Joy In The Little Things

Big life events take deliberation, work and effort - even then, once we accomplish them we shift our focus on to the next goal or next big thing. If we reserve our joy for just these “important moments”, I wonder how often do we actually let ourselves feel happiness? 

Making that perfect cup of tea, or finding a new song that you love, having a conversation with an old friend; these little things scattered through the day give us more than just a rush of pleasure, but a deep sense of wellbeing that sustains us through the ups and downs of life. 

As Sharon Draper said  “Joy comes in sips, not gulps.” 

Inspired by this, I made a “Savour The Sip list” of what I will do to find this elusive joy, small little ways that will inject bursts of happiness into my day. I would love for you to join me in this journey too! 

🍃Celebrate the everyday wins

I would like to savour these sips a lot more, like making a salad and having it taste exactly like I imagined it or breaking my personal best time during my run. These wins mean as much to me as moving to a new job, and now I want to celebrate them in the same vigour.

🍃 Stop to smell the flowers/candles/books

I've come to notice that olfactory experiences are extremely underrated. So I will light those candles I’ve been preserving, smell the ink and pages of my new book, step out after the rain and enjoy the crowd favourite petrichor.

🍃 Video call a loved one

Given that I’m currently in another country, I like to always be in contact with my friends and family, but while making this list I realised it’s mostly through text. So, I have decided to tear a page from my working life, and schedule video calls with my loved ones at least once in a week. This way, I get to experience the wholesomeness of their voice modulation, expressions and situational jokes that cannot be expressed just by words.

🍃 Let my inner child free

Growing up, I was terrified of not getting it right on the first try, I would often do things only if I knew I could do them well. Which meant that a lot of things I enjoyed, like singing karaoke, making art and even playing some sport - all slowly faded away as I entered adulthood. The quote “If a thing is worth doing, it’s worth doing badly” was my lightbulb moment and the reason it is on my “Savour The Sip List”.

🍃 Practice Hygge

The true essence of hygge (pronounced: hoo-ga) is the pursuit of everyday happiness and it’s basically like a hug, just without the physical touch. So I’ll try to take a page from this comprehensive Hygge Guide. While there is not one singular way to “hygge” - I’ll have a hygge day. Rain outside, tea in my favourite cup made exactly like how my mom makes it for me, Gilmore Girls reruns on my couch and my favourite incense stick lit. 

To me, this feels like a hug. 

I look forward to using this list as a roadmap for me to enjoy more moments of joy. Cultivating these moments are one thing, but recognising them and appreciating them is often the harder part. I have noticed that practising gratitude through journaling has helped me look out, identify and savour these little moments a lot better. 

What does your "Savour the Sips" list look like? We'd love to hear from you. Simply reply to this email or drop us a DM on Instagram.