Adding Color to Life: Gratitude and Play

I’m sure we all have our versions of the sweet life, what our lives would look like if only. Let’s be honest: Our lives are full of so many sweet things: chocolates, sunsets, lattes, vibrant colors, pastries, and more. Yet we rarely find the time to enjoy ourselves, or better yet, we rarely find the time to be thankful for the joys we’ve grown numb to.

Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to add some sweetness to the everyday grind—how to work toward my goals while also enjoying the process and the moments I’m currently in. Recently, I’ve discovered that the answer lies in gratitude and play.

What doe it mean to Sweeten Life ?

So how do we bring back play and learn to enjoy the moments of life has they go by?

Sweetening Life 3 to 5 minutes

1. 3 Things your thankful for: When you find yourself rushing through life, stop and say or think about three things—either from today or around you in that moment—that you are thankful for. This helps you pause and take in your surroundings instead of charging forward toward burnout.

2. Find Your Form of Creative Play: Do you like to write, draw, dance, build with Legos, or make clay sculptures? Find a form of play that you can squeeze into your day. Maybe it’s a quick poem before heading into work, a little doodle while waiting in line for your coffee, or a sketch at your desk. Remember, you don’t have to be good at it—’good’ is not the entrance fee to try.

3. Stop and Breath: (I like to do this with a warm drink in my hand, especially on cool days.) Take 3–5 minutes to stop and breathe—no phone, computer, book, notebook, or anything else. Just you, looking around. This practice will help you focus on the present moment and clear your thoughts. (It also gives you a few minutes to listen and simply be.)

4. Capture it: This is a fun little game you can play anytime. Simply take a picture of anything that brings you a positive feeling—whether it’s a pattern on the bathroom wall, the flowers on your front porch, or an interesting rock you found. Just play around with your camera (a phone camera works great), and after a while, you’ll start to notice the little things that bring you joy and actively search for moments of joy in your day.

5. Free Move: Whenever you’re walking or heading somewhere, try skipping, jumping, or twirling. Remember, it’s your life—you don’t have to do things just for the sake of looking ‘normal. Adding a little fun to your day is a great reminder that your life doesn’t need to be lived exactly like everyone else’s. (Besides, most people are too caught up in their phones to even notice.)

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And there you have it—five simple ways to add some sweetness to your life by helping you enjoy the present, engage in activities for the sake of play, appreciate the moment around you, and actively search for joy and things to be thankful for.

Comment below some ways you add sweetness to your life. As always, email and Instagram DMs are open if you have any questions or just want to chat.

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