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Loving The Little Things

10 Ways To  Appreciate and Love The Little  Things in life

It is so unbelievably easy to get caught up in day-to-day life. You might find yourself saying this nearly every month (I know I do), but I really can’t wrap my head around how it’s already nearly July… of 2013. Where has the time gone? I imagine most of it gets lost in the monotonous patterns we create for ourselves.

[Editor’s note: Reflecting back on this piece, now in 2019, every bit still rings true. It’s amazing how fast the last five years have gone. And I imagine the next five will go even faster.]

Having a routine is great– it keeps you productive and moving forward. You know when you need to be at work, how long it takes you to get ready and what time you need to set your alarm . You work all day, sit in traffic on the way home, hit the gym for spinning class, pick up take-out or make a quick meal, plop in front the the TV for Grey’s Anatomy and then drift off to dreamland only to wake up and repeat with little variation.

This mechanical life gets the job done, but does it suck your happiness away?

If you forget to stop and appreciate the world around you, I believe it does, in fact, diminish your overall happiness.

If you’re looking back and wondering when the last time you deviated from your normal routine–don’t worry, you aren’t alone. But what’s worse than realizing you are in a rut is not knowing how to get out of it.

[Tweet ““Every day may not be good, but there is good in every day.””]

As a wise, unknown soul once said, “Every day may not be good, but there is good in every day.” Try to find that good–even when it’s pouring rain and you are standing alone in the middle of sidewalk wearing a white t-shirt and have two dollars to your name. Even if this moment might leave you feeling down and out, you can throw your head back and laugh as the cold rain trickles down your face. Because as awful as it might seem, cold rain can be refreshing.

Loving the little things in your life is arguably one of the best things you can do for yourself. Recognizing the little things can be difficult in a world where we tend to take so many things for granted. The little things don’t necessarily mean ending up with a free drink at Starbucks or getting a close parking spot–although, those things are nice.

10 Ways To Appreciate Loving The Little Things

The little things mean taking advantage of the beautiful, positive things around you and bringing them front and center in your own mind. Don’t wait for things to happen to you–make them happen! Consider these suggestions:

  1. Take the long way home and enjoy the scenery.
  2. Wake up early and watch the sun rise.
  3. Make yourself tea in the biggest, cutest mug you can find and sip it while reading the newspaper before bed.
  4. Send out a group text or email reminding your pals how much you love them.
  5. Pick yourself some fresh cut flowers. Put them in a pretty vase where you will see them when you wake-up.
  6. Take your lunch outside for an extra dose of vitamin D (and a few minutes away from your desk).
  7. Celebrate the small victories. Like finding that designer blouse on super sale.
  8. Treat yourself to an indulgent, foaming latte to spice up your afternoon.
  9. Rock out when your favorite song comes on the radio when you’re sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
  10. Pick up some take-out and have a midweek picnic in a park either alone, with your bestie or with Fido.

So, twenty-somethings, please stop today and every day to smell the roses. Take pictures to document your surroundings and your daily life. Call up old friends just to chat. And most importantly, appreciate the little things in life.

About the Author

Nicole Booz

Nicole Booz is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of GenTwenty, GenThirty, and The Capsule Collab. She has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and is the author of The Kidult Handbook (Simon & Schuster May 2018). She currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s probably hiking, eating brunch, or planning her next great adventure.

Website: genthirty.com