Lists shouldn’t be reserved just for work; making lists about life’s small pleasures is the closest thing to a soul tune-up I can find.
Small pleasures…getting lost in a book, buying a new book, getting back in the car from wherever and listening to the next part of an audio book, Facetiming with my granddaughter, reading my daughter’s wise, pithy posts, watching my son’s newest adventure on Instagram, eating outside, standing with my back to a fire, laughing out loud, hearing a Truth that makes me sigh, petting a dog, having a conversation with a child…the silent morning ritual of making coffee, clean hair, a good haircut, a classroom of college students laughing and talking amongst themselves about a story, my Mom’s voice and my Dad’s laugh, a faraway friend’s voice, almond butter…watching a classic movie in an old theater, hiking in the woods, planning a new adventure, eating fresh fruit, doing a TRX handstand, creating something, writing a new scene, starting a new short story, getting an old story published, hanging out with a dear friend over a glass of wine outside anywhere…There really are so many. Oh, and dog videos. Definitely, dog videos.
Fast-Write Writing Exercise: Set your timer for 2-5 minutes and write a running list of everything that is—or has been—a small pleasure in your life. Let one small pleasure lead to another and another and another. This is stepping into the flow. Hit repeat on your timer until you’re finished…for now.
