Enjoying Life

Enjoying Life

Enjoying life is nourished by engaging in activities that create happiness, contentment and fulfillment. Enjoyment strengthens the immune system, lowers our level of stress, motivates us and connects us with others. It is a form of caring for ourselves and caring for others.

Example Activities

We can:

1. Enjoy our senses

  • Be aware of our breath, inhaling fully and enjoying the relaxation as we exhale.
  • See something beautiful around us.
  • Smell the fresh air on our walks.
  • Listen to music to relax or to be inspired.
  • Feel pleasure when we taste something we like.
  • Touch the flower or other object to have a greater sense of its nature.

2. Be grateful

  • Recognize the goodness in our lives and express appreciation for what we have received.
  • Be grateful for positive memories, the present moment and the hope for good things in the future.
  • Note in writing things for which we are grateful: e.g. family, health, relationships, finances, service to community, nature around you and a kind word.
  • Express gratitude verbally or in writing to a person who’s been helpful to us.
  • Take a gratitude walk in nature, enjoying the trees, forests, birds and animals.

3. Celebrate

  • Celebrate an event such as a birthday, an anniversary or the completion of a project.

4. Single-task

  • Do one thing at a time and give our entire attention to the task for maximum enjoyment.

5. Slow down

  • Take time to enjoy the pleasurable experiences in our day without rushing.

6. Share the moment

  • Invite someone else to share an activity with us such as a walk, a presentation or a sunset.

7. Simplify

  • Get rid of extra mental and physical clutter to create more time for what matters most to us: e.g. unsubscribe from unnecessary emails, declutter our closet, write next day’s to-do list before bed, and spend less time on social media.

8. Set goals and plan new activities

  • Set new monthly goals and undertake new challenges and hobbies.  

9. Reminisce

  • Reminisce about pleasurable events down memory lane and share them with loved ones.

10. Anticipate

  • Appreciate pleasurable occasions in the future: e.g. a visit with a friend or cultural event. 

11. Nurture our relationships

  • Value and care for people, taking time to listen, to converse and to share.
  • Volunteer for causes of interest to us and which help others live better lives.

12 Ask ourselves:

  • What are some experiences in my daily life that I already find enjoyable?
  • What new experiences can I create to increase my enjoyment each day?

13. Enrich and internalize

  • Enrich an enjoyable experience by staying with it for a breath or longer, to feel it in our body and to be aware of what’s rewarding about it.
  • Motivate ourselves to do something by focusing on what is enjoyable and rewarding about it.

14 Recognize blockages to enjoyment and release them

  • Recognize blockages such as the fear of letting our guard down, criticism by others or conditioning that it is not appropriate for us to enjoy something.
  • Strive to let go of any obstacles and allow ourselves to enjoy the moment.

Overall, life enjoyment comes from staying engaged in life, striving to do our best, being optimistic, searching for solutions and helping others.  

Prepared by Wally Lazaruk, October 2023

References

Enjoying Life

 

Dr. Rick Hanson

https://www.rickhanson.net › uploads › 2014/10



Being Well Podcast: Enjoying Life

 

Dr. Rick Hanson

https://www.rickhanson.net › From the Blog

 

Enjoying Life

 

Dr. Rick Hanson

https://www.rickhanson.net › uploads › 2014/10

Positive Psychology

 

Harvard Health

https://www.health.harvard.edu › topics › positive-psy…