In this blog post, I’ve listed 100 simple joys in life that we should all cherish every day. You will also learn how to notice them, which is essential if you want to be happy.
In today’s society, most of us are trying to buy our way to happiness.
We think that when we buy that latest gadget or the trendiest clothes, we’ll feel amazing and everyone will like us.
We also think that our lives will be better when we have a lot of money, a big house, a fulfilling career, or achieve that next goal.
Or maybe we think we need to first find love, have kids and a dog, and travel every few months to be content with our lives.
The thing is, most of us don’t have it all figured out in life.
But it doesn’t mean that we can’t be happy while working towards those goals or dreams.
Happiness can be experienced right now, right where we are.
I know it’s easier said than done.
But the key is to notice and cherish the simple joys in life, no matter how simple and insignificant they seem to be.
Here are 100 simple joys in life to cherish and delight in every single day!
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What are simple joys in life? Why do they matter?
While it’s great to have goals and big dreams, we can’t rely on them for our happiness.
When we work on them, we tend to idealize the outcome and thus, postpone our happiness for later.
We forget that we can be happy now too.
And when we achieve them, we feel better and happier for a time, but then, that newness and excitement wear off.
We get used to the new situation and it becomes the new normal for us.
After a while, we feel the need to chase the next big thing again.
Whether that’s material things, career goals, or other milestones.
And this cycle never stops!
But most of us forget that we can actually be happy here and now.
We don’t need anything else in our lives to be content, no matter how far from our dreams and goals we seem to be.
We just need to intentionally choose to be happy.
Not later.
Now.
One of my favorite quotes sums it up very well:
“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.” – Henri Nouwen
But you might think: how can I choose joy and happiness?
Well, we need to notice and pay attention to the little things around us that make life so beautiful.
The simple joys in life.
These are the small, simple pleasures that life offers us and that we often take for granted.
We need to find them as often as we can and cherish them each day.
The simple joys in life make living more enjoyable and fill our hearts and souls with gratitude and abundance.
Thanks to them, we feel happy and content.
We feel like our lives are good enough and worth living.
How to notice and cherish the simple joys in life?
a. Slow down
To notice the simple joys in life, we need to make time for them and stop being so busy all the time.
We all have busy lives and schedules crammed with tons of things to do.
But we need to pause and make a conscious effort to slow down, even if it’s just for a few minutes here and there.
Try not to cram your days with dozens of things to accomplish.
Be realistic about what you can do without overwhelming yourself.
Eliminate unnecessary tasks from your to-do list.
Also, say no to events you do not want to attend.
Once you have more time, you will be able to notice the good things that are happening around you.
I have entire blog posts about slow living and keeping life simple, so make sure to check them out!
b. Be present
Be intentional about how you live your life and be present as much as you can.
Stop worrying so much about the future and thinking too much about the past.
Instead, pay attention to the little things around you.
What can you see and hear?
What is happening around you?
c. Practice gratitude every day
Practicing gratitude daily is one of the most powerful habits you can adopt to be happy and content in life!
Notice how lucky you are, despite all the problems you may have.
Do it as a little self-care ritual every day.
When you practice gratitude, you intentionally think about what is good in your life.
It makes you notice the simple joys of life, the little pleasures to cherish and delight in each day.
100 simple joys in life to cherish every day
- Hugging a loved one
- Petting a pet
- A warm cup of tea in the winter
- Watching the sunrise or sunset
- Cold water in the summer
- Christmas ambience
- Sleeping in during the weekend
- Calling a loved one
- Successfully letting go of a bad habit
- Feeling the sunshine on our skin
- Clean, fresh sheets
- Laundry drying outside in the sun and wind
- A heartwarming meal
- A day off with nothing planned
- Ice cream on a hot summer day
- Inspirational quotes (check out my articles filled with quotes about being intentional in life, slowing down, simplicity and minimalism, sustainability, self-love and worth)
- Taking a nap
- A relaxing bath in the evening
- Evening and morning walks
- Noticing plants growing and having babies
- Discovering a new place
- The feeling of having clean and moisturized skin
- Looking at the stars at night
- Enjoying a hot beverage in a café
- A clean and tidy home
- A meal at the restaurant
- A good night’s sleep
- Empty surfaces
- Wearing our favorite outfit
- Snowball fights with our kids in the winter
- The beauty of nature
- Organized closets and drawers
- Listening to ocean waves
- Listening to chirping birds
- Curling up in a cozy blanket in the winter
- Coming back home after a long day outside
- The smell of a cake in the oven
- Receiving an unexpected gift
- The smell of fresh air when we open windows
- Savoring our favorite meal
- Swimming in the summer
- Trying new food
- Birdwatching
- The feeling and look of a decluttered space
- Watching our favorite movie or TV show for the second time
- The feeling of grass underneath our feet when walking barefoot
- Singing to our favorite song
- The shade of trees in the summer
- Butterflies in the garden
- A baby’s laughter
- An empty email inbox
- Coming across a sentimental item in our home
- An empty trashcan
- The feeling of accomplishment we get when we achieve a goal
- The pride after repairing something that was broken
- Looking forward to our next trip
- A shower after an intense workout
- Helping people in need
- A date night with our partner
- Soft, comfy pajamas
- The smell of pine trees after the rain
- Laughing until our stomach hurts
- A made bed
- Game nights with friends and family
- The smell of flowers
- Laying down after a long day at work
- Getting to know our neighbors
- Listening to a crackling fire
- Completing our entire to-do list
- Finishing something we’ve been procrastinating on
- Sunshine through the windows
- Going on a bike ride and feeling the wind in our hair
- Getting a massage
- The freedom and pride we feel when becoming debt-free
- Talking to our best friend
- The calm after our kids have gone to sleep
- Holding hands with our partner
- Changing the decor in our home
- Being able to help a loved one
- Making a dream come true
- Seeing our kids grow and evolve over time
- Clothes we feel like a goddess in
- Giving a gift the receiver loves
- Quitting a job we hate
- Beautiful art
- Reading a good book before going to sleep
- Watering plants
- The smell of freshly cut grass
- A spectacular view
- Turning off our phones and realizing we don’t need them to live
- Friday evenings
- Rainbows
- That feeling of lightness after cutting our hair
- Walking in the snow
- Growing our own vegetables
- Finishing work early
- Road trips
- Being and feeling healthy
- Being at peace with ourselves and our lives
- Reaching 10,000 steps in a day
Final thoughts on the simple joys in life
I hope this list of 100 simple joys in life inspired you and that it helped you notice the little things that make life oh-so-beautiful and abundant!
If you want to feel content and happier, make sure to dedicate time each day to finding them.
When we see how many beautiful things there are in life, we realize how lucky we are to be alive.
We understand how blessed we are to experience life and what it has to offer.
We get to experience these little pleasures of life, and no matter how small they are, they make life fulfilling and magical.
What simple joys in life have you noticed recently?
Which contribute the most to your well-being and happiness?
Let’s share the simple joys of life in the comments!
Don’t forget to share this blog post with your friends to inspire them and help them notice and cherish the little things around them!