William Morris rightly said, “The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.”
Sometimes it is in the mundane and mediocrity of our everyday lives that we find life’s greater pleasures and exciting moments. It is apparently those little things that take us to the oasis, a happy space, where we can take refuge when we’re tired, scared, sad or feeling lonely. Apparently, it is also here you realize that you’ve been looking for happiness in all the wrong places!
My relentless pursuit of happiness has finally brought me to my own house. Yes, I am at the right place. I know. Because, it is here I found those little things that were big enough to bring a smile on my face. It also gave me a heightened sense of awareness and a new pair of eyes to help me to see the same world in a different way.
Here are five really small and simple things that I do in the day that make me genuinely happy.
1 MAKING MY BED
A nicely done bed provides me with enough fuel to kick start my day. For that reason I make my bed everyday. I pull everything out, stretch my sheets, tuck, spread out and decorate with colorful pillows. The feeling I get afterwards is surreal. I feel productive, capable, disciplined, and most of all, prepared to take on a new day.
2 GIVING A SURPRISE CALL
In this WhatsApp and Facebook world, phones are soon becoming a thing of the past. No one wants to call. No one has the time and the patience to have a genuine tête-à-tête. No wonder I surprise people when I call them. I call not just my primary circle of family and friends, but also surprise a few others – my old neighbor, a distant uncle or my ex-colleague. That 30-minute talk is then a joy ride for me!
3 MAKING AND STICKING TO MY TASK LIST
Discipline is not one of my best virtues especially when it comes to little details of life, like, changing my water filter, replacing the dead bulb or mending my torn skirt. But by making a to-do list for such trivial tasks, I manage to micro-organize my home. This helps me manage my time better, tackle big as well as petty chores, and deal with procrastination better.
4 KEEPING MY CLOSET CLEAN
A closet is a mirror where I see myself, and I definitely don’t want to see chaos and mess in there! Hence I have boxes and baskets, and hooks and hangers to keep things in place. A weekly inspection and dusting, and frequent donations are other aspects to my closet organization approach. A clean closet is my success, my pride, and my happy space!
5 SURPRISING MY HUBBY WITH HIS FAVORITE DISH
The only reason I have a kitchen is because it came with the house. But once a while I like to cook an elaborate meal, have an indoor picnic, sort of. I dedicate that day to my husband. Sometimes, we are so caught up with the worldly affairs that we forget to say a simple thank you to the people we love the most, isn’t so? I thought so too. This is one of the ways I adopt to show my gratitude to my spouse.
The great Dalai Lama said, “Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” And I couldn’t agree more with that lovely thought!
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