<ul><li>Savor the feeling of the air on your skin,  the scent on the breeze, the reminder that not everything needs to be taken seriously.</li><li>Consider what goes into the piece of fresh produce you hold in your hand—sun, rain, wind, pollination, cultivation, selection, harvest. </li><li>Feel the earth beneath you, the way night air feels, the silence around you. </li><li>Tune in to the scents, sights, and sounds of a simple dog walk, and let yourself feel the excitement your furry friend is bringing to this daily experience.</li><li>Connect with love. Drop into a moment of connection with a friend, and with your surroundings. </li></ul>

Ways to Find Joy in the Mundane Moments of Life

<p>
What happens when we look for the sublime in mundane tasks? Here are five ways to capture the beauty and connection available in even the most basic daily experiences.
</p><figure><img src="https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/spai/q_lossy+w_711+to_avif+ret_img/https://www.mindful.org/content/uploads/Finding-Joy-in-the-Mundane-Moments-of-Life.jpg" width="711" height="445"><figcaption dir="auto">Illustration by Geraldine Sy</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr">We can wait a long time for the big moments of our lives to arrive. They are few and far between—a marriage, a birth, a big trip, a graduation. Those milestones that live in our future and in our past and that make up the highlight reel of our lives.<br dir="ltr"><br dir="ltr">And then there are the days in between—the mundanity that, as Kate Bowler observes, can begin to sparkle when we consider <a href="https://www.mindful.org/the-importance-of-noticing-small-moments-of-beauty/" rel="noreferrer noopener" dir="ltr">all the moments that make up our time on earth</a>. What happens when we look for the sublime in mundane moments of our lives? We asked illustrator Geraldine Sy to capture the beauty and connection available in even the most basic daily experiences. May this illustrated ode inspire you to love the life you have, in all its ordinary beauty.</p><figure><img width="711" height="471" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAxNTAwIDk5MyIgd2lkdGg9IjE1MDAiIGhlaWdodD0iOTkzIiBkYXRhLXU9Imh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3Lm1pbmRmdWwub3JnJTJGY29udGVudCUyRnVwbG9hZHMlMkZtaW5kZnVsX3F1b3RpZGlhbi1zcGFya2xlcy1maW5hbC0yLWNvcHkuanBnIiBkYXRhLXc9IjE1MDAiIGRhdGEtaD0iOTkzIiBkYXRhLWJpcD0iIj48L3N2Zz4=" alt=""><figcaption dir="auto">Illustration by Geraldine Sy</figcaption></figure><h2>5 Ways to Find Joy in the Mundane Moments of Life</h2><h3>1. Notice moments of play</h3><p>Savor the feeling of the air on your skin, the sounds of children’s voices raised in exuberant play, the scent on the breeze, the reminder that not everything needs to be taken seriously.</p><h3>2. Grow your gratitude</h3><p>Consider what goes into the piece of fresh produce you hold in your hand—sun, rain, wind, pollination, cultivation, selection, harvest. All the hands that worked to put that piece of produce in yours. Engage all your senses, including your sense of gratitude.</p><h3>3. Savor the beauty of nature</h3><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.mindful.org/4-ways-to-mindfully-appreciate-nature/" rel="noreferrer noopener" dir="ltr">Connect with wonder at the natural world</a>. Feel the earth beneath you, the way night air feels, the silence around you. Marvel at the industry of fireflies, the light they bring to the darkness.</p><h3>4. Slow your roll</h3><p>Take a moment to see the world from a canine’s-eye view. Tune in to the scents, sights, and sounds of a simple dog walk, and let yourself feel the excitement your furry friend is bringing to this daily experience.</p><h3>5. Connect with love</h3><p dir="ltr">Drop into a moment of connection with a friend, and with your surroundings. Whether the conversation is deep or light, see if you can be fully present, <a href="https://www.mindful.org/feeling-grateful-for-the-small-things/" rel="noreferrer noopener" dir="ltr">noticing your surroundings</a>, your companion, the taste of your coffee, how it feels to be with someone who loves you as you are.</p><UL><LI>Kate Bowler</LI><LI>May 27, 2022</LI></UL><img src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAxOTIwIDEyMDAiIHdpZHRoPSIxOTIwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjEyMDAiIGRhdGEtdT0iaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ3d3cubWluZGZ1bC5vcmclMkZjb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRjQtV2F5cy1Ob3RpY2luZy1XaGF0cy1QcmVzZW50LUNhbi1Cb29zdC1HcmF0aXR1ZGUuanBlZyIgZGF0YS13PSIxOTIwIiBkYXRhLWg9IjEyMDAiIGRhdGEtYmlwPSIiPjwvc3ZnPg==" alt="4 Ways Noticing What’s Present Can Boost Gratitude" width="231" height="144"><UL><LI>Kelly Barron</LI><LI>December 24, 2021</LI></UL><img src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAxOTIwIDEyMDAiIHdpZHRoPSIxOTIwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjEyMDAiIGRhdGEtdT0iaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ3d3cubWluZGZ1bC5vcmclMkZjb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRlRoZS1pbXBvcnRhbmNlLW9mLW5vdGljaW5nLXNtYWxsLW1vbWVudHMtb2YtYmVhdXR5LmpwZyIgZGF0YS13PSIxOTIwIiBkYXRhLWg9IjEyMDAiIGRhdGEtYmlwPSIiPjwvc3ZnPg==" alt="The Importance of Noticing Small Moments of Beauty - Old father and son, Morning coffee in a garden" width="231" height="144"><UL><LI>Jane Anne Staw</LI><LI>August 17, 2021</LI></UL><img src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAxOTIwIDEyMDAiIHdpZHRoPSIxOTIwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjEyMDAiIGRhdGEtdT0iaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ3d3cubWluZGZ1bC5vcmclMkZjb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRlRyeS1UaGlzLUd1aWRlZC1NZWRpdGF0aW9uLWFzLWEtTWluZGZ1bC1Xcml0aW5nLVByb21wdC5wbmciIGRhdGEtdz0iMTkyMCIgZGF0YS1oPSIxMjAwIiBkYXRhLWJpcD0iIj48L3N2Zz4=" alt="Photo of a Black woman wearing a yellow sweater and sitting in a turquoise chair writing in a journal. She's in a bright living room with sunflowers in a vase beside her." width="231" height="144"><div dir="ltr">
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Calm
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Here are five ways to capture the beauty and connection available in even the most basic daily experiences.

