It’s weird that you can kind of tell my mental well-being from my social media…or lack thereof. When I get low I tend to disappear. I don’t talk on the phone. I don’t post. I can’t concentrate enough to write and what I do write I end up hating as my depression colors every aspect of my judgement. If I had a normal job with set hours I’d probably be on disability because my broken brain is too unpredictable. I’m so lucky to have a life that lets me hide when I need to and gives me the support that I need. Not everyone gets that. Most people don’t, in fact. And I remind myself to feel grateful.
I am grateful.
As much as my depression lets me be when it attacks, that is.
My psychiatrist once told me that some people with depression find that keeping a gratitude journal can be helpful. I guess it makes sense. It helps you really appreciate what you have and when depression starts to lie to you you can go back and look at the pages and see how worthwhile life is. And I think it’s a great idea except that whenever I practice gratitude, instead of feeling grateful I feel guilty….guilty that I sometimes feel miserable (even temporarily) when I am given so much. And then I feel worse for not appreciating everything fully and then I’m convinced that it will all disappear because obviously I don’t deserve good things in my life if those things can’t automatically give me the happiness that I need to throw off the damp, heavy blanket of depression. I know this is all wrong – logically – but reality doesn’t count for much when dealing with the warped perceptions that sometimes settle into my bones.
So a gratitude journal isn’t going to work for me. But a few days ago I was listening to a This American Life podcast about delight and it really stuck with me. I can do delight. Even when I’m low there are still things that give me comfort, and when I’m coming out of the fog more and more pop up.
Last Christmas Victor bought me one of those electric fireplaces you plug into the wall and I use it every night. Even when it’s too hot to reasonably use an electric fireplace I stand in front of it reading a book and eating a giant glass of ice so that I’ll feel cold enough to enjoy the warmth. It is ridiculous. But it delights me.
So today do something for me…do something that brings you delight. Find those things that delight you and cultivate them. And I will too. We all deserve a little more delight in the darkness.
PS. Tell me something that delights you. Maybe it’s crunchy grapes in chicken salad or finding the perfect word or the joyous way your dog greets you or the smell of fresh-cut lumber or the swing you just put in the backyard. I want to hear it. Because sometimes delight can be contagious.
I’m grateful for you Jenny. I’m grateful that I have a set routine every morning that helps me face the day better.
Same. I Excel at isolation when I don’t feel well.
I find delight in browsing through record stores. I also came out as non-binary recently so embracing my own femininity has also been giving me a mood boost.
I feel so seen. Thank you.
Your posts give me delight, that little buzz when I open an email saying you’ve posted something new. When my cat comes over to me for a cuddle and tucks herself into me. When my dogs all get on and play together (which they just started doing after adopting a third a week and a half ago). My family and friends ❤️
Thank you for making me feel less alone in my feelings. Dresses with pockets bring me delight as does most anything chocolate.
So funny! My fake fireplace is natural gas – and it makes a “fooomph” sound when I turn it on. and “fooomph” delights me! I love the sound more than the light or the heat. It tells me I am in my own cozy world.
Enjoying working in my robe on my couch since starting my own business (that allows me to hide when I need to)! No more commute or office politics…such a delight.
My cats delight me all the time. The older one will suddenly galoomph around the house and then stop and MEOW at me. The younger one is a dang supermodel and he knows it, and he can be a real jerk, but then he’ll be amazingly cute or silly or handsome and make me smile. And both love laps and petting as much as possible.
Ben, my younger sibling recently came out as transgender and it is delightful to me to watch her embrace her new self. I’m so excited to see her finally happy after years of depression. I’m proud of you for having the courage to do something that can be so scary.
Reading and playing board games with my almost 8 year old son.
I feel delight when I see hearts in ordinary settings because it reminds me that there’s a little love sprinkled in just the places we all need it.
I feel delight when I read good writing (ahem, THE BLOGGESS, duh)
and I feel delight when something I write makes me warm inside.
My new kitten will just jump into my arms and trust that I’ll catch him.
I understand. Somehow, though I have no fear of death and dying, I’m often petrified at the prospect of running into an acquaintance at the supermarket and being forced to indulge in platitudes and weather-related small talk. Go figure. But fortunately, many things still have the ability to delight me. To name just a few: Sarah Silverman, Bob’s Burgers, medical cannabis, unfrosted strawberry Pop-Tarts and the 1965 Don Knotts classic “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken”.
I’m grateful for my mind, my overthinking, self-criticism, and tendency to fall deep into a chasm of over-analysis. These things that haunt me and ruin my day often are my gifts and the root of my creativity. I suspect you might be the same xoxo
I feel delight at the faces of my grandchildren when they see me. Even my depression cannot cut through those little faces !
Quotidian. Quixotic. What a quixotic quest to find happiness amidst our quotient of quotidian tasks. Ah! But delight, we can do.
Hummingbirds at my bird feeder. The whirling dance my dog does down the hallway when I go to fill up her bowl. The expressions on the faces of the students who are REALLY into whatever book I’m reading out loud (I’m an elementary school librarian). Going outside and being surprised that it’s a beautiful day.
My new kitten will just jump into my arms and trust that I’ll catch him.
Growing flowers and sharing them brings me such joy 🌸🌼🌻
i am delighted to be able to curl up on the couch with a dog or two or three wrapped in a blanket with the gas fireplace warming the room binge watching law and order for hours.
I am also delighted when you have a new post.
Reading a book outdoors, under an overhang while it’s raining. That’s delight. Even when I’m low, it feels like home. I need this today Jenny, thank you.
