What is it you want in life? What do you think is going to make you happiest? If you ask someone that question, they’re likely to tell you that they want money, a house, a car, a big, fancy vacation, and so on. They might want expensive jewelry or perhaps even a boat, for example.

That all makes sense; we often associate being happy with the bigger, ‘better’ things in life, whether that’s a possession, an event, or an achievement, for example, but perhaps the reality is that happiness can come from other things instead - smaller things like the everyday tasks and moments we experience all the time but often ignore because we’re looking for something else to happen or arrive. With that in mind, keep reading to find out what the small things in life can make you happiest; once you know, you might start looking out for them and because they happen so often, you’ll find you’re much happier in general - that has to be a good thing.

You Can Be Grateful

Gratitude is something we all need to learn to get behind a lot more; it’s hugely powerful when we do it, and it can change our entire perspective on the world and enhance our overall wellbeing, which is something we should all be trying to do more often. The thing is, when we take the time to appreciate the small things and small blessings that surround us each day, we’ll feel much more grateful about our lives - we’ll feel a lot more content because we’ll realize we’ve actually got everything (or most things) we need. Everything else, those big things we mentioned, just happen to be a fancy bonus on top.

The small things to be grateful for could be anything, and a few examples include savoring your morning coffee before everyone else wakes up, feeling the warmth of the sun on our skin, sharing a heartwarming conversation with a friend or loved one, enjoying a great meal, and so on. These might seem like mundane things that don’t mean all that much, but in reality, they mean a lot - they could mean everything if you’re in a grateful frame of mind.

There’s Less Guilt

Another great reason that you’ll often find more happiness in the smaller things in life is that they tend to come with less guilt attached. Think about the big difference you’ll often feel after buying something expensive (that you don’t really need) and buying something that’s a lot more affordable (whether you need it or not). In the first case, you might enjoy the initial thrill of whatever it is you’re buying, but after a while, that thrill turns into guilt, and the more you spent relative to how much you earn or save, the guiltier you’ll feel. Rather than feeling happiness, you might even end up resenting the item and feeling especially unhappy every time you see it or use it - the money then becomes even more of a waste, and the guilt grows.

Contrast that with buying something that’s more reasonably priced. It might not be fancy or impressive, but you’ll be able to use it without all that horrible guilt, so you’ll be a lot happier with your decision over time, and since you’ll also have saved money, it makes sense to go down that route. Of course, we’re not saying you can never spurge and enjoy spending, but we are saying that if you think doing that is going to make you happy, or happier than opting for the smaller, potentially more ‘boring’ option, then it’s time to re-think because that may not be the case.

You’ll Be More Authentic

Who wants to be something they’re not in life? It might seem like a good idea to put on a front of some kind to fit in or try to make others like you, but what’s the point if it’s not making you happy? When you try to be something you’re not, you’ll be looking for joy and happiness in all the wrong places - places that you just don’t really like all that much. When you allow yourself to be just that - yourself - you’ll look for joy and happiness in places where you’ll genuinely find it, and that’s a far better situation to be in.

Plus, there’s something much more authentic about small joys that really make you smile, and when they’re genuine and real, they’re even better. A hug from a loved one, an unexpected fun gift like custom Tshirt printing, the bite of a dessert you’ve not had for years that brings back some wonderful childhood memories… It’s simple and lovely and good, and that’s going to make you happy. Striving for big things that you think others will expect you to strive for is a challenge that becomes harder the more you try to be someone you’re not. Remember to be authentic and the smaller joys will be much easier to find. Who cares if no one else understands? They’re your joys, after all.

More Availability

There are, of course, practical reasons why you need to find joy in the smaller things in life rather than always searching for the next grand thing - small things are more available; they’re easier to get hold of in general.

Unlike grand achievements or extreme and extravagant experiences, small joys are there all the time, everywhere you look - once you open up your mind and eyes to see them, you’ll start to notice and be happy when tiny good things happen. Just think about how many times a day something small but positive happens; if you’re in the frame of mind to take that small, positive thing and remember it and use the good feeling it gives you, then you’re going to be a lot happier for a lot longer compared to if you wait for one big positive thing to happen and miss out on everything else. That’s especially true since you can’t guarantee that big, positive things will happen every day - the bigger they are, the less frequently they occur. In other words, since small things happen much more often, they’re the better bet when it comes to finding joy.

Instant Gratification

There are two schools of thought on instant gratification - some people think it’s a bad thing and we ought to learn how to be patient and not expect to have everything right here, right now. Others think that instant gratification is the key to happiness. What do you think?

There are good reasons for both idea, but when it comes to being happy and using small things to get you there, instant gratification makes a lot of sense. The truth is that small joys provide instant gratification and immediate satisfaction, which isn’t something that can be said for long-term goals or aspirations, which are sure to take a lot of time and effort to achieve. Small pleasures are there to give our mood an immediate boost and make our wellbeing much better, and whether that small pleasure is indulging in our favorite comfort food, listening to a great song, or reading the next chapter of a good book, these small moments of happiness definitely give us instant relief from the stresses of daily life, and that’s good.

Easy To Add To Your Routine

There are so many good things to consider when it comes to the small joys in life, but one that’s well worth thinking about is how they’re so easy to include in our daily routine. Those big experiences we might be waiting for need a lot of planning and preparation, not to mention money, and although that’s not altogether bad, and can even be fun, it’s not going to happen all the time.

On the other hand, the small pleasures in life can easily become good habits to enjoy as much as possible - watch the sunset every day, write a gratitude journal every night before bed, read a bedtime story to your kids, and all kinds of other things that are sure to make you happy. All of these simple but wonderful rituals can easily be added to your daily routine (and possibly are already part of it), and when you realize that, you’ll also realize that it’s these things that make our days so much better.

Shared Experiences

Something else the small things in life have over and above the bigger ones is that they can be shared much more easily, which just adds to how happy they can make you. Friendship and being around people is good for human beings, and even the more introverted person can benefit from a bit of social connection once in a while - it’s been proven.

That means that by actively looking for small joys in everyday things that could easily include other people - and pretty much everything we’ve mentioned so far could become a shared experience if it’s not already - you’ll connect more with others, boost your mental health and wellbeing, and be a lot happier. Why would you choose to do anything else?