Learn to take pleasure from the world

During the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), a Chinese scholar, Wang

Xunan,
suggested that we can stay contented by ‘taking pleasure from the
world’, and
this in turn can enable us to have a long and happy life.7 We can take
pleasure in
many simple things, such as reading a book, walking in the
countryside, feeling
a warm breeze, admiring beautiful paintings, talking to a friend,
listening to music or looking at beautiful flowers. These are all
opportunities to appreciate
life.

Writing a journal can bring many benefits. One patient told me that
writing kept
her calm when disasters seemed about to strike. Another said a
journal kept her
difficulties in perspective.
The things we note down and appreciate can be exceptional or more
mundane.
We may be grateful to someone who listens to us or just be pleased
that we’ve
cooked a decent supper. We might be grateful for intangible things
such as
having clarity of mind or that a friend wants our help. We might
appreciate
more concrete things – a bargain jumper bought in the sales or good
film that
made us laugh.
There’s always something we can take pleasure from even when
things are really
tough. One patient who described herself as chronically discontented
kept an
appreciation journal for over a year. She told me she’d learned three
things:

-Our difficulties always pass.

-Most people have a good heart.
- It’s usually the small things that bring her real pleasure.
As a result she has become more satisfied and comfortable with her
day-to-day
life.