. Do you wait for special occasions? . Do you barter with yourself (you only get cake when you go to the gym)? . Do you make it conditional? . Do you convince yourself it’s a waste of time/money? . Do you hate yourself after? . Do you only do special treats when others are involved? Or when it’s for others? . Do you postpone for a day when you have enough time, space , energy? . Do you even know what feels like a treat to your body? . If you only do special things for others, you may feel cripplingly alone and empty when other people aren’t around. Being a stranger to oneself can be scary and feel immense. . Changing how much you enjoy your life requires some detective work + trial and error . Adding ONE thing that brings pleasure to your day adds 7 pleasurable experiences a week, 28-31 moments of pleasure a month, 365 moments of pleasure a year. . That’s a good start. . Like bad or boring habits, pleasurable habits add up and build over time. Your experience of your life is a culmination of moments.
It can be as simple as finding that one thing that brings you a little joy a day and prioritizing it.
Maybe it’s your coffee in the morning. Do you suffer through morning lines for a frazzled cup? Do you suffer through the burnt garbage coffee your office offers you because it’s free? . Can you instead invest in quality beans, grind it fresh, put it in a cup you love, and drink it somewhere you love. Mix it with milk + honey, sit and enjoy just one cup in pj’s, outdoors in nature, or people watching on the metro.
The intentionality behind the quality of ingredients can bring pleasure to your body, sweetness and creaminess can bring decadence to an average morning. . Maybe it’s a croissant. Freshly baked and flaky . Start with the small things and build up your ability to experience pleasure. . If your dreams feel impossible, that may be because even the small pleasure feel unrealistic to you.
If luxury coffee and carbs feel impossible to commit to, so will a deluxe vacation, or that dream adventure across the jungles, or that year off - totally devoted to decadence.
What small act would bring you pleasure tomorrow?
Comments