The Little Things That Make Me Smile
Happiness

The Little Things That Make Me Smile

April 17, 2020 - By 

In the times we’re going through right now, there could be 101 reasons why you don’t feel like smiling. But I’m also sure that for every one of those reasons, you’ll probably also find a reason to smile – if you look carefully.

A newsletter I received from Cheryl Richardson read:

This week, become aware of the little things that make you smile. As you notice them, pay attention to how they make you feel. If they feel good, really good, attach value to them immediately. Tell yourself, “This is the kind of experience that matters. I want more of this in my life.” 

The Little Things That Make Me Smile

So I start to notice and pay attention to the little things that make me smile. And I realize that my list grows – if only I let it. I wrote this post in 2013 and have updated it with a new list of things that made me smile today! I thought it was so relevant for these time.

  1. Pablo and Lucky giving me an early morning nuzzle to let me know they are awake.
  2. An early morning cuddle from my husband.
  3. My first cup of coffee in the morning.
  4. A local stray dog (the kids around have called him Bruno) that comes so happily to greet Pablo and me on our walk,
  5. A wholesome breakfast made by my husband
  6. The scent of my soap, shampoo, talc and cream.
  7. The scent of a agarbatthi ( joss stick ) I’ve burned as I work.
  8. A crazy conversation with an old friend that went on and on – with so many pauses for laughter.
  9. A picture another friend sent me of her newly born granddaughter! (Yes, some of my contemporaries are grandparents!)
  10. The sounds of birds and watching them come to feed at the feeder we have our little front patch.

This list is only from today and it’s certainly not complete.

There’s lots more where that came from – thousands of other moments that I haven’t listed here. Isn’t that reason to smile?

The Little Things That Make Me Smile

The little things? The little moments? They aren’t little.

Joh Kabat-Zinn

What are the things that made you smile today?

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Corinne Rodrigues, a writer, coach, and blogger from Secunderabad, India, shares insights on life, creativity, and wellness through her blogs Everyday Gyaan and The Frangipani Creative.

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115 Comments on “The Little Things That Make Me Smile”

  1. What a wonderful thought for a post! Listing what makes us smile would certainly add more smiles in our day and also will help us to appreciate smaller things better!

  2. Things that made me smile today so far and it’s only 10am here! Being woken by my precious five year old. Eating breakfast with him. Reading this post. Watching my boy sit at his school desk with his little pals. Seeing a dog on a lead determined to go his own way despite his owner tugging him the other way. My nine feral cats gathered in the garden awaiting breakfast.

  4. This is a great exercise. I’ll definitely do this, starting today. I’ll really make an effort to attach significance to the things that make me smile and remember them. They’ll be good for when I don’t feel so good. 🙂

  5. Familiar with point no. 8. And, now we know what you do the rest of the time.
    Inspirational post again.

  6. As I read this post and gave a thought to what makes me smile, my list looked like yours in some points ( esp.point no. 8 ) 😉 Then slowly,as I mulled over it , the list became longer . You see, this in itself brought a smile to my lips.

    1. Point No.8 – you too? I wonder who you’ve been having these crazy conversations with, Sharmila!
      Oh yes, the more we focus on the good stuff, the longer the list gets!

  8. What a great post! Very positive! It reminds me of the concept of finding gratitude in the small things of life.

    This morning, what made me smile, was meeting warm, not icy air, as I went outside to walk my dog.

    Having a home that hummed with electricity, children eating a nourishing breakfast, and reading a status update from a fb friend where he wrote the following:

    “Today I’m going to give to those who can’t repay. This includes giving hope to someone who has given up.”

    How beautiful is that??

    Hope today brings many smiles for you Corinne. <3

  10. Oh Corinne, your list made me smile 🙂 As I’m just getting started in my day, the quiet of the morning makes me smile, the snowflakes slowly passing through the brisk air outside my window is certainly bringing a smile to my face. And, of course, my hot cup of coffee and my ‘blankie’ over my legs is bringing a smile to my face.
    I’ll have to check this blog hop out and maybe later I can join in. My father has been ill and in the bed for almost 2 weeks now and has consumed quite a bit of my time.

  12. Hi Corinee,

    Very nice topic Corinee.It is a great thing that can give you happiness in the world “smile”.I have huge list to smile.When i wake up in the morning first thing i go to my pet dog silently and see his activity he at that time plays alot and looks very funny, i go to shower i remember some old things i smile, i come to my table to see the comments on my blog and smile. i have many thing to smile sometime i dont have anything still i smile i dont know why i realize it afterward. LOL its funny.

