Simple pleasures bring a smile to your face and warm your heart. They are the moments of joy that get sprinkled through your everyday life.
Psychology Today defines simple pleasures as “experiences that are brief, positive, emerge in everyday settings, and are accessible to most people at little or no cost. They are highly personal, meaning what is a simple pleasure for you may not be a simple pleasure for others”.
Though they may be highly personal, there are many simple pleasures that are universal. I asked some of my readers to tell me about their simple pleasures. These are the most popular ones.
45 Simple Pleasures
- A soothing massage
- The smell of fresh laundry
- Deer grazing in an open field
- The smell of freshly cut grass
- The sound of children giggling
- The smell of fresh baked bread
- Sleeping in on your day off work
- A glass of freshly squeezed juice
- Spending the day in your pajamas
- A stunning sunset to end your day
- Blowing bubbles with a small child
- Bringing a smile to someone’s face
- The first bite of a decadent dessert
- A young calf romping in the pasture
- The smell of freshly popped popcorn
- Feeling refreshed after an afternoon nap
- Starting your day with a beautiful sunrise
- Listening to the sound of rain on a tin roof
- Singing along to your most favorite songs
- Driving back roads with the windows down
- Flowers beginning to bloom on a spring day
- A long, hot bubble bath at the end of the day
- Reading a good book that resonates with you
- Freshly baked cookies coming out of the oven
- The first bite of ice cream on a hot summer day
- Lying on a blanket late at night while stargazing
- The refreshing shower after an intense workout
- The scent of your favorite candle filling the house
- The sound of the garbage truck taking away your trash
- The mesmerizing fluttering of hummingbirds at the feeder
- Looking through old pictures as you reminisce with family
- Taking a long walk with your best friend on a beautiful day
- The smell of coffee brewing when you wake in the morning
- Finding a clean kitchen sink when you wake in the morning
- Climbing into a bed with fresh, crisp linens and fluffy pillows
- When you use Grandma’s recipe to make your favorite food
- The feel of little arms around your neck when you hug a child
- Sitting in the porch swing enjoying a cool breeze on a hot day
- Walking into an air-conditioned house on a sweltering hot day
- The sound of ocean waves hitting the beach as you fall asleep
- The heart-warming greeting from your dog when you arrive home
- The beautiful view at the end of a strenuous hike up the mountain
- Your cat lying in the rays of sunlight beaming through your window
- The smell of perfume bringing back memories of someone special
- The sight of fresh snow on a morning when you’re home for the day
Simple pleasures are little ways to fill our days with a bit of joy. What simple pleasure will you indulge in today?