Would you say that you live a happy life? Do you wake up in the morning excited to seize the day? Are you the kind of person that walks around all day with a smile on your face? Or are you one of those people who has to drag yourself out of bed, can’t function without a cup of coffee, and would rather not have any human interaction until around 2 pm? Sometimes all we need is a little change of perspective to revive our entire outlook on life.
As I was driving from Austin to Houston (Texas) this morning I started thinking about all kinds of things that I really enjoy. Things that don’t cost large amounts of money or require all that much work at all. I was overwhelmed with happiness as I recounted all of the simple pleasures I’ve experienced throughout my years. It was a fantastic experience, and it changed my whole outlook on the day I had ahead of me.
It made me realize how much we take for granted, especially if we never take a moment to ponder on all of life’s greatness. I decided to share this little exercise with you, in hopes that it might change your outlook on the day as well.
The Challenge
Grab a pen and notepad. Go somewhere quiet with little distraction. Close your eyes for a few moments and try to clear your mind. Forget all of your troubles, duties, to-do lists, and responsibilities and really give yourself to this experience.
Ok.
Now open your eyes. Think about when you were a kid. What kind of things did you like to do? What did you enjoy eating? What did you do with your friends? Family? What was your favorite toy? Start your list here with all of the simple pleasures you had as a child. It’s easier to think of the simple things you enjoyed as a child because life was overall simpler then.
Now think of those teen years. Forget the acne and squeaky voice. What did you like about being a teenager? What kind of experiences did you really enjoy? What were the moments that made you close your eyes and wish it would never end? Keep writing!
Finally think of the present. Again, forget about the never-ending list of assignments, projects, and exams. What are the simple things that make you enjoy life? What is it that can lift you out of a bad mood? What foods make you feel like a million bucks? Write it all down.
There. That wasn’t so bad, now was it? Look over your list. Try and tell me that thinking about all of the wonderful things you’ve experienced so far doesn’t make you want to tread forward, if for no other reason, than just to add to this list. We’ve all had some really great moments in our lives, even if some were few and far between. If we can harness the power of those great experiences, we can enjoy them again and again. Not only that, but thinking about these great times can really help out when we go through some rough ones.
Just for fun I’ll share some of my thoughts.
- I love sunshine on my face. It might seem simple and silly, but it always makes me smile.
- I love a good tree. You know, a great big, wide one that has a shadow bigger than your house.
- I enjoy spending time with friends and family. It doesn’t matter what we are doing, just being together is enough.
- I really enjoy a good game. Board game, video game, any kind of game, as long as it’s stimulating.
- I love writing. This didn’t start till I was 22 years old, but I hope it never ends.
- I love reading. Again, this addiction came at the late age of 22, but since then my stack of books has gotten bigger and bigger.
- I love Zen College Life. I’ve probably spent more hours working on this site than anything else in the last year. I made all of the graphics myself, and I think the site is really coming together.
- I love it when someone diggs or stumbles my blog posts.
- I love a good cup of tea. Any kind of tea.
- I love wearing glasses. Kids used to make fun of me in elementary, but it never bothered me. I always felt so smart and sophisticated that it didn’t matter what any of those dummies said.
- I really enjoy a good photo. I want to be an amateur photographer.
- I love superhero movies. All of them.
- I love anyone and anything that can push me to improve myself.
- I enjoy working out and seeing results.
- I really like to explore. When I go anywhere new I always end up places I’m not supposed to, just because I love to wander around.
- I love a good baseball t-shirt. In fact I love any good t-shirt.
- I like it when people intelligently disagree with me. It forces me to explore their view and really ponder my choice of beliefs.
- I love a good project. Doesn’t matter what kind. Build something, experiment with something, try a new diet, try a new workout routine, start a new habit… Like um all.
- I like finding exciting new things online. I like to be the one who shares these new things with my friends.
- I love designing digital art and graphics. Check me out at IbrahimHusain.com.
