What are joys in life?

When we live in a constant state of busyness, we become consumed by the rush of accomplishing our next big goal, of getting all the things done and saving up for the latest gadgets.

We chase happiness in material things when we know that true happiness doesn’t come from objects.

Society encourages us to believe that material things are a sign of success. And that material success is what you need to be happy.

The truth is, as people, we’re much simpler than that. We don’t need much to be happy; sometimes, we just need to lose ourselves in the simplest pleasures to feel our mindset reset and shift to a more peaceful inner state.

If there’s anything that the past year has taught us, it’s that when the world around us stops, we still have to find joy in some of the more unexpected and often ignored places.

Simple joys are the small gestures, the scents, the sounds, the warmth of the sun on your skin. They’re the simple pleasures that we often overlook when we’re so busy running from point A to point B.

Simple joys engage our senses, make us feel present, and bring out our inner child. The happiness felt through experiencing simple pleasure is profound and fills you up entirely with joy.

Simple joys don’t cost money, but they’re far more valuable than anything money can buy. The joy we feel from experiencing the simple yet beautiful things remains engraved within our memories.

The more of these moments you’re able to add up together, the more of an impact they’ll have on your overall state of happiness and satisfaction with life. That’s what true richness should be about.

Simple joys are always there, always accessible. It’s up to you to notice them or take part in them.

We’ve been so wired to think that getting the house, the nice car, and the expensive watch will lead us to find happiness. Too often, this is how people measure their success in life.

However, material things can be lost, broken, or taken away, eventually even thrown out.

The joy they bring is temporary, and you’ll always need new shiny things if this is how you choose to find your happiness.

Creating a daily habit of embracing simple joys can change your mindset and the way you view happiness.

You may find that what you had once considered sources of happiness were just creating temporary happiness. Kind of like the fake energy you get from sugar; once it’s gone, you feel depleted again.

Embracing simple joys nourishes and fuels your being in a way that builds a foundation for long-lasting happiness.

Embracing the simple joys in life helps ground you. It brings you to the present moment, forcing you to notice your surroundings, honoring the time you’ve set aside to appreciate the simple joys life has to offer.

Prioritizing the simple joys will lead you to live a more peaceful existence, teaching you that happiness comes from within and less from outside sources.

Simple Joys For The Mind

Simple Joys For The Body

Simple Joys For The Soul

To feel the deep and profound happiness we crave, we must let go of the idea that happiness comes from materialistic things. Real happiness comes from being true to yourself and being able to find joy in the simplest things.

Embracing the simple joys in life is an act of self-love. By doing so, you are choosing to prioritize your overall wellbeing to create long-lasting happiness.

• Perform regular aerobic physical activity.
• Dedicate yourself to others.
• Connect with your spiritual side.
• Discover something new.
• Give yourself permission to take a few moments of pleasure, especially when you are feeling low.
• Pay attention to the good.
• Conversely, limit negativity.

The joys of life are simply small instances that can remind you of a certain happy memory or make you feel a sense of calm, peace, or happiness. They can remind you of how fortunate you are to be alive, and recognizing those joys can cause you to pause in wonder or gratefulness.

The simple joys of life are often overlooked in today’s fast-paced world, but they’re so important for your happiness! Here are 38 examples of the simple pleasures of life and tips for recognizing small joys in your own life.

I’m pretty much ALWAYS happy. Like 99.99% of the time. I exude positivity, probably to the point that it’s sickening to some. But life is all about your attitude and what you make of your hardships and difficult days.

I often get asked, “How are you so happy all the time?“, because I always have a smile on my face and it’s rare to find me in a bad mood. I learned a long time ago to “not sweat the small stuff“.

Being stress free is about enjoying the simple joys of life and counting those small moments as blessings. But in a fast paced world where everyone seems to be trying to outpace each other, it’s easy to forget about those small things.

Life’s little joys often get pushed to the side in pursuit of a newer car, a better job, or a bigger house.

If you can learn to recognize the joys of life, the seemingly small and insignificant things that you may not normally notice, then you’ll be more content. Here are some examples of simple joys in life and tips for how to slow down and recognize these important moments in your own life…

So what exactly do I mean by the “joys of life“?

