How to appreciate the little things in life

Is life passing you by?

We are trying and striving more than ever, but why do we feel like we’re less and less joyful?

The more we dream and the further we try to reach, the more out of touch we become with the everyday reality around us.

We wish for more in the future and in turn we lessen ourselves in the now.

Enjoy the journey.

We’ve heard this line a thousand times.

But again and again we forget about the journey and try to reach out only for the destination.

What went wrong?

Somewhere along the line we forgot.

REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE LITTLE?

Remember that taste of cold orange juice after playing for hours with your neighborhood friends?

Remember when you saw that weird bug and you wanted to show it to everyone?

Remember the taste of hot chocolate your mom prepared for you in a cold winter night?

When we were little we felt joy out of the smallest things in life.

But somewhere along the line we changed.

Might be the ego’s growth and its increasing needs. Might be the society. Might be the responsibilities we start to feel. Or a combination of them all.

Whatever the reason is, the fact is that we lost sensitivity to the little joys of life.

And we start looking for it.

We look for it endlessly but we can’t find it, because we’re looking in the wrong places and we don’t know how it looks anymore.

We try to satisfy our ego’s needs. We try to match up to the society’s standards. All for the sake of feeling that joy and momentous fulfillment.

I’ll surely get it tomorrow. Or next month. Or in a few years after I achieve this goal.

It must be there. Or there. Or there.

WE’RE LOOKING FOR IT IN THE WRONG PLACE AND TIME

Feeling of joy is just that.

A feeling.

You can’t feel it then nor there.

Because then and there can’t be felt. You can only think about them.

And thinking is not feeling.

Feeling is an experience.

Experience which you can feel only here and now.

You. You reading this random blog on the Internet.

Try listening to the sounds around you.

You might hear the sound of the wind dancing with the tree.

You might hear sounds of birds chirping.

You might hear sounds of cars driving by.

Whatever the sound may be. Try to appreciate the fact that you have ears that can listen to sounds.

Then try to feel the sound and appreciate them, because they’re sounds of life.

If you have a drink in front of you, try to feel the thirst within you, and then as you drink, appreciate the taste and the liquid quenching your thirst.

Appreciate the fact that you have the ability to drink whenever you have the need.

Appreciate your heart beating and keeping you alive. It wants you to keep living. Feel the pulse within you, the blood flowing through your veins.

Be grateful for your body. However it may be. You’re breathing and you’re still here.

IT’S YOUR TURN NOW

There’s nothing wrong with having high aspirations and trying to achieve something more every day.

The problem is when the goal we’re trying to achieve or the need we want to meet takes all our soul and attention.

The problem arises when we forget to stop and look around. To feel and appreciate the things we have. The little joys of life.

It’s your turn now.

Try to appreciate one small thing around you, because that little thing is life and joy itself. We are filled with life and joy around us all the time, but we forget to feel and we forget to appreciate.

So, try not to forget ok?