summer sunsets

Finding Your Simple Joys

A couple months ago, I was talking to a friend about random things that made us happy. I’m not sure how it came up, but we went back and forth for a while listing out the things that brought us joy. Funny enough, the things we thought of weren’t big–on the contrary, they were very small, ordinary things that made us happy for no apparent reason. We began labeling them “simple joys,” and whenever we stumbled upon another one, we added it to our mental lists (or in my case, a Note on my phone because I can’t remember anything if I don’t write it down. Fact.) Since then, I’ve asked a number of people what their “simple joys” are just because it’s fun/a good conversation starter, plus I find you can learn a lot about a person from the small things that bring them joy.

Sim•ple joy /ˈsimpəl/ / joi/, noun: an object, feeling or experience that intrinsically brings you happiness, its mere existence in your life creates joy without ties to consequence or additional outcomes

summer sunsets

^like high buns & sunsets

Simple Joys are not overarching, “big picture” items that bring you happiness. For example, hanging out with friends/significant other, graduating from college, landing your dream job will obviously make you very happy, but they’re not categorized as Simple Joys. Simple Joys are the familiar, mundane and very specific things that you experience in your everyday life. They don’t take years to achieve or require a certain set of circumstances to work out–they just exist and bring you happiness.

So you understand what I’m talking about, here’s my list of Simple Joys, which is constantly growing:

  • Jean jackets
  • The smell of fresh cut grass (this is definitely a big one for other people, too)
  • Peppermint tea
  • Fireflies
  • Thunderstorms
  • The perfect sized mug (the kind you can fit two hands around)

self care is important

  • Perfect “sweatshirt weather” in the summer, down the shore (You know what I’m talking about)
  • The smell of a campfire lingering on your clothes/hair when you go to bed
  • Golden hour in the morning (specifically 7 a.m. ish mid-July)
  • Really smooth pens & yellow legal pads
  • Sun glistening on the water
  • Exposed brick (God, I’m a sucker for exposed brick, all my friends can attest)

exposed brick

  • Quiet mornings down the shore with my Babci when I was little
  • Chocolate milk after a hard workout
  • Shuffling cards
  • Handwritten notes
  • Essie’s Fiji nail polish
  • Walkie talkies & clipboards (Give me either & I can run the world)
  • Driving through rural NJ and/or any southern state in nice weather
  • Carnival/boardwalk lights
  • A really crisp fall day

crisp fall day

& many, many more.

The thing I love most about Simple Joys is that they’re attainable in everyday life. If you’re having a sh*tty day, you can find one of your Simple Joys somewhat easily. In an effort to be more present (a constant struggle of mine), I try to focus on the little things make me happy–all the big things can get too overwhelming. Life is in the details, after all.

So what are some of your Simple Joys? I love hearing about other people’s! Leave me a comment below &. 

15 thoughts on “Finding Your Simple Joys”

  2. Kasia Jaworski says:
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    Ah I love finishing a good book!! Such a great one. Especially if there’s some sort of plot twist or something I didn’t see coming at the end! And of course morning coffee is one of my favorites as well. Thanks for sharing! xo

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