Life’s simple joys are often things that can’t be bought, but also things that you would pay BIG money for… ironic, I know!

And they’re often intangibles like feelings, or things relating to the five senses. For instance, the feeling that you get when you walk through the front door of your Mom’s house and smell her famous meatloaf baking in the oven. Or the smell of your husband’s cologne on his dirty shirt as you throw it in the wash.

If I had to write up a joys of life definition, I would probably write:

Overall, life’s simple joys can cause you to feel a little less stress, if only for a moment.

And as the self-proclaimed “stress management extraordinaire”, I can confidently say that recognizing the small joys of life and counting them as blessings has helped me to become so.

Here are some examples of life’s little joys:

Recognizing life’s simple joys can be difficult, especially when you have bills to pay, toilets to clean, and toddler tantrums to tame. But here are some tips to make it easier to slow down and “enjoy the little things”:

A gratitude journal is simply a place for you to record different things in your life that you’re grateful for, and the act of writing in the journal forces you to focus on what you do have, instead of what you don’t have.

Not only does writing in a gratitude journal help you recognize the small joys in life, but it also has a multitude of health benefits, like improving quality of sleep and eating habits, and lowering stress levels.

You can read more about how to start a gratitude journal and get some daily journal prompts!

If you don’t want to commit to an entire journal, then just challenge yourself to write one short sentence each day… heck, it doesn’t even have to be a full sentence! When you notice yourself enjoying something small during the day, jot it down on a slip of paper or in the Notes app on your phone.

Just that simple, spur of the moment act can help you to slow down and truly appreciate the little things in life that you normally don’t give a second thought.

I use social media for two main reasons: 1) to stay current on important work-related information and 2) to look up local garage sales and random household items for sale in the local buy/sell groups.

I rarely post personal photos or memes. And I don’t really respond to friend requests or comment on others’ posts. (Sorry if you’ve sent me a friend request… I’m sure it’s still sitting in my notifications!).

Yes, they can connect us with friends and family that we haven’t seen in a while, but social media newsfeeds also have a way of making us feel inadequate… and that’s a joy-killer! Plus, if you’re always fixated on your cell phone, you’ll miss the small everyday joys around you.

If you’re constantly busy carting your kids from place to place, fretting about the housework, or taking on yet another obligation that you simply don’t have time for, then you won’t have time to stop and smell the roses, so to speak.

Don’t be afraid to say “no” to volunteering for another PTA event or hosting a big family gathering. In fact, I think that’s why I’m so happy all the dang time… because I’m not afraid to decline invitations and requests in pursuit of more free time.

Accomplishing anything in life requires intention.

And the same goes for being happier and experiencing more joy and less stress. You have to be intentional about looking for those simple moments or feelings.

A great way to do that is to use your phone (since you probably have it with you 24/7 anyway!). Simply try to snap a picture each day of something that gives you a sense of joy or peace. Something that you normally wouldn’t give a second thought. It could be a picture of your morning coffee or the fresh blooms on the peonies in your front garden.

You could even make all of your photos in to a monthly or yearly photo book to remind you of all of the things in life that you’re grateful for. And then on bad days, you have a visual representation of joy to flip through.

Instead of just using your planner for keeping track of 32,000 appointments and a mile long to do list, why not add in some inspirational quotes to remind you to slow down! I LOVE writing a few inspirational quotes in my planner each week as a fun pick-me-up.

Here are some quotes about being joyful that you can jot down!

Okay, yes… I admit that sounds a little “hippy dippy” and you may be thinking “But Amy, I’m too busy juggling ALL the household management tasks to clear my brain”.

But if you’re constantly stressed and trying to run through your mental to do list, when do you have time for joy?

One awesome way to alleviate mental stress and to be able to stop thinking about everything so dang much is to do a brain dump. It may sound gross, but a brain dump is a great way to get all of your thoughts and to-do’s out of your head so that you can have a clearer mind.

You can read all about how to do a brain dump and grab some free printable brain dump worksheets here!