Life’s Simple Pleasures
January 5th, 2025
Writer: Dani Cohen
Editor: Ella Sanor
It's the small everyday moments that often slip by unnoticed, but they’re the ones that truly deserve our attention. Whether it’s your coffee hitting the perfect color, crossing off a task from your to-do list, or hearing the sound of children laughing as you pass by a playground on your walk, these are the moments that matter. They accumulate, and if we choose to pay attention, they can bring us joy. Too often we let ourselves get caught up in what went wrong, dwelling on the negative. Life has a way of pulling us down. Making us feel like everything is working against us. What if we spent more energy celebrating the little joys instead?
I used to dread cloudy days, allowing the weather to shape my entire mood. I'd waste hours blaming the overcast sky for a day I was sure would be bad. Now, I choose to flip that narrative. Those are the days I wake up in crisp, clean sheets and blast my favorite song a little louder. I savor my time in the gym more, reminding myself that the weather doesn’t get to dictate my energy. My nightly cup of tea is the perfect temperature, a warm comfort that helps make up for the absence of sunshine. It’s a reminder that while we can’t control everything, we can control how we respond and what we choose to focus on.
Mondays used to feel like a punishment. They were a day to knock you down just as you got back up. The weekend was over, and only a week of obstacles lay ahead. Recently, I realized that I have the power to change that perspective, so I did. Now, Mondays are my fresh start. They’ve become an opportunity to set new goals and intentions. I now can ease into the week. I savor every bite of the lunch I made with fresh groceries from my weekly run. I cherish running into friends and hearing funny stories from their weekend. I open my computer and love seeing the assignments disappear one by one as I check them off. What once felt like a challenge is now an opportunity to focus on the small things that bring joy, making the days ahead feel brighter and more fulfilling.
I don’t consider myself to be an overly patient person. Waiting in a long line is one of the things that frustrates me most, and waiting for my computer to load makes my blood boil. Then I realized, I could actually take advantage of those extra minutes. I began using that time to breathe, to check in with myself, or to appreciate something little and lovely around me, rather than allowing the aggravation to develop. I can adjust my perspective and make the wait seem less like a chore, and more like a gift, with a few unexpected yet refreshing quiet moments.
Not long ago, I had the chance to put my new practice of appreciating the little things into action while waiting in line at a coffee shop. As the line grew longer and orders piled up, I could feel my frustration starting to build. For a moment, I almost let it ruin my mood. Then, I noticed a little girl and boy, their faces lit up with pure innocence and joy as they took bites of their cake pops. In that small moment I was reminded that the little things, like the simple pleasure of a sweet treat, can be enough to shift your focus and turn a frustrating situation into something more meaningful. Their tiny smiles instantly made me happy and encouraged me to be patient.
There will be days without sunshine, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still find the yellow in life’s little moments.
