Little Joys

Little Joys /’lidl jois/ noun:

A wonderful moment of innate joy that, though fleeting, leaves you with warm, fuzzy feelings and a cheeky, ear-to-ear smile.

Have you ever really thought about the little joys of life? The joy that is so subtle, so transparent, you hardly even catch it. You may notice your heart flutter, for just that very second, and continue on with your day. Deep down though, you know something very special just happened. It can be found in any moment, at any time. The way a friend winks at you mischievously, as if you have gotten away with a crime. How small & wonderful you feel, cozied up in a clean bed after a long hot shower, frets of the day simply and methodically washed down the drain. How lovely it is to have someone scratch your head, the way your mom used to when you were little. How sweet it is to hold a new baby and to gaze into their little eyes as they process you, take you in, and then giddily smile back. How a memory disperses over your body like a shock of electricity when you hear a certain song, smell a specific scent, or taste a particular food. The moments are so pure and so fleeting. They’re unable to be recreated, but bring a jolting, unexpected smile to your face when you catch them. The kind of smile you shed when joy comes easy, emotions aren’t tangled, and everything feels so much sweeter.  I crave these little moments of joy. Even more so when life gets messy, as it truly feels to be right now.

I think with all of the hurt, anger, confusion, frustration, & isolation occurring in the world right now, it is more important than ever to embrace the little joys. To help myself better recognize these moments, and to encourage you to do the same, I am going to share a list of some of my most memorable “little joys.” Your little joys and my little joys while most likely differ because, well, we differ. While these examples may not spark the same feelings within you as they do me, I hope they help you to generate a list of your own little joys.

Mad’s List of Little Joys:

• Your local barista remembering your go-to coffee order the minute you walk through the door (in case you are wondering, mine is a borgia latte with oat milk from Red Banner)
• Waking up extra early to the sound of chirping birds
• Sunlight hitting your skin after a long & cloudy day
• Freshly washed and subtly warm sheets
• Making your bed in the morning, seconds after you roll out of it
• Slipping into that same bed after a long day
• A spoonful of peanut butter, straight from a newly-opened jar
• Receiving a hand-written letter in the mail
• Sending a hand-written letter in the mail (If you want to be pen-pals, let a girl know)
• When your mom surprises you with her world-famous grilled cheese, honeycrisp apple slices on the side (maybe a little (very) specific to me)
• Walking into a Jeni’s and being hit with smell of freshly-made waffle cones
• Unexpectedly receiving a call or text from an old friend that just wants to say hi
• When a toddler finally remembers and can (sort-of) pronounce your name (I am looking at you @candidlycroft)
• Opening a direct message with the note “this reminded me of you”
• Any baby animal video ever. Scratch that, any animal video ever. All are welcome (seriously, send them to me please)
• The long kind of hug that occurs after you haven’t seen someone for awhile
• Any moment that quickly becomes an inside joke
• Crossing off your last to-do for the day; ink-to-paper satisfaction
• Finishing a book that you put off reading for a long time
• Driving with the windows down on the first day of summer, letting the warm air envelope you fully
• When a stranger pays you a compliment, and you do the same right back

While this list does not include every moment of little joy in my life, it sure does give you a glimpse. The greatest thing about little joys is that you never really know when they will happen next. A sneak attack of happiness, what a thrilling & welcome surprise.

If you have a moment today, grab a sheet of paper (and a pen), set a timer for 10-15 minutes, take a couple deep and calming breaths, and allow yourself to freely write a list of some of the “little joys” in your life. We as humans have a tendency to be innately pessimistic. This simple self-reflection should help you to see the good in every day. When stacked together, little joys are a pretty powerful catalyst. The more we recognize them in our day-to-day lives, the happier we will be. You’ll see, Give it a try.

PS: Enjoy this bundle of pictures that make me extra happy. During this time, looking back on fond memories and getting excited for what is to come is totally okay to do. All of these pictures make me cheeky, ear-to-ear smile. Little joys. What a wonderful, magical thing.

XOXO,

Mads