By Marc and Angel Hack Life
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.
###
Words of Advice
When somebody does something wrong to you and it really drove you freakin' mad, don't do the same! Instead, kill them with kindness... 'coz guilty feelings are always the nastiest revenge...
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
"A duck in the pond is calm and careless, but what you don't see under the water is the struggling and stressed feet."
Lesson: What you see is not always what it seems. Let us know how to transcend in life. We could be like ducks; there's grace under pressure. :)
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
Don't ever let yourself get so busy that you miss those little but important extras in life:
* the beauty of a day
* the smile of a friend
* the serenity of a quiet moment alone
For it is often life's smallest pleasures and gentlest joys that make the biggest and most lasting difference...
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
Sometimes we put too much passion on the biggest dreams and priorities in life that we fail to love the smallest pleasures from simple things. We search so much for the right choices, for the right person, for the right paths to walk through, for the right time, and for the right reasons.
But life isn't about searching for the things that can be found. It is about letting the unexpected happen and finding things you never searched for...
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
Silence doesn't always mean yes; it may also mean no but it's better left unsaid.
Anger doesn't always mean hatred; it could just be a means of coping up.
Laughter doesn't always mean happiness; sometimes it's just a mask.
Tears don't always mean sorrow; it may also be an outlet of joy.
Staying away doesn't always mean it's the end; it may also mean the best beginning.
And though life is so complicated, it's always beautiful. So live it well.
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
There is tremendous happiness in making others happy despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.
Remember, today is a gift, that is why it's called the present.
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
You'll never find anybody that achieves great success in life without a give up story. Nothing comes free and there will come a time when you will and that you, too, will have to give up something good if you want something better.
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
Destiny belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams and have the courage to pursue it. So don't stop when you're tired; stop when you're done.
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
Looking at pictures sometimes makes our heart ache because they give us a glimpse of what it used to be. It's sad to think that what we see on the pictures could only be something that would never happen again. Seeing faces would only tell us that we used to have that smile with those people... but when we think of it, only time can tell if we'll ever cross paths again...
Cherish who you are with at the time... because what you have right now may only be for a moment...
(merl: This is very true...)
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
To live a soulful life is to share yourself with those you love. Smile each day for those you love. Let them know by the brightness of your face that you are happy they're in your life. Touch each day of those you love. Hold them close, even how briefly. The human touch is one of the most comforting things in our world... and one of the most reassuring...
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
Live with no excuses and love with no regrets. When life gives you 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile. :)
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
No one's perfect. Everybody commits mistake, whether we like it or not. Just always remember, a mistake only becomes a mistake when you never learn from it! And that in this life, we never run out of choices...
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
Merl's Note:
My heartfelt thanks to Bianca, Diadem and Mai for forwarding me the above messages... :)
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
"A duck in the pond is calm and careless, but what you don't see under the water is the struggling and stressed feet."
Lesson: What you see is not always what it seems. Let us know how to transcend in life. We could be like ducks; there's grace under pressure. :)
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
Don't ever let yourself get so busy that you miss those little but important extras in life:
* the beauty of a day
* the smile of a friend
* the serenity of a quiet moment alone
For it is often life's smallest pleasures and gentlest joys that make the biggest and most lasting difference...
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
Sometimes we put too much passion on the biggest dreams and priorities in life that we fail to love the smallest pleasures from simple things. We search so much for the right choices, for the right person, for the right paths to walk through, for the right time, and for the right reasons.
But life isn't about searching for the things that can be found. It is about letting the unexpected happen and finding things you never searched for...
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
Silence doesn't always mean yes; it may also mean no but it's better left unsaid.
Anger doesn't always mean hatred; it could just be a means of coping up.
Laughter doesn't always mean happiness; sometimes it's just a mask.
Tears don't always mean sorrow; it may also be an outlet of joy.
Staying away doesn't always mean it's the end; it may also mean the best beginning.
And though life is so complicated, it's always beautiful. So live it well.
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
There is tremendous happiness in making others happy despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.
Remember, today is a gift, that is why it's called the present.
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
You'll never find anybody that achieves great success in life without a give up story. Nothing comes free and there will come a time when you will and that you, too, will have to give up something good if you want something better.
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
Destiny belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams and have the courage to pursue it. So don't stop when you're tired; stop when you're done.
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
Looking at pictures sometimes makes our heart ache because they give us a glimpse of what it used to be. It's sad to think that what we see on the pictures could only be something that would never happen again. Seeing faces would only tell us that we used to have that smile with those people... but when we think of it, only time can tell if we'll ever cross paths again...
Cherish who you are with at the time... because what you have right now may only be for a moment...
(merl: This is very true...)
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
To live a soulful life is to share yourself with those you love. Smile each day for those you love. Let them know by the brightness of your face that you are happy they're in your life. Touch each day of those you love. Hold them close, even how briefly. The human touch is one of the most comforting things in our world... and one of the most reassuring...
