Adding Pleasure to the Every Day

Hello there! How is this week treating you all? Are you needing a little boost?

I have been thinking lately about the small ways we can add pleasure to each day. For many of us, our lives spread out before us from the moment our eyes float or jerk open each morning. But what if we were able to add just a bit of pleasure to the tasks at hand? What if we were able to make some of the less exciting tasks feel a bit more nurturing?

I appreciate the simple things. I also love to make changes that are accessible and felt.

Here are some pleasures I have been adding to my daily work.

**When doing dishes, I choose to wash with a liquid soap that smells good. Right now, I am enjoying  Mrs. Meyers Honeysuckle scent. We used this dishwashing soap while we were on vacation in Coronado one summer--so the scent invokes a happy time for me. In the past, I have used Ivory liquid. Whatever you choose, take a moment to really pause and smell it. I try to savor the warmth of the water (it is winter here). I might add some selected music or a podcast if the dish load is formidable. Voila! An upgraded experience. Do you have a favorite dish soap fragrance that makes you happy?

**When I sit down to work on our finances or to plan meals, I might choose to make myself a cup of something warm and delicious (coffee anyone? tea? hot chocolate?) to enjoy as I work. I like to play some music in the background (recurring theme). I might even light a candle and savor the warmth and subtle light.

**Laundry time has been greatly improved by listening to podcasts. Such a great partnership. I enjoy being exposed to new ideas and stories while I am folding socks and such. In addition, I have tried out some naturally fragranced dryer sheets and/or added essential oils to my wool dryer balls. It makes the laundry room and dryer smell amazing-- without having all my children walk around smelling like a lavender field is trapped inside their pants!

So that is it. I gently suggest looking at some of your daily tasks to see if they would benefit from a pleasure upgrade. We all have some aspects of our work that may feel mundane or trying at times.  But...what if we could pair it with something that instantly allows for that task to be more tolerable? Maybe even enjoyable?

I would love to hear your ideas for upgrading or adding pleasure to your every day. Do you have favorite pleasure pairings? My experience is that small changes can make a big difference. The sky is the limit! Won't you share?