Treasure Pleasure

When it comes to enjoying yourself, there's no time like the present. Pleasures are essential ingredients in every day life. In the midst of suffering as much as in the midst of reverie. You cannot go another day without making sure you extract some pleasure out of it if you are to benefit at all from Project Pick One Thing. Pick Pleasure, now, today, I mean it. It's that important.

Not feeling very inspired toward pleasure-picking? I understand. Sometimes we get into such a rut that it's tough to see up and outta there, into the zone where things are sweet or fun or luxurious or resplendent or humorous. If illness or money worries or bad weather or the bogey man has got you down, let me help you with a few simple tips for creating a pleasing moment.

• There's a little fat book called, 14,000 Things To Be Happy About. If you can't think of a way to take pleasure in each day, try looking at that book. Surely 14,000 things is enough to get you started on a list of your own.
• Actually, there are many notable books on pleasure. Do an online search or scope out the topic at the library. Beyond the emotional and biological, there is the social aspect of pleasure, too. There are entire cultures who practice pleasure, on purpose, as a life principal. Forget the psychoanalysts on this one. Look for books on island culture, or hedonism, or Costa Rica or Denmark. The latter two countries are mentioned because they've been found to be the happiest people, by their own measure and admission. Here's an article to point you in the right direction: The Happiest People
• Sense pleasure. Taste something delicious, smell something wonderful, feel something soothing, look at something beautiful, listen to something that rocks. Most of us have a pleasure around every corner in our homes, just waiting to be enjoyed--a cold crisp tart apple, a fresh pot of coffee, a bit of art or photo album, an old recording, a buried pair of pajama bottoms so well-worn your knee marks show through them. ahhhh.
• Name names. Call an old friend who makes you laugh. Read your favorite author, again. Watch your favorite movie star. Cook a recipe from your favorite chef. Write a letter to your grandchild. Thank the grocery bagger by name. You can always take pleasure in people.
• Don't set limits or expectations. YOU decide what pleases you. It doesn't have to be big, small, fancy or humble. It need not take long nor do you have to cram it in fast. Pleasure is whatever works to make you smile, breathe, take it in, sigh, relax, or let it out. What you enjoy is a big part of what makes your life worth living.

"What we have once enjoyed, we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us." --Helen Keller

This is why, as you Pick One Thing, you must pick Pleasure. It is how you come to own your life. We must master the art of creating, finding, and claiming pleasurable experiences for ourselves, every day. If we don't, our day can only range from benign and mediocre to miserable and distressed. What kind of person would knowingly choose that, when pleasure is always possible, always ripe for the picking?

A very displeased one. Don't evereverever let that be you. Pick one bit of something you love, every day. It makes you better, and in turn, you make the world a better place, when you enjoy. When you are taking care of pleasing yourself, it's nice for the rest of us to not have you walking around cranky, bitter, exhausted, sad or worse.

(P.S. Save the wink winking and ooh la las about sexy pleasuring till next time, when we'll be Picking your Sexuality for the next post.)