W L
WELLBEING
WHAT ARE LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE ?
By Alison Quinn
All too often in life we take the little things for granted , we see all of these objects and aspects of our lives , usually every day , but we rarely take time to truly appreciate them . If you were to stand still for just a moment and list all the little things in your life that you are grateful for , what would you say ? How many could you come up with ? And how many things would surprise you when you thought about it .... for me , its the really simple things , my first cup of coffee of a morning , piping hot with Hazelnut syrup , watching the birds feed in my garden , they voice of a friend on the phone , hearing my nieces laugh , but everyone is so different aren ’ t they .
After our worlds changing so dramatically last year I think a lot of people realised the things that were unimportant when previously they had seemed like the most vital things in their lives ! In many cases it can be difficult to discover ( or rediscover ) the true meaning and beauty of all these little tiny elements of our lives . We are so caught up in living our lives , being busy with work , occupied with the pursuit of happiness we often look over what actually makes us most happy , right there and then . How often have you said , ‘ life will be perfect when I get that car / house / job ...’ or ‘ I ’ ll be happy when I ’ m older / married / qualified ...’ why do we give up on feeling happiness in the moment , putting it off until we have finished a project , accomplished a goal , reached an age . All we do is postpone our happiness and miss out on those little things !
How did 2020 change your thinking , did it allow you to appreciate the small things that amount to the big things in your life ? Are you more grateful , more appreciative , more caring maybe as a result ? When I asked a group of ladies that I know what were their favourite little things in life , these were some of the delightful things they came up with ...
• Seeing the sunset at the beach
• Stargazing in their garden on a clear night
• Laughing until your muscles start aching with a best friend
• Eating breakfast in bed on a Sunday , or any day for that matter
• Tasting something incredibly delicious for the first time
• The wonderful smell in your kitchen when you bake
• Making other people happy , maybe by sharing some of that cake you ’ ve made !
• Finding money you had forgotten about in an old coat or bag
• Spending time with grandchildren
• Catching up with a friend you haven ’ t seen for a long time
• Being totally exhausted after a workout
• Unearthing something you have been missing for years
• Realizing that a certain setback turned out to be incredibly important
• Smelling a perfume that you love
• Hearing your favourite song
What I loved most about these were that most of them didn ’ t cost a penny either ! When we live in the moment we are happier , which promotes us living a healthier lifestyle , boosts our immune system , it helps combat stress , it may help our hearts to be healthier and lengthen our lifespan even , now wouldn ’ t that be wonderful .
Ways to become happier could be to get active , get out of breath a couple of times a week , whether its through walking or sport , get into nature , breathe fresh air , we are then more likely to get a good nights rest , get off social media , especially before bed , meditate or practice mindfulness , be present in the moment , and most of all appreciate the little things ! I would love to hear what your most important little things are and I ’ d love to hear your ways you would like to become happier this year ! Please feel free to share with me online , either via e-mail or social media !
‘ The little things ? The little moments ? They aren ’ t little .’ - John Kabat-Zinn
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