Which of life's simple pleasures bring you a lot of happiness?

[Teddy6767]

I'm someone who has had a pretty crap time in life in my earlier years.
Things are a lot better these days and I now have such an appreciation for all the small things that others might take for granted.
Some include -
Cuddles with my cat,
Laughing hysterically in bed with my handsome DP,
An evening to myself where I can catch up with all my favourite programs,
Home cooked lasagne (especially the crispy bits)
Enjoying a gin and tonic in the garden on a sunny day with my family.

My life is far from perfect. I don't have much money and I don't enjoy my job. But taking the time to find joy in the little things has really made me feel so much more content.

I'd love to hear what simple pleasures you all love ❤️

[EssentialHummus]

Awww

When I get time to read the papers to myself on the weekend

Starting a good book and knowing I still have lots of it to come

When random dogs come up to me in the park for a cuddle (we can't have one yet, so I love every doggy interaction I can get)

First coffee of the morning

Getting involved in community stuff - my corner of SE London is brilliant for free festivals, film screenings and events.

[DevelopingDetritus]

I agree with you OP, so many things can get missed. Going for a walk in the countryside or on a beach. Taking in what's all around us.
Having a good laugh with my son. Watching our cat enjoying the sunshine. My cat stops to smell the flowers. We can learn a lot from animals, they just enjoy and live in the moment. I'm trying to do this too, because that's all we truly have, the past is gone, the future might not arrive for us, so live in the NOW I say.

[ifcatscouldtalk]

What a lovely post. I think it is always good to be thankful for the simple pleasures in life and i am guilty of not always remembering to do this.
Like yourself my life is far from perfect but,
I have food in the cupboards and a warm house. I have a healthy daughter and a marriage that has withstood good and bad times.
I have a fairly low income but can walk wherever I want and enjoy all the outdoors offers for free.
I love the feel of comfy pjs and am a big fan of cat cuddles too.
I don't have loads of friends but the few i do have are wonderful people.
I'm sure there are more but these are what first came to mind.

[caffeinequick]

Great thread OP :) I love;

Taking my kids and especially my dog for a beach walk in the winter.
Gardening and seeing the seeds grow (before they die from lack of water!)
The smell of my first cup of coffee.
The luxury of a cuppa in bed with a good book.

[Sallygoroundthemoon]

A cup of tea in bed.
Lying in bed listening to the church bells.
Pottering in the garden.
Feeling the sun on my skin.

Lovely thread.

[Teddy6767]

Some great answers and lovely to read.

Another of mine is watching heavy rain coming down from my window when I'm nice and cosy in my living room in front of the fire.

And I agree that we need to try and live in the present more and be grateful for the little things that so many others would kill for

[BusterGonad]

I love cuddling my son, laughing with my husband who has the best sense of humor I've ever come across, watching my favorite programs on catch up, laying in bed reading, eating fish and chips and my garden in spring!

[Teddy6767]

Ooh yes - fish and chips is another of mine too!

[NoCapes]

Oh I love these kids of threads - I'm another one who needs to stop waiting for 'when this is done/when we go there/when we've got more money' etc and just appreciate now
A few small things I love

• the way the kids run across the playground and into my arms usually nearly knocking me over after school
  
• that at 6 & 7 my eldest two are still so cuddly and tell me they love me all the time
  
• finding random drawings in the playroom with 'to mum I love you from DD' wrote in the corner
  
• the smell of the babies sweaty toes (people think that's really wierd but God if I could bottle that smell!)
  
• the dog waiting until all the kids are in bed and coming and sitting on my feet
  
• taking my bra off at the end of the day
  
• a big bubble bath
  
• a really good curry
  
• drinking a hot cup of tea (this is rare)
  
• watching a film with the kids under a blanket

[Maverick66]

Having a shower, fresh pj's and fresh bed linen. No better feeling.

[BeyondThePage]

Maverick66 - I second that - clean, crisp, fresh bedlinen mmmm

(and one of my own - getting a good "squeeze" out of a spot )

[curtainphobic]

Music. Old favourites while I'm cooking. Very inspired by Forever FM at the moment, stirring to Birdhouse in your soul.

[NoCapes]

Am I the only person in the world who hates the feeling of fresh bedsheets?

[EssentialHummus]

beyond - yes! Actually I'd add, when DH resigns himself to letting me squeeze his spots. I think he has a YouTube channel in him.

[MiltopMighty]

Lovely thread, OP and glad that life is kinder to you now than in your younger years.

I enjoy tea and toast
Watching the big sturdy tree in our front garden through the years
Clean linens are indeed lovely as others have said
A good laugh with my DH
A hug or a cuddle one of my teen DCs
Making birthday cakes

[viques]

A new bar of soap ! I am a bather not a showerer and I haunt the shelves of TKMaxx to pick up cheap bars of expensive soap which I hoard in drawers. When the old soap has finished I have a rummage and find a surprise bar........

honestly, I do have interesting things going on in my life but a new bar of lovely soap is my private joy!

[BeyondThePage]

viques I love the smell a good bar of soap gives to the whole drawer - and like a bath too - so I totally understand the finding one you forgot! bliss.

[DevelopingDetritus]

Am I the only person in the world who hates the feeling of fresh bedsheets? Do you like your smell embedded, that's like my cat, it disrupts him having his bedding washed

[SailAwayWithMeHoney]

The sea.
Everything about it, the sight, the smell, the sound of the waves against the stone.The feel of the sea air on my skin. It's the most calming, beautiful thing for me. I grew up in a fishing village so I have a very strong emotional attachment to the sea.

[NoCapes]

Developing that sounds gross but yes I do sheets that have been slept in are just more comforting for me, maybe it is the smell - and they're warmer! Why are clean sheets always cold?!
Maybe I was a cat in a past life

[bialystockandbloom]

I peeled a boiled egg yesterday and the shell came off almost in one piece along with the thin membrane. That gave me a disproportionate amount of pleasure

[junebirthdaygirl]

When l drive in the drive in my car l spend 5 minutes appreciating the colour in my garden now Spring is here. We dont have a very fancy garden but for some reason, unplanned, lots of stuff bursts forth these weeks and it never fails to delight me.

[Teddy6767]

Opening the fridge just after pay day and there's lots of yummy treats to eat (usually all gone within 2 days and I'm back to eating toast haha)

[paap1975]

Lovely thread. I really love
Babies laughing
Children running around squealing with excitement
Heavy rain when I'm inside by the fire
Cuddles
Chocolate

[Bowednotbroken]

In no particular order!
A warm shower, with a warm towel waiting for me.
A hot cuppa.
'Conversations' with my cat.
A cuddle with my husband, or from my grown up children visiting. Or a hug from a friend.
Watching the sea - a very rare treat!
Time to enjoy and really get into a long book.