Simple Pleasures

Simple Pleasures: Snow in Victoria

It recently snowed in Victoria. Unlike most other parts of Canada, the first snow fall may very well be the only one of the season, which makes it even more special. As I went out for a walk that Saturday morning, I revelled in the beauty of the winter wonderland. I love the crunchy sound of each step. I marvel in the brightness it brings and the quiet that enveloped our neighbourhood that morning. Snow has such a wonderful quality of muffling sound. When the sun came out, the snow crystals were reflecting in all rainbow colours, like diamonds. What a beautiful sight!

On my morning walk, I crossed paths with several people who were enjoying the lovely white, just like me. Kids were building tiny snow men, throwing snow balls, and one little guy even enjoyed a ride on his sledge, being pulled by his dad. He was beaming with glee.

Simple Pleasures: Snow in Victoria

It is amazing how much joy half an inch of snow can bring to us. What a great reminder of how easy it is to fill your cup with joy, as we receive the simple pleasures Mother Nature brings to us.

What are some of the simple pleasures that fill your cup?

Here are a few more simple pleasures that truly fill my cup:

• Watching a beautiful sunrise,
• Receiving a phone call from a dear friend,
• Holding a freshly brewed cup of tea in my hands,
• Exchanging a smile with a stranger in passing,
• Biting into my first mandarin orange of the season and tasting the juicy sweetness,
• Going for a walk along the beach.

Now, take a moment to remember some of the simple pleasures that bring you joy and jot them down.

When we are preoccupied, feeling stressed or worried, we easily miss the chance to indulge in simple pleasures.

Unfortunately, when we are preoccupied, feeling stressed or worried, we easily miss the chance to indulge in these simple pleasures. Then our cup of joy dries up and we feel drained, irritable and frustrated. We have all walked through the snow oblivious to the lovely crunch, the incredible beauty of rainbow colours and the magical silence it brings.

This preoccupation is nothing new either, as Georgia O’Keefe, one of my favourite artists said in the 1920’s: “If I could paint the flower exactly as I see it no one would see what I see because I would paint it small like the flower is small. So I said to myself – I’ll paint what I see – what the flower is to me but I’ll paint it big and they will be surprised into taking time to look at it – I will make even busy New Yorkers take time to see what I see of flowers.”

Here’s how you can surprise yourself into savouring simple pleasures more often:

1. Bring your full attention to the present moment experience. All it takes might be to take a few deep breaths. Shifting your body position, such as standing up and straightening up also helps.
2. Be curious, as if you were experiencing this pleasure for the first time. Let the truth be told, you really are. There has not been an identical sunset yet, and no identical snowflake for that matter.
3. Bring an attitude of gratitude for the gift you are receiving. When you feel a sense of gratitude, you naturally relax and savour your joy even more.
4. Share your simple pleasure with me for the chance to win your Envision 2015 coaching session. You get to relive the experience in your mind, so you fill your cup once more.

Receiving simple pleasures is like opening a window.

When you let yourself be stopped in your tracks by the awe-inspiring beauty that surrounds you, you can’t help but feel up-lifted. Your perspective naturally shifts and your mind opens. Suddenly what preoccupied you just minutes ago doesn’t have the same weight or importance any more. Receiving simple pleasures is like opening a window to let some fresh air and light in. Enjoy!

P.S. If you want to continue receiving this valuable content, simply fill out the circle beside the post.