Pleasure
I’m a big fan of Molly at Stratejoy and having met Molly and spent time with her, I like it that much more. She is wonderful!
I subscribe to Molly’s Joy Juice (prompts for greatness and growing, go sign up) and I really enjoyed the latest “Pleasure Points” juice.
She asked:
What tastes bring me pleasure?
What smells bring me pleasure?
What sounds bring me pleasure?
What feelings (temperature, tactile, body) bring me pleasure?
What sights bring me pleasure?
These are important to ask and understand. I call myself a responsible hedonist, the blend between indulgence and responsibility. I understand it’s a bit of a paradox, but with my Italian life, joy for food, wine and traveling it all just makes me an indulgent person. I’m sorry I’m not sorry. However, I volunteer with regularity, I understand when to back off, giving back is integral to my life, I don’t spend or make millions and I value wellness/my health. I balance it.
The things that first come to mind.
Tastes: Avocado, Bhakti Chai, cilantro, the crunch of tempura in sushi, a bite of BBQ chicken mixed with a baked potato and baked beans, soy sauce, lavender lemonade, aged sweet and thick balsamic, red wine (really, any), Humboldt Fog cheese on a crostini with fig, vanilla bean, simple, very thin crust Italian-style pizza, cream cheese slathered on a toasted everything bagel, maple bacon and anything from my garden.
Smells: The cement after rain, sizzling BBQ on a spit, mountain air, the essential oil jasmine, pine needles ‘toasting’ in the mountain air and sunshine, my nunnie and mom’s kitchens and sandalwood.
Sounds: The pop of a champagne cork (it means celebration!), the gliding of my snowboard through powdery snow, the rhythmic sound of horses hooves against the hard ground galloping, laughter, when I was young hearing our garage door open, it meant my dad was home from a trip, lapping of waves onto the sandy beach, bumping music with windows down and cicadas/crickets chirping through the night in Iowa.
Feelings: The moment I step onto my yoga mat, the serene moment after yoga class, adrenaline in the pit of my stomach – it means I’m being challenged and something powerful is on the other end, seeing a best friend or family after time apart, butterflies after a kiss from my honey, the night before a big trip, as the plane takes off and that moment when you’ve been worrying about something, then you do that something and walk out of it exuberant because it was way better than expected (in fact, you killed it) and you realize worrying is silly.
Sights: White capped mountains after surmounting a hike above the clouds, the colorful houses of Positano, Italy, making eye contact with a stranger and smiling, watching a couple steal that look at each other, when I come home from a long day and my honey has made my favorite meal and he’s in an apron, my large family all together on holidays, the ocean (no matter where I am), watching happy surprise spread across someone’s face, any new landscape I haven’t been exposed to before by traveling and a large table, filled with food and drinks with my favorite people gathered around.
What about you? What brings you pleasure?
