We recently went to dinner at Kuba Kuba – a local and loved Richmond restaurant serving Cuban fare a few blocks from my house. With delicious food, a family-friendly atmosphere, and no reservation needed, it’s a spot we turn to when we want a casual dinner and we don’t feel like cooking at home. I literally roll in wearing workout clothes and no makeup.
I tend to get the same seared salmon dish every time:
Filet of salmon, coconut risotto cakes topped with sour cream served over a bed of fresh black bean & corn salsa with veggie.
The other night, I substituted the coconut risotto cakes for an extra veggie (asparagus), and then put some of our plantain appetizer on my plate as well.
While we were waiting for our entrees to arrive, I went to the bathroom. By the time I returned to our table, my dinner was sitting there waiting for me. I love it when that happens, I thought to myself. This got me thinking of other situations, circumstances, and scenarios when I can also say I love it when that happens. It was a fun reflection on some of those simple pleasures we can overlook in the moment, but bring us a sense of small joy when they occur.
Something exceeds my expectations
This one almost goes without saying, and is probably when I say I love it when that happens the most. It is the best when something exceeds my expectations, no matter how insignificant it is. For example, the other day, we were getting new bookshelves installed in our living room. We live in an old, early 20th century (built 1904) townhome with tall ceilings but also not a lot of storage space. Given that we turned our home office into nursery number two, my husband suggested we build a bookcase in our living room in order to have a place to keep our books (we are both big readers with a lot of books). I wasn’t sure how it was going to look, but when the contractor told me he was finished, I was so happy with the way it turned out. “It looks so much better than I was expecting!” I exclaimed. I love it when that happens.
Feeling in flow
Flow is that feeling in which time flies by effortlessly. For me, it is characterized by a unique sense of presence; a moment-to-moment unfolding during which I am fully focused on the task at hand. Usually it is when I am doing something creative, like food photography or writing a blog post, but it can come about when I am on a walk listening to a great podcast, playing with my son, or on a date night with my husband. There is less thinking and more being, without an attachment to an end result. It is all about the process.
I can cross off an item on my to-do list that has been hanging over my head
I love a to-do list. Better yet, I love crossing things off of my to-do list. I wouldn’t characterize myself as a procrastinator, and I am certainly not lazy; more often than not, I am getting sh*t done. But there are those things I leave to the last minute, or put off doing because, well, I just don’t want to do them. Examples include picking up my dry cleaning (or running another sort of errand), making a doctors appointment, cleaning/organizing an area of my house, or ordering that thing online that I “desperately” need. I either make excuses, or tell myself I will tend to it later, after which it just hangs over my head and creates mental clutter. I will even set reminders on my phone to do the thing, and this often works, but sometimes the strategy is ineffective, and I am pressing “remind me later” until I become desensitized to the message. When I can finally cross that item off of my to-do list, it feels pretty damn good, no matter how petty the task at hand (looking at you, dry cleaning). For motivation, I try to remind myself of that satisfaction, as the to-list always exists.
The sports team I was routing for pulls out a win
My husband and I both went to UVA, so we are big basketball and football fans. I love watching the Hoos play, and if you, too, like watching sports, you know that it is nice when your team is ahead the entire time and undoubtedly going to win. But there is something exciting when the two teams are on more of an even playing field (pun intended) – when the scores are too close for comfort, the clock is ticking down, the anticipation and anxiety are building up, and you’re just not sure who is going to win…until your team does. The eruption of elation that ensues! On a similar note, I also love the unifying factor of the sports fandom phenomenon. Cheering on your team and celebrating the wins with others around you is such a fun feeling.
A recipe I’m testing works out
I can have a love-hate relationship with the recipe creating process. On the one hand, it is a creative outlet and when I feel most “in flow.” Some people can sit at an easel and paint, others can pick up an instrument and play, and I can open my laptop and write a cookie or cake recipe so easily I wonder where it came from. Then there are times a recipe doesn’t turn out, and it is frustrating and defeating to say the least. Not only is there that subconscious story that I didn’t do it “right,” but I don’t like wasting food or my time, and I really don’t like it when something fails to meet my expectations (see number one on this list). I remember when I was writing my cookbook, there were those recipes that completely and continuously flopped, which almost brought my to my knees (dramatic, I know, but I was under a tight deadline). But when the process goes smoothly from start to finish, and the recipe I am working on turns out the first time, it’s so satisfying.
A good night’s sleep
Despite prioritizing and practicing good sleep hygiene, I have struggled with insomnia and poor sleep for years. I did notice that during the month I gave up Instagram (and therefore decreased my screen time in general), I was getting better sleep more consistently. Yet, I still can’t remember the last time I slept through the night; usually I wake up at least once – around 3 or 4am. What I wouldn’t give to have my head hit the pillow and not open my eyes for eight hours! Being nine months pregnant, and therefore about to enter the newborn phase, this feels like a pipe dream, but perhaps a “good night’s sleep” is relative in this season of life. I will simply choose to cherish those mornings I wake up more refreshed.
I get the last of whatever I’m shopping for
While I do feel slightly guilty about this one, it’s so gratifying when you are looking for a certain clothing size, ingredient needed for a recipe, or hot new item you have been eyeing, thinking it is out of stock, but then finding the last one left. Don’t tell me you don’t silently whisper “yes!” to yourself. It’s such a win. This is a time you can say sorry, not sorry.
My toddler listens to me
My son is three years old. Talking to other parents, we agree that the “terrible twos” is a misconception. A friend said it best when she explained “‘threenagers’ learn how to manipulate you.” Each day I am met with a lot of resistance, frequent tantrums, and the word “no,” so when he actually listens, it is a good moment.
I get a text from a friend I haven’t heard from in a while
Even with social media and the phone at my fingertips, I often feel disconnected from old friends. Scrolling through Instagram and getting glimpses at what people are up to offers an artificial sense of connection. It’s just not the same. So when I receive a text from someone I haven’t heard from a while, it puts a smile on my face. I try to remember this when I think about reaching out – sometimes if too much time has passed, I tell myself a story that it is silly, but I know that is likely not true. It always feels good when you know someone is thinking about you.
A good idea or solution to a problem pops into my mind
This happens to me the most when I am in the shower, driving my car, or on a long walk. Whether it is an insightful spark for a creative idea, the next step I need to take towards something, or a missing piece to a puzzle I have been trying to solve, it’s the best feeling when it arises. Sometimes the thought seems so simple – as if it was underneath my nose the entire time. Sometimes I was required to think outside of the box, and I just had to get the juices going in order to come up with it. And sometimes I just needed to let go, surrender, and create space in order to attract the information. Either way, I love it when that happens.