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
Live with no excuses and love with no regrets. When life gives you 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile. :)
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
No one's perfect. Everybody commits mistake, whether we like it or not. Just always remember, a mistake only becomes a mistake when you never learn from it! And that in this life, we never run out of choices...
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*
Merl's Note:
My heartfelt thanks to Bianca, Diadem and Mai for forwarding me the above messages... :)
Closing Cycles
By Paulo Coelho
One always has to know when a stage comes to an end. If we insist on staying longer than the necessary time, we lose the happiness and the meaning of the other stages we have to go through. Closing cycles, shutting doors, ending chapters - whatever name we give it, what matters is to leave in the past the moments of life that have finished.
Did you lose your job? Has a loving relationship come to an end? Did you leave your parents' house? Gone to live abroad? Has a long-lasting friendship ended all of a sudden? You can spend a long time wondering why this has happened. You can tell yourself you won't take another step until you find out why certain things that were so important and so solid in your life have turned into dust, just like that. But such an attitude will be awfully stressing for everyone involved: your parents, your husband or wife, your friends, your children, your sister, everyone will be finishing chapters, turning over new leaves, getting on with life, and they will all feel bad seeing you at a standstill.
None of us can be in the present and the past at the same time, not even when we try to understand the things that happen to us. What has passed will not return: we cannot forever be children, late adolescents, sons that feel guilt or rancor towards our parents, lovers who day and night relive an affair with someone who has gone away and has not the least intention of coming back. Things pass, and the best we can do is to let them really go away.
That is why it is so important (however painful it may be!) to destroy souvenirs, move, give lots of things away to orphanages, sell or donate the books you have at home. Everything in this visible world is a manifestation of the invisible world, of what is going on in our hearts - and getting rid of certain memories also means making some room for other memories to take their place. Let things go. Release them. Detach yourself from them. Nobody plays this life with marked cards, so sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. Do not expect anything in return, do not expect your efforts to be appreciated, your genius to be discovered, your love to be understood. Stop turning on your emotional television to watch the same program over and over again, the one that shows how much you suffered from a certain loss: that is only poisoning you, nothing else.
Nothing is more dangerous than not accepting love relationships that are broken off, work that is promised but there is no starting date, decisions that are always put off waiting for the "ideal moment." Before a new chapter is begun, the old one has to be finished: tell yourself that what has passed will never come back. Remember that there was a time when you could live without that thing or that person - nothing is irreplaceable, a habit is not a need. This may sound so obvious, it may even be difficult, but it is very important.
Closing cycles. Not because of pride, incapacity or arrogance, but simply because that no longer fits your life. Shut the door, change the record, clean the house, shake off the dust. Stop being who you were, and change into who you are.
###
One always has to know when a stage comes to an end. If we insist on staying longer than the necessary time, we lose the happiness and the meaning of the other stages we have to go through. Closing cycles, shutting doors, ending chapters - whatever name we give it, what matters is to leave in the past the moments of life that have finished.
Did you lose your job? Has a loving relationship come to an end? Did you leave your parents' house? Gone to live abroad? Has a long-lasting friendship ended all of a sudden? You can spend a long time wondering why this has happened. You can tell yourself you won't take another step until you find out why certain things that were so important and so solid in your life have turned into dust, just like that. But such an attitude will be awfully stressing for everyone involved: your parents, your husband or wife, your friends, your children, your sister, everyone will be finishing chapters, turning over new leaves, getting on with life, and they will all feel bad seeing you at a standstill.
None of us can be in the present and the past at the same time, not even when we try to understand the things that happen to us. What has passed will not return: we cannot forever be children, late adolescents, sons that feel guilt or rancor towards our parents, lovers who day and night relive an affair with someone who has gone away and has not the least intention of coming back. Things pass, and the best we can do is to let them really go away.
That is why it is so important (however painful it may be!) to destroy souvenirs, move, give lots of things away to orphanages, sell or donate the books you have at home. Everything in this visible world is a manifestation of the invisible world, of what is going on in our hearts - and getting rid of certain memories also means making some room for other memories to take their place. Let things go. Release them. Detach yourself from them. Nobody plays this life with marked cards, so sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. Do not expect anything in return, do not expect your efforts to be appreciated, your genius to be discovered, your love to be understood. Stop turning on your emotional television to watch the same program over and over again, the one that shows how much you suffered from a certain loss: that is only poisoning you, nothing else.
Nothing is more dangerous than not accepting love relationships that are broken off, work that is promised but there is no starting date, decisions that are always put off waiting for the "ideal moment." Before a new chapter is begun, the old one has to be finished: tell yourself that what has passed will never come back. Remember that there was a time when you could live without that thing or that person - nothing is irreplaceable, a habit is not a need. This may sound so obvious, it may even be difficult, but it is very important.
Closing cycles. Not because of pride, incapacity or arrogance, but simply because that no longer fits your life. Shut the door, change the record, clean the house, shake off the dust. Stop being who you were, and change into who you are.
###
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