Embracing Simple Pleasures

When I was working, sometimes I felt upset (to tears) about not having enough time for myself. I’m not sure that I even knew what I would do with that luxury, because I was so bound up in battling the resentment. Now I know! I needed to have more fun, relax, take up a hobby, be more giving to my friends and family, and pamper myself.

Consider the appealing prospect of pampering yourself and a wide range of thoughts or mental images will emerge – potentially very different for all of us. Now that I have more time, I am discovering deeply satisfying pleasures in pampering myself in these simple ways:

· Taking a leisurely bubble bath instead of a shower
· Reading a few chapters of a novel before going to bed
· Exploring a new software package
· Splurging on olive oil and coriander-scented dishwashing liquid
· Savoring fresh raspberries with my Greek yogurt at breakfast
· Washing up with lavender and chamomile-scented foaming hand wash
· Napping with a golf tournament on TV (those commentators have such soothing voices)
· Shopping from my sofa by looking through the latest catalogs
· Reading books that help me explore myself
· Sending greeting cards to family and friends
· Going out for an extended lunch, accompanied by good wine
· Treating my feet to a luxurious softening crème as I slip into bed
· Calling a friend out of the blue just to chat
· Cooking an elaborate new dish for a meal
· Chatting casually with a neighbor
· Taking a walk in the park or on the beach
· Writing this blog

It’s telling that these fairly normal things qualify, in my book, as self-pampering. It’s not good to get to the point where Job = Life. When I had any free time while I was working, I would too often become a zombie in front of the TV, or go to the mall and shop for things I didn’t need (aka “Retail Therapy”). Not surprisingly, neither of those activities made my leisure time more fulfilling.

Be kind and take time to pamper yourself – not only will you be happier, but so will those around you!