The Lost Art of Delight

Delight is defined as great pleasure.

For me the word evokes images of uncontrollable giggles, feelings of euphoric joy, and a sense of wonder at life's many mysteries. Delight is a very child-like and open-hearted emotion. It's also one that I find people struggle to achieve; perhaps because of that exact child-like open-heartedness it requires us to feel.

As we move through adulthood with all of its stressors and responsibilities it's easy to lose the connection we feel to the parts of ourselves that can be delighted by the simple things around us. This isn't entirely our fault either. As we grow we go through a process called synaptic pruning that eliminates connections in our brains that are deemed as "no longer needed." Taking delight in the small stuff isn't exactly the most useful thing in our fast-paced, stress-fueled society. Delight doesn't pay the bills or take the kids to school or manage your emotions in a fight with your spouse. And let's be real here: if we all moved through the world like children 24/7, stopping at every leaf, pausing to play with everything that caught our eye, taking the time to relish in things like water spouts and light switches, we would get nothing done. So losing those connections in our brains that once had us wired like we were on a constant acid trip is actually a great thing. However, we can't be caught up in the grown-up stuff so much that we forget to play.

Without actually taking time to enjoy the things around us and indulge ourselves in the deliciousness of life we will shrivel up and die inside. Then paying the bills, getting the kids to their classes on time, and settling that conflict with our partner just become meaningless. If we aren't taking joy in the things we're doing then why are we even doing them? And that slippery slope takes us right down the hill into depression, apathy, and exhaustion. AKA total misery.

My own journey through life has led me to and away from seasons of immense delight over and over. Looking back I've discovered that the times I was my most joyful were when I was regularly immersed in things that made me feel flow, ease, and contentment. When I could be in the present and not fret too much about the future. When I prioritized my passions and allowed myself the freedom to simply be human. To allow rest and pause in my life. On the opposite side of that were the times I've let my fears, worries, and ego-centric plans get in the way. When one tragic or unexpected event could snowball into months of struggle because life felt too heavy and I forgot to give myself room to just stop for a moment. Times when I allowed myself to get so caught up in where I wanted to be that I completely lost where I was now. The worst times were always when I felt an acute lack of delight in my life and I was making no concerted effort to bring it back. I imagine it must be pretty similar for others.

At the end of the day, delight is completely necessary for us to thrive. Everyone's personal catalysts for delight will vary, but what doesn't is the fact that we need to feel it. As an emotion, as a sensation, as an experience. Delight is not an optional part of the human experience, it is a fundamental one. As adults we may need to be a little more conscious of it and even cut out time to enjoy ourselves (like scheduled sex dates, but for your soul- hey, they work!), but regardless of how we get there as long as we are engaging with what brings us a sense of joy, pleasure, and lightness we are on the right track.

This is my invitation to you dear reader to open your heart, connect with your inner child and go seeking that which fills you with overwhelming delight! Choose just one thing to do this week that you know will delight you. Set aside at least 5 minutes and put it on your calendar just like you would any other important appointment. Think outside of the box! It can be something as simple as walking on grass barefoot or eating ice cream for dinner.

And in case you're totally stumped or new to this whole thing, I give you a list (in no particular order) of 25 things I personally indulge in to renew my body, mind, and spirit with the energy of delight. Enjoy!

1. Burning incense. Nothing like refreshing the energy of a space with the power of aromatics.

2. Drinking herbal tea in big pretty mugs and Mason jars. Aesthetic af and holistically healing.

3. Wearing flowing dresses and sunhats. Both of these alone are powerful delighters, but when paired together there's something that awakens in me and I feel giddy.

4. Eating rainbow foods. Think salads and smoothies and any fresh and living fruits or veggies. The more colorful it is the more joy it brings me to prepare and eat.

5. Watching prism crystals. You know the ones you hang in your window that spray rainbows everywhere when the sun hits them? Seriously might be my absolute favorite thing in the universe.

6. Seeing flowers in full bloom.

7. Bugs. Especially butterflies, bees, and spiders.

8. My Earth Harbor skincare routine. Seriously. It makes me feel like a queen every morning and every night.

9. Organic body care. In addition to my yummy skincare routine I also love deeply indulging in non-toxic shampoos, body butters, oral hygiene products, and even organic lube!

10. Inspired content creation. I absolutely love photo and video editing, creating memes, and getting to share my creations with this community.

11. Road trips.

12. The redwoods.

13. The beach/ocean. I feel like number 11 12, and 13 all kind of go together but I'm delighted by each of these things for their own unique reasons.

14. Tarot. I've been using cartomancy for self discovery for years and each time I pull out my deck it feels like I'm coming back home to myself.

15. Decorating spaces. I love the art of putting things together in an aesthetic way. Creating a space that feels good energetically and also pleases the eye is one of my highest joys.

16. Party planning. See above. Setting a stage for a good time has the same vibe as decorating.

17. Painting, drawing, and crafting.

18. Dancing. Especially fire dance and pole. Those have connected me with my inner sex goddess like nothing else.

19. Psychedelic medicine. And plant medicine in general really. These beings and molecules are powerful allies in our journey through life. Plus it just feels good to vibe with your favorite people while listening to good music, or dive deep into your own body/mind/soul while under the influence of psychedelic magic.

20. Conscious movement. Whether it's yoga, hiking, dance, weightlifting or just a walk along our local bike trail I am all about getting grounded in my body through moving around!

21. Sex. Mind-blowing, heart-opening, earth-shattering sex.

22. New moon and full moon rituals. When I make time for these practices I feel so much more connected with the cosmos.

23. Stormy weather.

24. Deep talks with close friends.

25. Trying new things. Going to local events, finding new music, learning a new skill; anything that refreshes my soul. I'm here for it!

Now, go forth and run with wild abandon in the direction of Delight!