    Thank You
    Shorya Bist
    From Youthofest

    1. Dogs do have a way of making us smile, don’t they, Shorya? What breed is yours and what’s his name? Our Pablo, a boxer, is absolutely nuts!
      Yes, the feedback from readers does make us smile – as your comment just did! 🙂

  14. Nice post…we should take time to appreciate everything around us…but sometimes life gets in the way. Finishing Day 31 of the Blog Challenge made me smile today, mending my mobile phone and having fun at my French conversation class this morning also made me smile.

  15. Things which make us smile are often those little things happening each day which also make us grateful. Smiling fills our lives with joy and radiates that joy to everyone around us. That’s what your post did for me today, Corinne!
    Blessings and love!

  16. What a marvellous idea and an instant mood brightener! Thank you, Corinne, for this great post. I found it on the Writer’s Post group and will be joining your blog hop shortly. Cheers!

  18. Pingback: WHY I’M SMILING, TODAY

  22. aww I am the one who should be thankful to you for being part of this journey with my twins. All your lovely comments makes me feel blessed. Hugs and this is such a warm post that will bring a smile on anyone’s face

  24. HI Corinne,
    This is the post of the day for me, I was down and out because of some personal reasons but your post lifted the spirit. We at times overlook some small things and search for the joy in big things.

    Thanks for sharing this.

    Sapna

  27. I think it’s so easy to focus on the bad things, the uncomfortable things, and the sad things that happen to us day to day, but it takes a strong person to focus on the small things that make you smile, because that is really what get’s us through. Thank you for sharing!

    1. You said it so well, Rachel. I do think that if we can make a habit of focus on things that make us smile, life would be much simpler for us and the people we live with!; )

  29. Oh how beautiful! There are so many things to smile about each and everyday…and this day, what brought me to smile first thing in the morning is the sight of my mom… a wonderful breakfast… music… our newly painted stairs and walls, my Saturdate’s SMS, friends’ messages 🙂 I feel so loved and blessed… what is just missing is a cuddle from my husband LOL…

    Lots of love BS ~ your list also made me smile 😉

    1. Thanks for sharing all that makes you smile, Melissa. The one that’s missing made me smile – knowing that someday soon it will be on your list! Wishing, hoping, praying….

  30. Loved the list! If the beginning of the day was so good, i am sure the day went on the be one of the perfect days 🙂

  31. This is beautiful! I’m going to start doing this in my life. I find verbalizing the fact that I’m enjoying a moment helps, too. Just saying, “I’m so happy right now,” really affirms it in my being.

  32. Corrine,

    A cuddle with my wife – of course..

    A sumptuous meal..

    Seeing my old friends at a function in our college.

    Got the opportunity to judge the various food stall at our college.

    Seeing my mother smile…

    I can add on to the list and you deserve a 21 gun salute for sharing this amazing article and making us realize the importance of small things that makes us smile..

      1. Hello Corrine,

        Yes, you are rite..I am a foodie..How about you?

        I am not from Hydreabad..A crossbreed infact..he he he..

          1. Hello Corrine,
            I currently live in God’s own country and I believe you are from the city of dreams, Mumbai.

            Are you still curious about the land when the whole world belongs to God??

  33. I was not following ur blog and I realised this today 🙁

    What made me smile today? Well write my brat is sleeping in my lap feeling very secure and here I am typing away…a serene moment but very precious 🙂

    1. I realize too that I haven’t been reading yours either, Smita. Thanks for stopping by. I can picture the moment you’ve shared and know why it’s so precious to you. ♥

  34. My daughter who is living in Santa Fe and going to college, texting me to tell she found a job. She is keen to earn her own pocket money. I am proud of her determination and smile as I read her early morning greeting. “I got it, the job I wanted it. Made me smile.

  35. Hi Corinne

    I try to smile when things aren’t so great, it is hard to stay stressed and angry when you use those smile muscles.
    My Siamese cat that I have a conversation with makes me laugh. I smile when both of the cats are asleep and they make little sounds, I wonder what they are dreaming about. Life would be pretty boring if they were not in it. They bring so much joy.
    Mary

    1. So true, Mary. A smile can be mood changing. Pets are a huge source of joy, aren’t they? I’m not a cat person, but our Pablo (a boxer) brings us much joy and madness!

