot water instantly soothes your skin and warms up your feet and toes. So glorious!
5. When you are thinking something and your partner says the same thing. Yes! No dialogue needed, we have that special telepathy going on today!
6. Being prepared for the weather. Wether it’s an umbrella, extra gloves or toque, sunscreen or sunglasses…doesn’t it feel so good to have the things that make it just that one bit more comfortable for you? 
7. Turn on Netflix to discover that new episodes or your favourite TV series have been added! Woohoo!! Time to cosy up, grab some snacks and welcome the pleasant and sometimes needed distraction of a fictional storyline.
8. Watering your plants and they bounce back to life. No more droopy leaves my ferny  friends! Green thumb is here!
9. Opening a new bag of chips. So much potential for deliciousness in that bag and it is all at your fingertips, awaiting your salivating taste buds. That first crunch, so satisfying! Crunch, crunch, crunch!
10. When someone holds the door open for you. Thanks, stranger friend! Thank you for noticing me and for being kind.

What are YOUR simple pleasures??? I want to know!! Please leave them in the comments or make a list of your own 🙂