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

<p>What happens when we look for the sublime in mundane tasks? Here are five ways to capture the beauty and connection available in even the most basic daily experiences. </p>

<p>We can wait a long time for the big moments of our lives to arrive. They are few and far between—a marriage, a birth, a big trip, a graduation. Those milestones that live in our future and in our past and that make up the highlight reel of our lives.<br><br>And then there are the days in between—the mundanity that, as Kate Bowler observes, can begin to sparkle when we consider <a href="https://www.mindful.org/the-importance-of-noticing-small-moments-of-beauty/">all the moments that make up our time on earth </a>. What happens when we look for the sublime in mundane moments of our lives? We asked illustrator Geraldine Sy to capture the beauty and connection available in even the most basic daily experiences. May this illustrated ode inspire you to love the life you have, in all its ordinary beauty. </p>

5 Ways to Find Joy in the Mundane Moments of Life

<p>Savor the feeling of the air on your skin, the sounds of children’s voices raised in exuberant play, the scent on the breeze, the reminder that not everything needs to be taken seriously. </p>

<p>Consider what goes into the piece of fresh produce you hold in your hand—sun, rain, wind, pollination, cultivation, selection, harvest. All the hands that worked to put that piece of produce in yours. Engage all your senses, including your sense of gratitude. </p>

<p><a href="https://www.mindful.org/4-ways-to-mindfully-appreciate-nature/">Connect with wonder at the natural world </a>. Feel the earth beneath you, the way night air feels, the silence around you. Marvel at the industry of fireflies, the light they bring to the darkness. </p>

<p>Take a moment to see the world from a canine’s-eye view. Tune in to the scents, sights, and sounds of a simple dog walk, and let yourself feel the excitement your furry friend is bringing to this daily experience. </p>

<p>Drop into a moment of connection with a friend, and with your surroundings. Whether the conversation is deep or light, see if you can be fully present, <a href="https://www.mindful.org/feeling-grateful-for-the-small-things/">noticing your surroundings </a>, your companion, the taste of your coffee, how it feels to be with someone who loves you as you are. </p>

<ul><li>Kate Bowler </li><li>May 27, 2022 </li> </ul>

<ul><li>Kelly Barron </li><li>December 24, 2021 </li> </ul>

<ul><li>Jane Anne Staw </li><li>August 17, 2021 </li> </ul>

Finding Joy in the Mundane Moments of Life - Mindful

Ways to Find Joy in the Mundane Moments of Life

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