7 Simple Joys to Smile About

In honor of June being National Smile Month, here are 7 simple joys of life that are bound to make you crack a smile!

1. A Hot Shower Before Bedtime

I find that night showers are especially helpful for me because not only do they save time the next morning but it allows me to reflect on my day and any continuing thoughts that I may be having.

It’s just me and no one else. I like having that time just to be alone with my thoughts.

After the shower is over, I’m left feeling like my thoughts are more clear and I’m more at peace with myself.

There is nothing else to preoccupy my brain or to distract me so that’s what makes it different in comparison to let’s say my desk or my bed. I have no form of technology to distract me.

2. Laughing With People

Sometimes the silliest things end up making us the happiest.

I recently had a Skype conversation with someone I hadn’t talked to in over a year and seen in person in more than 2 years.

When we reconnected, it was if as time hadn’t flown by and we left off from where we started.

Things just clicked.

We laughed over memories on how we initially met to what was happening in our lives currently.

My friend and I have our unusual quirks which make it all the more fun,

3. A Hug Goes A Long Way

Sometimes a hug is all you need.

When receiving a hug, our bodies release a chemical called oxytocin, also known as the “cuddle hormone”.

Hand-holding or hugging also results in a decrease of the stress hormone cortisol, says Matt Hertenstein, an experimental psychologist at DePauw University in Indiana.

When oxytocin is released, several positive things happen to our bodies.

For example, our blood pressure is lowered,  our stress levels are reduced, and we feel develop a deep sense of trust.

“It really lays the biological foundation and structure for connecting to other people,” Hertenstein says.

Read here to learn more about how a simple touch can have a positive effect on us.

4. Cooling Off on a Hot Day

Rinsing Your Feet With Cold Water

An old but good trick to cool yourself off in the summer months when its super humid is to rinse your feet with water to cool you off.

Growing up, before getting into bed, I would stick my feet in the shower and rinse the bottom of my feet.

This may just be a South Asian thing but it works wonders!

If you’re too grossed out by rinsing your feet, running cold water on your wrist works just as well because it cools the blood in your body.

5. Hot Food When You’re Hungry

I’ve found that there are two definitions of the word “hungry”

1. (adj.) to be driven and work hard for what you want
2. (v.) when your stomach growls like Chewbacca signaling for you to be fed ASAP

Sometimes when we are preoccupied with something, we lose track of time and forget to eat.

When we forget to eat, the feeling of being hungry turns into the feeling of being hangry (hungry and angry). Trust me, when someone’s hungry, it ain’t pretty.

I’m sorry for what I said when I was hungry

But when our stomachs are filled and satisfied, all is good and right in the world.

I have found that the best food when I’m starved is home cooked food served steaming hot.

6. Getting Lost In The Moment

Far too often, we’re focused on the next task of our to-do list or the next step we have to take to get to reach our life goals, whether they be short term or long term.

I know I’m guilty of this. They say time flies when you’re having fun and it’s true!

While showing someone from out of town my city, I had planned everything out to a T. The sights (both tourist and local) and where to go in case we had a case of the munchies.

Although we did accomplish some of the things on my list, what I found most enjoyable was getting lost in the moments.

When I look back on these trips or adventures, I’m gonna remember the memories that were made instead of the itinerary.

For example, I am the absolute worst when it comes to navigation and heavily rely on technology tell me where I’m going.

So naturally with me as GPS, we got lost a few times which in turn became a blessing in disguise. We discovered new places and laughed the entire way.

7. Indulging in Guilty Pleasures

Never ever aplologise for anything that makes you happy

Eating The Cookie Dough Bits in Cookie Dough Ice Cream

We all have guilty pleasures. Everyone has one. If someone says they don’t, they’re straight up lying.

This might just so happen to be the most bizarre guilty pleasure I have but I have no shame in sharing.

I have a HUGE sweet tooth and one of my favorite ice creams is cookie dough ice cream.

Now, I have an unusual way of eating this type of ice cream. You know that out town friend I mentioned earlier, well they thought I was absolutely bizarre when I told them this.

What I do is when I eat the ice cream, I save the cookie dough bits for last and eat them at the very end.

What are some simple joys about your life that make you smile? Let me know in the comments below!

 

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