The Power of Noticing Simple Joys

Headspace Studios. (gentle music) (birds chirping) Hi, I'm Sam. Welcome to Radio Headspace, and to Monday. So there's been a lot of unrest and uncertainty in the world lately. And I've found that I've had to be more intentional and deliberate about generating joy day by day, moment by moment. It's natural to feel a sting of judgment or hesitation when we feel joy amidst global suffering, but it's important not to deny ourselves this joy as it gives us the vital energy we need to keep showing up and doing good in the world. It's also important not to force joy, or any pleasant emotion when we're not feeling it naturally. Bringing acceptance to any emotion that arises allows it to be seen and integrated, which helps you gain insight on what action you wanna take next. One way to cultivate joy is looking for small delights around you throughout the day. And this reminds me of a really special memory from my first silent retreat. I was 19 years old, and I went with my university's Buddhist Club to a retreat at Deer Park Monastery in Southern California, which practices the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. There was this one nun who lived there, Sister D, who was always smiling, and I mean always. And it was genuine. One day while on a silent evening walk, I asked Sister D how she managed to feel joy all the time. She paused and looked down at the apple in her hand, and then she looked up to the bright full moon, and she said I have an apple and this beautiful moon. What more could I want? This simple teaching stayed with me throughout my life. Her example taught me to look around in any moment, and see beauty, take delight, and invite gratitude. Mindfulness invites us to look closer, and take better care of the people and the things in our lives. We slow down to see the symmetry of a flower, to smell fresh morning grass, to delight in a shared smile between a father and his daughter. There is always something to delight in, though we may not always be in the mood to look for it. But we can make a habit of looking, and finding glimpses of delight from the perspective of a beginner. So what are some small things in your life that delight you? One way to find more delight in the simple pleasures of life is to go on a gratitude walk around your home and your neighborhood, looking for aspects of the environment that spark gratitude and joy. Notice objects that make your life easier. Appliances, technology, even the sidewalk that someone laid down, so that you could safely get around. And it may feel forced at first, but think of it as a practice. You're watering the seeds of gratitude and delight, so that they grow a little bit every day, and then begin to feel more authentic over time....