It is early morning again, and everyone else in the house is still asleep. It is quiet and peaceful, and my morning just got even better – I can hear it raining on the roof. Ah, I love the sound of a gentle rain and some rolling thunder in the background – it makes me want to go back to bed because I feel like I can sleep so well when this is happening. I won’t go back to bed, but my stress level about everything I need to get done today has went down just because I enjoy this experience. I like to think of it as a type of meditation.
This also has me thinking about common experiences that can be used as a way to relax and find some peace, which can be hard to do in this frantic and fast-paced world. I can think of others that I really enjoy when I take the time to do so, and they are all free. Looking at the stars, the sounds of a summer night, the smell of the earth after it rains just a little, the beautiful green of late spring, big puffy white clouds in a beautiful blue sky, lightning bugs in the early summer, and trees with orange leaves in the fall are some examples in my part of the world. How about where you live? What things that you sense help you to pause and enjoy the moment? Can you begin to purposely seek those out?
As you may have noticed, everything I have talked about so far in this post has been about nature, but there are other things that can bring some moments of joy and peace. For me, that includes hearing a child laugh, laughter in general, and a kind word or compliment from someone. Again, as far as I know, these are all experiences that don’t have to cost money. What non-nature things can help you to enjoy the moment? Again, can you begin to seek those out? I hope this post gives you some ideas on little ways to create more joy and calm into your life.