1. Savor Food
For thousands of years now, food hasn’t just been a matter of sustenance for us, humans, rather a culinary experience. Though we eat because we must, we also eat because we enjoy food. Commit to the pleasure food brings you. Let it roll around your palate before you chew it and swallow it down. Consider every bite and how it makes you feel. Eating this way, you will also feel fuller because you’ve extracted the most in terms of experience out of your meal.
2. Seek the Beautiful Wherever You Are
Look around with your own private camera and seek the most beautiful thing in the frame, no matter where you are. The beautiful can be an object, a plant, an animal or a person, but it can also be a particular composition, the way the light falls on something, a pleasant color scheme, etc.
3. Ponder the Mundane
Think about the most trivial things and ask yourself questions about them; why is that town named that way, and who gave it that name? Why don’t grown men wear shorts? What do insects look like when they sleep, and why have I never seen one asleep? This is a great way to foster curiosity.
4. Ask Yourself How You’re Feeling
Look inwardly at your thoughts and emotions and try to observe them without judgment. Have a conversation with yourself (not out loud!) about the things that are bugging you and try to resolve them by giving yourself good advice. Heck, if you can help other people out, why shouldn't you be able to help yourself?
5. Walk More
This isn’t just a matter of health and sports (though walking is almost never a bad idea), it’s about being present in the environment without the boundaries of glass panes. If you need to get somewhere by car or public transportation, get off a short walk away and travel the rest of the way by foot.
6. Look for Reasons to Laugh
Is it all a joke to you? Well, it should be, because as we all know, laughter is good for you. Look at all of the occurrences around you and find what’s amusing, ridiculous, absurd or hilarious about them, and laugh out loud and heartily (just not at people).
7. Engage in Conversations
Seek meaningful (if fleeting) connection with people, be they strangers or coworkers that you aren’t so familiar with. Look at small-talk as an opportunity to latch onto a small detail which will form the basis of your conversation. Actively listen to the stories people are telling you and let them lead.
8. Enjoy the Way
The road isn’t an inconvenience on your way from point A to B. It’s the world. Pay attention to traffic, but also appreciate the weather, the view, the music on the radio. Being in a rush while in a traffic jam won’t help much, so forget about time and frustration and focus on the things you can see and feel that bring you joy.
9. Share in Your Joy
Tell the people you love about those things that brought joy to your heart, make them laugh, make them reconsider those things they believe are tedious and boring, translate your joy into play and dare to be a little bit childish. Shine a bright light into your social circles.
10. Listen to Your Body
Eat if you’re hungry, but stop when you’re full. If your muscles feel sore, stretch them out. If you’re tired, take a short rest. Disregard the internal voices that are saying you aren’t making good use of your time by listening to your body's needs. Jobs, chores, assignments- everything comes second to your body.