  37. Such a fab idea!! I am going to do this as my next post!!
    So many things make me smile, and it would be lovely to make a list! 🙂

    Thank you Corinne 🙂

  38. Great topic! I am so glad you shared. This is just the sort of topic to help me get back into the swing of things. I’ve been gone for awhile, but I am back to blogging.

    Susan Dusterhoft
    Today’s Working Woman
    todaysworkingwoman25.blogspot.com

  39. so sweet! what made me smile today? first thing this morning, feeling appreciation for the work i’m doing in The Artists Way. my girlfriend texting me just to say ‘i love you!’ the beautiful photos i was processing from last night — i’m amazed by the quality of the ‘capture’ and also reminded of the fun of the event. talking with another girlfriend about something i learned in The Artists Way this morning about handling anger and seeing the light come on behind her eyes about a challenge she was facing with that subject — realizing again we’re all connected. reading your post and reliving my smiles. thank you! xoxoxo

    1. The Artist’s Way is a huge part of my conversation too these days, Linda. It’s amazing how it affects us – when all it does is remind us to be ourselves. You are one of my reasons for smiling too! ♥

  40. My dear friend,
    It is always nice when we lift each other’s spirit. You are very good at this. Nice post as always.

  43. You are right, Corinne. There are many things we fail to notice that brings a smile on our face. Today, the thing that brought a smile on my face…umm…the small brownies with orange and pink shaded cream on top of it..I was passing by to heat my food at work and saw them on a table…got so tempted that I went back and grabbed one…yummyy…and my son’s everyday good night hug and kiss are the best…no matter what happens..we yell at him, scold him, punish him, he does that..kids are so forgetful..and that’s a blessing 🙂

  45. Glad I’m late to the party because I got to enjoy all the commenters’ reasons to smile. And you have a gazillion comments to make you smile! I call smiling one of the two starter habits in the 10 Steps. (The other starter habit is belly breathing.)

  47. Pheww. so many comments!! I had to scroll down soooooooo much! he he…
    My niece’s smile is so divine.. it’s contagious. She is barely 3 months old. 🙂

  48. Ah, I am late here otherwise would have joined the linky love. Reading your list made me smile wide this morning adding to the quota of morning smiles. Points 2, 4, 8 and 9 are absolute lovely reasons to smile. I would also add some more here,

    * Listening to the talk R gives in super cute mode
    * A thoughtful comment on my post
    * Smiling at a random stranger

    I have many more things that make me smile but I wouldn’t want to take a lot of space.

    Keep smiling and loving.

    Joy always,
    Susan

  49. Indeed, and sometimes it is these small things that we neglect while we go over stressing about the larger challenges we face in our lives. Your post definitely made me think of my own list. And like you pointed out, it is the really simple things that bring us joy while we go chasing happiness elsewhere.

    1. I’ve learned the awesome power of focusing on the small things that we so take for granted in our daily routine, Rachna. I’ve seen how gratitude automatically accompanies this practice and then leaves not much room for cribbing. Thanks for sharing. ♥

  50. How interesting– as I comment on this I note you start the article with “101 reasons” why one may not smile and there are 101 comments saying how people smiled. That makes me smile 🙂 🙂 🙂

  51. How simple things can make one happy.
    Those ten points are something everyone goes through, but we seldom pause and smile 🙂

  52. Pingback: The Shehechiyanu - Everyday Gyaan

  53. That’s a lovely list Cory, and Im tempted to make one of mine in my journal, right away.

    Thanks for this cheery post amidst the uncertain times.

  55. Little things we take for granted and the ones that make us smile from within!
    My birdies make me smile first thing in the morning. The picture of my Chikoo that suddenly pops up in my FB feed surprises me and makes me smile as I think of the times I spent with him. Hubby’s sense of humour makes me smile. 🙂 And yes, the chats with friends, the laughter, the inside jokes…they all make me smile and forget the stress.

  56. Life is these simple moments which we tend to overlook when we are running. Virus has certainly made us look into the little blessings.

  57. I have been waiting for one particular rose plant to start blooming. The reason being, all the rest of my rose plants started flowering except that one. Today, in the morning when i went to my balcony to water the plants I saw a small bud surface on that rose plant. Seeing that made me smile and it filled my heart with joy!

  58. Oh this is a fantastic activity to do to get the spirits up during this lockdown time. Thank you for sharing this, Corinne. I will do a post like this next time. ❤️

  59. Those are wise words indeed. This is what I’m trying to teach my kids, as well. If you can find something to smile about when the chips are down, you can get through anything in life.

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