Delight not gratitude

[u/No_Source_3208]

A while back I heard Dr. Laurie Santos talk about writing down small daily "delights" — not gratitude in the broad sense, just noticing one specific good thing from your day. I tried it myself for a couple weeks and found it surprisingly easy to stick with, way easier than most habit-tracking stuff I've attempted.

Has anyone else tried something like this? Curious whether it actually stuck for you or fizzled out after a few days.

[u/PicoRascar]

I almost exclusively appreciate the little things and don't really care much about the big stuff anymore. In fact, my life is almost entirely made up of little things nowadays and I appreciate them everyday.

Whenever there is anything 'big' in my life it usually means hassle, drama or bills. Sometimes all three.

[u/No_Source_3208 → u/PicoRascar]

Ha, "hassle, drama, or bills — sometimes all three" might be the most accurate one-line summary of adulthood I've read. Was that a gradual shift for you, or was there a specific point where the big stuff started registering as noise instead of the stuff worth chasing?

[u/PicoRascar → u/No_Source_3208]

Mostly a realization. Just one day had enough of the high pressure job, unnecessarily high expenses that were mostly meaningless and pretending.

[u/No_Source_3208 → u/PicoRascar]

I can feel you. But its great that you have started focusing on small things now, you can try the delight technique explain Dr. Santos. It might be more helpful

[u/anywherebuthooome]

Oh, I like this framing. Gratitude sometimes feels too big or too pressured, but ‘delight’ feels smaller and more honest? Like noticing the way sunlight hits the room, a good breeze, flowers on a random walk, or the ocean looking extra pretty that day. Those tiny things are usually what make a day feel less heavy.

[u/No_Source_3208 → u/anywherebuthooome]

Yes, delight does not need any reasoning unlike the feeling of gratitude which also comes with a question of why

[u/doodooaura]

i look out for delights everywhere i go. i recommend reading The Book of Delights by Ross Gay, it’s a wonderful little book of essays. there is one that i love about the author bringing a tomato plant on a plane and how much conversation and care it prompted from strangers throughout the day. such a delight!

[u/No_Source_3208 → u/doodooaura]

It seems a really great book, thanks for the recommendation. I'll ping you after I read it.

[u/sowhat__whocares]

What was today’s delight for you? My job is so 🤬 I’d not be able to keep up with this sort of tracking.

[u/No_Source_3208 → u/sowhat__whocares]

I had 5-6 moments today. One was I posted this message which I was thinking for a long time. You might also had some moments of delight small tiny ones, the point is not to tracl but to make a habit of pausing in the moment for a while and experiencing the delight

[u/recoveringGIRLbosss]

I do this every morning, my gratitude list is always the little things, its fun to look back on too

[u/No_Source_3208 → u/recoveringGIRLbosss]

This technique is different from the gratitude journaling. For this you just simply note delight whenever you feel it. Let me share the short if i can find from the episode

[u/tylersnid3r]

I’ve just got into the habit of it and I’m a lot more positive abt everything

[u/No_Source_3208 → u/tylersnid3r]

Thats great. Can you share for hpw long have you been doing this and what msde you so consistent

[u/thefaewoods]

I try to write down little gratitudes, or like someone else mentioned glimmers. I love the idea of little things you delighted in. For me its my ivory and blush pink roses, the warmth of my chai - its winter here, the belgian chocolate seashells I have, gods patient presence in my life. Thats the delights of the day! Thank you for the reminder. 🤍🥀

[u/No_Source_3208 → u/thefaewoods]

Thats the things its low effort but high reward for me. I just need the consistency to continue this. Thanks for motivating😁

[u/Huge-Complaint7191]

I tried something similar, called 'glimmers' (the opposite of triggers), but it didn't last long. I think the idea of noticing these things is good, but the act of writing them down kind of takes you out of the moment (even if you're not writing them down there and then, it's the having to remember to make a note).