- I love cheesecake.
- I really like Starcraft. I know it’s old and my fiance always reminds me how nerdy I am, but I freaking love that game. Can’t wait for Starcraft 2 to come out!
- I love my fiance. I can’t wait to marry that girl!
- I love my new niece, Ava Layne. She’s the most gorgeous little girl in the world. Don’t believe me? Check this…
- I love college, even though it sometimes punishes me for my disobedience to it…
- I love America. Seriously, where else would we get the opportunity to do as much or as little as we want? Where else could we be anything we wanted to be?
- I love music. All kinds of music. Alternative, R&B, jazz, classical, country, hip-hop, and pretty much any other kind.
- I love a good comedy.
- I love the feeling I get when I put my weightlifting gloves on. I feel like superman on his way to go save the day.
- I love pressing “Publish” on this blog. Every post is an enjoyable experience.
- I really like a good joke.
- I like taking long, quiet walks.
- I love my name: Mohamed Ibrahim Husain. It has such a powerful, leadership ring to it (if you have a terrorist joke you’re about 8 years late…).
I guess that’s about enough for now. What simple pleasure has life bestowed upon you? What puts a smile on your face? Leave a comment below. Who knows, you might just put a smile on someone else’s face!
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Ibrahim: I really enjoyed this post. Someone I really respect and look up to told me to do something similar a while back as I was hitting a rough patch in my life. I never actually wrote it all down, but I think your post has inspired me to take that action. Cherry blossoms are blooming in DC and its supposed to be in the upper 60s on Saturday. Sounds like the perfect time!
Thanks Kevin, I’m glad you enjoyed it. I enjoyed writing it.
Cherry blossoms blooming? That sounds awesome! Here in Texas the fields and sides of freeways are being painted with blue bonnets. It looks pretty cool!
Great post. I have been in such a dark place lately that I don’t seem to see any of these things. You are lucky to know that all these things bring you happiness. Its good to acknowledge it.
I want to marry you too
I think without realizing it I’ve neglected the small things that bring me joy. I keep putting it off–”After I take this test”, “After I write this paper”, yada yada yada…It’s good to stop and feel the sunshine on your face every now and then.
What bring me joy? Remembering the past and being hopeful about my future with you.
farahks last blog post at [site] was..Common Herbicide Causes Hermaphroditic Frogs, May Also Cause Cancer in Humans
great post… im going to give this a go, as soon as i have some time… hopefully tomorrow
josies last blog post at [site] was..9 Phototgraphs to take in 09
Josie, great let me know how it goes. If you put it on your blog, leave a comment here with a link so we can see!
cute niece.
i liked your post for the reason that it’s a positive reminder of how we should, at our will, direct our attention to the good and useful things. there’s really no time and no purpose to worrying, thinking about negatives. actually, your blog title and this post reminds me of this great book “if you meet the buddha on the road, kill him!”. i know it sounds violent, but the book is really gentle. the author is a cancer survivor, and the journey he went through shines through in subtle ways in his writing.
adjuvant chemotherapys last blog post at [site] was..Beyond chemotherapy
What problem do you have that has always been there in your life. Like for example my life problem/challenge is being disproportional and learning somewhat how to live with being disproportional. I’m basically asking what one problem do you have that could describe a major part about your life and that describes you, like do you have that one problem or challenge that has followed you throughout your life.
Mohan Tarnejas last blog post at [site] was..this is Really Scary.not 4 minors
@Mohan I’m not really sure I have any problem like you’re talking about. When I am faced with a problem in my life I try my best to conquer it fast. I don’t like to feel like there is any wall I can’t scale.
I guess my best advice would be to tackle the problem face on. Figure out your weaknesses and strengthen them to the point that this problem is non-existent.
Thank you I love my children, painting yoga my animals reading gardening lattes wine salmon biking fashion design birds singing and my new found wisdom as a go through a divorce with a very troubled man
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