🇺🇸 Small pleasures in our daily lives
Life has plenty to give us. Sometimes things we like, sometimes don’t. Some we have to endure, others are optional. But one thing that we can pursue on our own is small pleasures.
Occasionally we find ourselves tired and “feeling blue”. What can motivate us and give a new boost? Small pleasures! They can be something big or small. It doesn’t matter… everyone can find it in their own way.
Recently I was offered to renew my signature on Storytel after sometime inactive. This is an audiobook streaming service, and they offered me a month for only R$1.49 (about US$0.29). After that, it returns to its original price, which is R$14,90 (about US$2.83). I accepted it.
In about three days, I listened the first Harry Potter’s book. It was amazing reliving this story. The magic (pun not intended), the fantasy, the characters, the setting… I didn’t have the opportunity to read when it was released (I was about 6–7 years old), but I felt like it. The narrator’s reading and interpretation (the astounding Ícaro Silva) brought the characters to life. The experience was also interesting because I didn’t have to stop my job to read something… another person was reading it for me.
Not only books bring me this kind of pleasure. Playing video games as well! They help me release the tension I feel during the day. Sometimes there’s even a challenge. The most recent one is to get all achievements the game Hollow Knight has. After beating it more than 4 times, enjoying the lore (which is deep) and yearning for some characters (not you, Zote “the Mighty”), it’s time to prepare for its successor when it comes (the rumors are strongly pointing to this year). Even my wife knows about this game… in her way. She even nicknamed the main character as “Formiguinha” (Little Ant, in Portuguese).
And of course I had to talk about music, something that has been accompanying me since I was a little baby. It’s pretty interesting how a bunch of soundwaves bring emotions to our lives. They can help us feel motivated or strengthen our sadness. Streaming services are good with this and their themed playlists.
But not only the joy of listening to music, but enjoying each and small detail of it. The instrumentation, the lyrics, the artist’s context, how it resonated to me… and of course just as some white noise while I’m working. Still, knowing that music is there for me, makes me feel lighter during the day.
Wrapping-up, it’s important having moments for small pleasures. They give us motivation to keep up with the day. We aren’t meant to be working 120% of the time. We need to give our brains some space to breathe in and out. Take this moment to find what makes you happy, what helps you go through the day, and… just do it.
Hey! I’m AloĂsio Junior. I’m 29, Christian, married and Pedagogical Consultant. Undergraduate in Letras PortuguĂŞs/InglĂŞs at Centro Universitário Assis Gurgacz (Cascavel, PR, Brazil), and Graduate in LĂngua Inglesa: Estudos LinguĂsticos, Literários e Culturais at the same institution.
