Remember the last time you stared down a sink piled high with dishes and thought, “Seriously, why is my life a sitcom where I play the overworked dishwasher?” Me too.
It was Tuesday - Dishday, I like to call it - and I’d just finished what felt like an Olympic triathlon of Zoom calls. My reward? A mountain of plates, mugs, and one mysteriously sticky spatula that may have survived the Cretaceous era. I sighed, braced myself, and… paused.
“Wait,” I said out loud, startling my cat (and myself). “These dishes mean something.”
And not just “I’m too busy to wash them.” They meant I had a kitchen to cook in, leftovers that didn’t dissolve in fear, and people in my life with appetites loud enough to leave evidence. My sink wasn’t a burden; it was a badge of belonging.
So I did an experiment. I cranked my favorite guilty-pleasure playlist - yes, full-on 90’s power hits - climbed onto a dish-drainer like it was a stage, and turned scrubbing into choreography. The suds sparkled; my hands got warm; even the grimy spatula seemed to shimmer with newfound dignity. Suddenly, washing dishes wasn’t a chore; it was a daily delight I’d cleverly invited in.
That evening, I realized something profound. We live in a world that tells us pleasure is something to get: a new gadget, a bigger bonus, the next vacation. But what if the real switch isn’t in chasing more, but in bringing pleasure to the everyday moments we already have?
It’s a subtle but powerful shift in energy - from receiving to giving. I noticed an immediate change in my attitude and my behavior the moment I began to focus on offering pleasure to the world around me. Even when I feel that familiar surge of frustration - like the impulse to scream at my partner for leaving socks on the floor - I pause and consciously infuse that moment with pleasure instead of just venting anger. When I sit down to write an email to colleagues, I imagine each sentence as a gift of clarity and warmth, as if I’m planting seeds of ease in their inboxes. This isn’t about forced positivity or ignoring life’s messiness; it’s about choosing to channel our energy outward, to create moments that sparkle, even amid routine and chaos.
When you choose to “make yourself enjoy,” you’re doing something radically different: you’re not waiting to feel pleasure - you’re creating it in every action. Whether you’re slipping into your clothes each morning, sending a message, or simply breathing through a moment of stress, you pull from within your most delightful sensations and pour them into your words, your gestures, your very thoughts. In today’s world -where old systems collapse and new ones have yet to take shape - it’s all too easy to drift on autopilot or act from fear. But hiding won’t carry us forward. Instead, we must show up fully, with creativity, courage, and curiosity. The most essential skill of our time is learning to invest pleasure in every step - not as a superficial positivity, but as mindful infusions of meaning, interest, and joy. This way of being fuels our energy, aligns us with the changing tide, and sparks growth even amid uncertainty.
It’s the artist’s stance: by doing everything with pleasure, we heal our own reality and become beacons of light for ourselves and others. In turbulence, this practice becomes both our anchor and our compass: guiding us toward new, life-affirming possibilities.
But what about gratitude? I know - it can feel impossible to be thankful for a chaotic house or yet another spilled coffee. Pause and try viewing it through a different lens. Yes, your kids left toys strewn across the floor, but how remarkable it is to have their laughter echoing through your home. Your favorite sweater got ruined by the housekeeper’s mishap, yet it reminds you that you live in comfort and have support when you need it. Your dog’s muddy paw prints mark the trail of a happy afternoon in the park, highlighting the simple joy of companionship. When you see not just the messy present but the rich tapestry of past moments and future promise woven between, gratitude flows naturally: wrapping you in warmth like a cozy blanket on a rainy day.
I really hope that you, my dear reader, will embrace this way of being - inviting pleasure into every moment and finding gratitude in even the messiest corners of life - so that you can transform your reality, light up your own world, and inspire others to do the same.