The Smallest of Joys | September

September

Ten little things worth noticing.

I was wandering through Barnes & Noble this weekend when a book caught my eye: The Smallest of Joys. I haven't read it, so I can't tell you what the book is actually about 😂 But if we're judging books by their covers, it got me thinking about something we don't acknowledge enough: the little things that make life feel good and finding contentment where you are.

Not the big milestones. Not the grand adventures. Just the tiny pleasures, little freedoms, ordinary moments, pockets of peace and unexpected reminders that make me think, You know what? I really do enjoy my life.

So, I started making note:

My 10 Smallest of Joys

01. A really good cup of coffee.

Preferably one I don't have to rush through which is typically my Nespresso Kona *Bonus points if I'm enjoying a brew at a new cafe spot aesthetically pleasing.

02. Taking myself out to dinner.

There's a particular kind of grown-woman joy in having the option and the means to say, I feel like going out tonight, and simply going-just becuz!

03. Watching Toot be a kid.

His chatter. His rambunctious little personality. The innocence of who he is right now. Sometimes I'll catch myself smirking because I'm fully aware that this particular version of him won't always be here. And I get to enjoy it in the now.

04. Freshly washed sheets.

Honestly, this one requires no explanation. There are few things better than climbing into a freshly made bed at the end of the day (and that would be a made up bed in the morning).

05. A song I haven't heard in forever.

That little moment when the first few notes play and suddenly I'm transported somewhere else entirely. Anybody remember this one; circa 1992.

06. Watching the sunrise.

One of my favorite perks of being an early bird. The world is still quiet, the sky is doing its thing and I get a front-row seat to the changing colors before my very eyes.

07. Coffee on the balcony before work.

Taking my time. Avoiding the traffic. Sipping my coffee while the world is still waking up before heading off to a job I genuinely enjoy going to. That's a pretty sweet arrangement.

08. A really good, unexpected laugh.

The kind that sneaks up on you and leaves you laughing long after whatever was funny has stopped making sense. My greatest trait is my sense of humor.

09. Connections

Whether it's family n friends. There's something humbling where nobody holds you to not speaking on a regular basis becuz time can get away. Picking up where you left off as if you've never skipped a beat.

10. Realizing I'm actually enjoying my life.

Not because everything is perfect. Not because I've figured everything out. But because every now and then, I catch myself in the middle of an ordinary moment and realize...I like it here. I like this life. And that, in itself, is a pretty big little joy.

Maybe that's what I love about the idea of The Smallest of Joys.

We spend so much time waiting for the big things to happen that we sometimes miss the little things already happening. The coffee. The sunrise. The clean sheets. The dinner out. The laughter. The kid being a kid. The quiet morning before the day begins.

Maybe joy doesn't always need an announcement.

Maybe sometimes we just need to notice it.

So here's my little invitation: start jotting down your smallest of joys. Keep a running list in your phone, your journal, post it...wherever. Don't overthink it. If something makes you pause, smile and think, that's nice, put it on the list.

Because sometimes the little things aren't really little.

They're just easy to overlook being busy with life.

Until you start paying attention.

Until the next pour...keep noticing the little things. ☕️