As the great Ferris Bueller once said “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” He might have had a questionable taste in sweater vests, but he wasn’t wrong – it’s important to stop and take stock of the little things.
Here at thortful, we’re big believers in spreading positive vibes, which is why we love our ‘Send a Smile’ cards. Even if you’re happy with your lot, we all have down days – and on days like that, it might be helpful to have a reminder of the little joys in life. Not to mention, if you’re having a hard time, enjoying the small pleasures in life is a good exercise in mindful living!
From cosy hygge moments to happy little things that make you smile, hopefully these little joys of life will bring you some comfort on difficult days. You don’t even need to spend anything to enjoy some of these little joys – just take a moment to appreciate them and bring a little bit of quiet happiness to your day. So here it is – our list of 39 of the best little joys in life.
Image source: Unsplash
1. Starting a new notebook with a fresh, clean page
2. The smell of paper in a new book
3. Receiving unexpected mail that’s not a bill
4. Waking up 15 minutes before your alarm
5. When there’s the right number of people on a Zoom call and it makes a nice square
6. When your pet falls asleep in your lap
7. Going to bed knowing you can sleep in as long as you like
8. When you pop popcorn in the microwave perfectly – no burnt bits and no kernels in the bottom
9. Buying yourself fresh flowers, just because
10. Biting into the first perfectly sweet strawberry in spring
11. When you wake up feeling perfectly rested
12. Trying a new recipe and nailing it first time
13. When the DVD menu icon perfectly bounces into the corner of the screen
14. Turning onto your street after a long drive home
15. Watching birds on a birdfeeder
16. Correctly guessing a password on an account you haven’t used in ages
17. When there’s exactly enough milk left to get your perfect colour of tea
18. When someone says ‘this made me think of you’
19. Organising all the files in your My Documents folder
20. Perfectly tightening the last screw on a piece of furniture
21. Slipping into a freshly-made bed with clean sheets after a shower
22. A lazy afternoon when you can hear the rain falling but you’re cosy and warm inside
23. Timing your drive to work so your playlist ends just as you arrive
24. The crunch of fresh snow
25. Making a perfectly poached egg
26. Taking your socks off after a long day
27. Crossing off the last thing on your list
28. Remembering a funny dream
29. When you pour a drink into a glass and it fills perfectly to the rim
30. Putting on clothes that have been warming on the radiator or fresh out of the tumble dryer
31. Finally sitting down to relax after a full house tidy
32. Smiling at someone on the street and they smile back
33. Throwing something into the bin and having it go in first time
34. Clearing your inbox before a holiday
35. Unexpectedly finding food you didn’t realise was in the fridge
36. Finding jeans that fit just right
37. Getting the giggles with friends
38. Having exactly the right change at the shop
39. Spotting something you never noticed before on your favourite walk
Image source: Unsplash
We hope your day is full of life’s little joys, and that when they happen you can take a moment to appreciate them. And if you know someone that’s having a hard time at the moment, send them this list so they can start looking out for life’s little joys – and why not send them one of our Send a Smile cards, too? For more inspiration and lifestyle tips, head to the thortful blog.
Header image source: Unsplash
