Five Simple Pleasures I’ll Never Give Up

It’s been five years since our world turned upside down, and if we’re being honest, it’s been a bit of a roller coaster since—pandemics, financial upheaval, political drama (especially if you’re south of the border). Life is unpredictable, exhausting, and kind of relentless. But even in the chaos, we’ve learned to cling to the things that make life feel manageable—and dare I say, joyful.

Back when things first shut down, I used to daydream constantly about travel, dinner dates with friends, and going out just for the sake of it. I’m still dreaming about Tahiti, but somewhere along the way I also started noticing the quiet, comforting moments in the everyday. These five simple pleasures helped carry me through—and they’ve stuck around. I don’t plan on letting go of them anytime soon.

Simple Pleasures to Save Your Sanity

Losing Myself in a Good Book

I remember life before the internet. I remember when we had attention spans and read for fun, not just for quick answers. For a while there, my attention span had been reduced to TikTok-sized bites. But then the pandemic hit, and reading came back into my life like an old friend. I fell in love with getting lost in stories again. Now, I read every day—no scrolling, no distractions, just pages turning and brain space clearing. Going analog in many aspects from reading to writing letters, and planning my day brings me much more joy than I ever anticipated pre-2020.

Cooking, on My Terms

Now that my kids are older, being in my kitchen has taken on a whole new joy for me. I’ve always liked it, but when I was in the thick of raising kids, it felt more like a chore—something that had to get done, often while juggling multiple preferences (one didn’t like cheese, the other wouldn’t eat anything without it).

These days, I cook when I feel like it, which—honestly—is most days. I love trying new things without the chorus of “ew” or “what’s that?” Homemade almost always wins over store-bought for me, but the real magic? Being the master of my own kitchen destiny. Some nights, dinner is a well-thought-out masterpiece. Other nights, it’s popcorn—and everyone’s on their own. That freedom has brought the joy back.

Gardening  

Once upon a time, I couldn’t keep a succulent alive. Now I’m plotting out raised beds and dreaming about chickens. Gardening has been grounding—literally and figuratively. It’s meditative, rewarding, and proof that things grow when you slow down and tend to them. Whether it’s herbs on the windowsill or full-blown backyard homesteading dreams, getting my hands dirty has become one of my greatest joys.

Dogs, A Woman’s Best Friend

There’s something about hard times and dogs for me—they always seem to show up when I need them most. We lost our beloved Honey in May 2020, right in the middle of lockdown. We couldn’t even be with her to hold her paw as she passed, and it gutted me. I swore I’d never go through that heartbreak again.

But then my boyfriend surprised me with Dolly Pawton for my birthday that October. She waltzed into our lives full of attitude and cuddles, and I felt something in me start to heal. Then in May 2022, during a freak derecho that knocked out power and uprooted trees in our community, Kenny Pawgers was born in a barn (yes, really), and soon after, he joined our crew. Now, Dolly and Kenny are like “Islands in the Stream”—a perfect, chaotic, ridiculous pair I can’t imagine life without.

They make me laugh daily. They remind me to play, to nap, to be present. And when life gets hard again—as it inevitably will—they’ll be right there, snoring at my feet or demanding a walk. We don’t deserve dogs, but I’m endlessly grateful they keep showing up anyway.

Life in the Slow Lane  

Before all of this, I thought busy meant important. I thought if my calendar wasn’t jammed, I was somehow failing. That thinking? Gone. I’ve embraced slow mornings, unscheduled weekends, and taking the long way home. I walk more. I breathe deeper. I’ve learned that the best parts of life don’t come from racing to the next thing—they’re hiding in the quiet moments between.

These five simple pleasures may have started as survival tactics, but they’ve become part of who I am now. I’m not in a rush to get back to the way things were. If anything, I’m trying to protect the calm, the joy, and the comfort I found in the stillness.

If any of these resonated with you, share this with someone who could use a little reminder to slow down and savour the good stuff. Because sometimes, the smallest things really are the most powerful.