A Happy Life Is a Life Decorated With the Little Pleasures – Here’s a List of Such Tidbits of Joy.
Aluxers, 2020 has been a toughie… and when we began the year singing 20 plenty’s praises, we didn’t expect to be hit with 20-plenty corona virus… but here we are.
So, it’s important to soak up and take pleasure from the little things.
Like writer and chef Ruth Reichl said, “The secret to life is finding joy in ordinary things.”
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If reading is not one of your pleasures – and especially when the article is not so little – at Alux you can always turn to watching a video instead:
With that shared, let’s find out what the first heading on today’s article is.
1
Cooking the Perfect Dinner for Your Loved One
Cooking for someone you care about can often be stressful, because you really want that meal to be extra-perfect. If you’re not a kitchen whiz by nature, then the stress is doubled.
If you’ve nailed the dish, the feeling that you get is amazing!
Aluxers, the simple things in life – like nailing a good dish – offer more stability. And what’s frightening is that we have become so busy, chasing deadlines and working all the time, that we’ve forgotten the wonderful feeling of cooking and delivering a beautiful meal.
2
Saying “No” With No Guilt
As we just mentioned, we are always so busy and we believe that being busy all the time is a sign that we’re doing well. We’re needed, wanted, indispensable… but we’re not.
So, when we say “Yes” all the time, it makes us feel bloody awful. We feel like we’re sacrificing a bit of ourselves each time we say “yes” but wish we’d said “no.”
When you’re finally able to say “no” without backing your answer up with a long list of reasons why you’re saying no – that feeling is highly underrated. Take into account what Steve Jobs once said, ““It’s only by saying “no” that you can concentrate on the things that are really important”
3
Having Plants in Your Office/House
And we’d like to add … not killing them! Aluxers, there are so many reasons why having plants in your home is good for you. And once you start putting the right ones into your space, you will have such a feeling of accomplishment and pride.
It’s a feeling that you can only get once you start getting pops of green on your desk, next to your bed, in your living areas.
Plants aren’t just the pretty face in the room, they also reduce stress and lower your heart rate. They clean the air we breathe, humidify your room, help us focus, increase our creativity, and just make us feel better.
4
Finding Your Favorite “Something”
It’s that moment when you take the first sip of a whiskey you’ve never tasted before, and realize, “this is it.” It’s officially your new favorite whiskey.
It’s that moment of putting on a new pair of jeans and knowing that these are going to be your favourites for as long as they last.
It’s that moment when you try a new fragrance, and you know it’s going to be your go-to pick me up smell from here onward.
Like Oscar Wilde once remarked, “Simple pleasures are the last healthy refuge in a complex world.”
5
Not Being Stuck in Traffic
Nothing is sweeter than having a smooth, traffic trip to anywhere. And to add to that underrated pleasure… going through every traffic light to reach your destination. This doesn’t happen often, but when it does, Oh what an incredible feeling.
And Aluxers, it’s been proven that sitting in traffic jams is bad for your health. You’re exposed to toxic fumes, your blood pressure skyrockets, fuel is wasted, unnecessary wear and tear on your vehicle and unnecessary wear and tear on your last remaining nerve!
If you’re thinking of relocating because the traffic where you’re currently living is off the wall… be sure to watch our video 15 Questions To Answer Before Relocating. Here we’ll help you make that big decision and avoid the heavy congestion that’s driving you away from where you’re at now.
6
Finding a Short-Term Goal Worth Working For
Too often we think we need to set these grand long-term goals and while that is great, there are so many short term ones that provide fulfillment.
If you’ve managed to find one that brings you joy and you can complete it within a short space of time, that’s by far an underrated pleasure.
Like we said in our video, 10 ways to measure progress, short-term goals are “like stepping-stones across a river.” Once you achieve a short-term goal, getting to those bigger goals will seem easier to accomplish and inspire you to carry on moving forward, one stepping-stone at a time.
7
Having the Perfect Outfit for an Occasion
Aluxers, you’ve been invited to a function – maybe it’s a steampunk themed pole dancing fundraiser, and you can’t believe your luck… because you have the perfect outfit!
Steampunk Goggles – Check
Corset – Check
Black Boots – Check
Hat, ruffles, coat… check, check, and check!
What a fan-f*cking-tastic feeling!
And if you’ve been invited to hang with friends, we have the perfect Alux Hoodie for you to wear! If you want to show off your Aluxer pride, head to alux.com/merch and get swagged up.
