8 Simple Pleasures You've Almost Forgotten

Simplicity and life don't exactly go hand in hand today. We live in an ever increasingly complex environment of our own making that if we let it, could just drive us insane. A certain remedy to this encroachment of complexity is to stop and remind yourself of life's simple pleasures.

Walking is one of those things often reduced to the level of a chore. Yet the simple act of putting one's foot in front of another may work wonders on your mind. Creativity flows more freely and problems that may have been perplexing you otherwise, seem to look smaller. Even a stroll into town as opposed to a hike through the wilderness may enable you to see things anew.

What about the simple pleasure of just having a cup of tea or coffee sitting outside. It could be any time of day, but if you get up earlier than everyone else and find someplace in the garden (if you have one), and just sit and slowly, without rushing anything, drink your chosen beverage while focussing on the sounds of nature all around, you may enjoy a moment or two of peace.

On the matter of sitting outside with cups of tea and coffee, why not sit outside in the rain in the shelter of a garden shed?

The simplicity is breathtaking. Sit and listen to heaven's unassuming symphony as the rain descends. It is a simple pleasure many forgo because they are so accustomed to moaning about the rain. Break the program, and love it.

Go out when it's raining beneath the shelter of a good umbrella. Invest in a good one that has a wide diameter. It's a worthy investment. You'll have the streets, parks and walkways practically to yourself as you amble through the empty streets. There's nothing like the scent of clear air as the ground finds itself refreshed and rejuvenated by a sudden downpour. Do not moan about the rain. Go out and take a walk in it!

If it's not outside the realms of possibility, go to the train station and just go to a town you don't normally go to. Don't think ahead. Just turn up and see what inspires you. Such spontaneous outings, free of the burden of great expectations, often prove to be the best. They often prove to be another of life's simplest pleasures.

Getting into bed with a good book - one with paper pages - has to rank as one of the most enjoyable ways of spending time ever devised. A good book can fire your imagination and take you to far-flung places from the comfort of your bed. There's something far more sensory, substantial and earthy about turning paper pages as opposed to reading off a screen. Have you forgotten? Try it.

Not entirely dissimilar to the last suggestion, have you tried listening to a good audiobook in bed? Of course, you don't have to be in bed, but the simple pleasure of being cosily tucked up while someone skilled in the art of reading aloud narrates a classic is an undoubted pleasure of life.

Right in your bed you can be whisked off to Bodmin Moor wrapped up in the drama of Jamaica Inn, or fight for survival with Robinson Crusoe far away on a desert island. If you haven't tried it, you must.

Are there people in your community from overseas? If so, learn a few words in their mother tongue. You will amaze them and make new friends. You will stimulate your brain cells, open your mind, and you will feel happier for it. Don't do it to impress, but to show interest in fellow Earth dwellers. This is a simple pleasure many deprive themselves of for many awful reasons. Don't be one of them. Once you've chosen a language, download an app and learn how to say 'hello' and 'how are you?'