8
Getting Praised for a Job Well Done
Irish writer, playwright, and politician Richard Steele sums it up perfectly, “There is no Pleasure like that of receiving Praise from the Praiseworthy.”
True, not so?
We all love a little praise and recognition. It makes us feel good and appreciated. We may not admit it, but it’s definitely one of the most underrated pleasures out there and secretly, we’re high-fiving ourselves!
9
Knowing Exactly What You’re Going to Order
There is nothing better than heading to a restaurant or takeout counter and just rattling off your order.
No um and ah… just, “I’d like to order a 300 gram fillet steak, medium rare, with chips, salad and cheese sauce, please.”
Then you close the menu with a satisfactory snap and hand it back to the server with the cheesiest smile on your dial, because that’s how you roll… well, for today anyway.
10
Being a Great Host
Are you the hostess with the mostest? People just love coming to your place for dinner parties, and you love having them there.
You go the extra mile when entertaining. Your playlists are mood, theme, and company specific. Your crockery is color coded. You have a never-ending supply of ice, you have the right glasses for their respective drinks and you have the right cutlery for their respective dishes.
Receiving an invite to your place is like winning a lucky draw prize… and that feeling for you is by far an underrated pleasure!
We’ll drink to that!
11
Giving the Perfect Gift
Aluxers, how difficult it is to wait until you’re able to give someone the most perfect gift you’ve found for them. It feels like the time drags until their birthday or special occasion, and you so badly want to just cave in and give it to them right away.
We totally understand that feeling. And then when you see the happiness in their face when they finally get to open your perfect present, you realize it was worth the wait!
We love this quote from Spanish author, Carlos Ruiz Zafón, who wrote an incredible book called “Shadow of the Wind,” which you can hear here for free – alux.com/freebook. He said, “presents are made for the pleasure of who gives them, not the merits of who receives them.”
12
Making Someone Laugh
When was the last time you had a good belly laugh? The one that has you doubled over crying with laughter.
Have you ever either intentionally or unintentionally set someone off like this? If you have, you’ll know this feeling well. It’s not one that you can forget easily.
It spreads warmly inside your belly and you find yourself grinning along with the person having the belly laugh. It’s infectious, warm, familiar, beautiful and totally underrated.
It’s not only a small pleasure, but also big money if you know your craft. These 10 are the Richest Stand-Up Comedians!
13
Not Hating Mondays
Mondays have such a bad reputation. And when someone says Happy Monday, you want to remind them of that oxymoron they’ve just brutally uttered at you.
It doesn’t have to be that way and Aluxers, if you’re at that place where Mondays are just like every other day, you’ll understand why it’s a pleasure that is highly underrated.
So, why do we dislike Mondays so much? There is scientific evidence to explain this. For starters, people find it difficult to get out of bed on Mondays, because they’ve slept in on Saturday and Sunday, and their body has adjusted to the extra Zzz’s. The weekend throws off our regular sleeping routine.
We weigh more on Mondays because we’ve spent the weekend over-indulging and we often think starting a new habit should start on the first day of the week, which isn’t always fun… like quitting smoking, or eating no bread.
So – in order to have that underrated pleasure of actually enjoying Mondays, keep your weekend routine as similar to your week as possible. Don’t sleep late, eat healthily and for goodness sake, save the resolutions for Tuesday or Wednesday!
14
Having a Way to Disconnect Yourself
This is a very personal one, because we all have different ways to regroup and find some inner tranquility. Once you’ve found yours, you’ll love that feeling of just being able to switch off and come back a better, more well-rounded version of yourself.
It could mean a day of no technology, building a puzzle at night time instead of watching Netflix, or just curling up next to a heater with Sudoku, a glass of wine and a cat on your lap.
That time for you is precious and important. Don’t discount it Aluxers, and remember what Olivia Wilde said, “… it’s very healthy to spend time alone. You need to know how to be alone and not be defined by another person.”
15
Having Someone to Wait for You to Get Back Home
This truly is a wonderful feeling, knowing that when you get home, someone will be there waiting for you and happy to see you!
And yes, we’re including our pets in this one, because is there a better feeling than seeing your happy dog’s face when you come through the door? No, we can’t think of one either!
Question:
What for you is the most underrated pleasure in your life? We love to hear your positive feedback, Aluxers.