My brain has been angry at me for a while now. I just realized how bad it had gotten. One thing I get delight from is watching an online dnd game called critical role. It’s a bunch of nerdy voice actors. It’s wonderful and helps me and a lot of other people work through some of our emotional shit with them and the stories they tell.
I’m so grateful for Baby Cat, a stray cat we adopted this summer. At Christmas, she saw everyone giving presents so she zoomed upstairs and ran back down, dropping a dirty sock in my lap. Then she ran back upstairs, carrying down dirty socks for each family member. Now she’s moved on to dirty underwear, but I’ll be absolutely delighted with anything she gives me.
OMG this is so perfect. And I clicked on it immediately and that is so normally not me. Nor is posting comments (it terrifies me). But this delights me. And your Strangelings bookclub delights me. I just finished Follow Me to Ground in 2 days and I haven’t been able to finish a book in years. so THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
SO MUCH THIS! Thank you for writing this.
I’m in Texas too. A cold snap is delightful to me. In the crazy hot days of summer, I can try to remember what it was to have a cold nose and chilly fingers. Any time of year, that first gulp of a perfect glass of iced tea is a delight. Getting home from work to be greeted by my very excited dogs is delightful. Curling up in my comfy bed at the end of the day, with my husband snoring softly beside me and my dogs staking out their territory at my feet is delightful. Looking up at the stars in the winter sky, when they are so bright and there seem to be so many of them? That is magical.
Candy. I delight in candy.
When I’m super down, my husband takes me to the candy shop, then I end up thinking of Magic Mike XXL and I’m a little less down.
I delight in dog sneezes. I am not prejudiced as to breed, size or color of dog. Any sneeze will do. And a cat sneeze every now and again 🙂
I love going to our local farm nursery and looking at all of the plants and flowers. It is so calming and beautiful, and it makes me look forward to the warmer weather and gardening outdoors.
The gratitude/guilt/shame spiral is real, and I love you for acknowledging it.
The rumples in my cat’s fur when he sleeps delight me. I smooth them, he wakes up, he gives me kisses and goes right back to sleep, making more rumplefurs.
I delight in finding pretty yarn in the charity shops. Lighting candles when it’s cold. My husband spending time with me because he knows i’m sad and him just being there makes it a little better. Looking at pictures of cats.
A dog with its head out the car window, ears flapping in the wind, mouth open and tongue lolling, brings me delight.
I had a fish taco for lunch. Fish tacos make me ridiculously happy. Love you, Jenny.
What delights me, every day no matter my mood, not matter the weather, is the view from my deck.
Fractals delight me to no end.
I delight in a bubble bath. Yesterday was a tough day and the second I got home I declared I needed a bath. It felt wierd because the sun hadn’t quite set, and for some reason baths are nighttime activities in my mind, but I did it. Bubbles, candle, chocolate chip cookies and a paperback. When I was done, I put on my fluffy sweatshirt and my comfy “fat-girl” pants and plopped on the couch. It was at that point I could feel how much more relaxed and calm I was. I should bubble bath more often.
Feeling the warmth of the sun on my face.
Once a week I put my toddler in daycare, so I can stay home and catch up on laundry…and my sanity! I make myself a raspberry cream soda (with whip, of course!) and drink it while watching trashy Netflix drama. And nobody’s around to mooch off my drink! It makes me appreciate being a mom, happy I’m normally so busy with my kids, that I have to sneak in breaks like this.
The way my cat smells delights me. It sounds super weird but she smells like a mix of her wood pellet litter, and sunshine. She’s earthy and sweet. I wish I could bottle it and smell it all day because she doesn’t like it when I hold her and sniff her head all the time.
I’m delighted whenever my dog looks like she is smiling at me. It’s so uplifting!
Im grateful that people like you writes things like that and I can see myself in it, and know that Im not alone with my broken brain.
That, and baby kittens videos ♥
Pompom trim on anything.
I feel all of this…this is the first time I’ve heard of anyone else experiencing the gratitude-guilt thing.
I’m delighted when my dog sleeps with his head on my lap. 🙂
The movie “Some Like It Hot.” It’s silly and over the top, but I can’t pass it up and it never disappoints to raise my spirits.
My cats are a never-ending delight for me. Also, “Knock, knock, Motherfucker” which I re-read often and am still delighted enough to laugh every time.
I delight in my son’s super tight squeeze hugs and the kiss on the nose my dog demands from me at every greeting. I delight in my husband’s crazy beard and my daughter’s knack for language. I delight in baking shows and stealing away for an overnight at a hotel with my hubby.
I am delighted by the prospect of having some exotic fruits delivered tomorrow. Most of which I have never tried before, but they looked super weird (in the pictures on this fancy food website I was randomly browsing) so I ordered them. Mystery fruit! I am strangely excited.
Remembering I have a giant bag of Mini Eggs in my desk drawer, when my puppy asks to go out (we’re in the middle of house training), the light through autumn leaves, watching my cat eat (he’s been fighting liver disease for over a year and not eating has been a reoccuring issue), finding exactly what you were looking for while antique hunting, a quiet afternoon with a good book on the porch.
It delights me to browse through the contents of a bookshelf. In a bookstore or even my own shelves where I already know what’s there. I love it. Love, love, love it!
It delights me to browse through the contents of a bookshelf. In a bookstore or even my own shelves where I already know what’s there. I love it. Love, love, love it!
We have a tadpole in our fish tank and my daughter named her Ponyo. Ponyo has sprouted the tiniest, skinniest little legs this week and they are positively delightful. I had no idea they started out so very shrimpy. It’s wild to think how strong they will become, enabling Ponyo to leap great distances in just a few more months. And Ponyo doesn’t even know it yet!
Flannel sheets and a book. That first moment when you tuck in and settle into your bed just before you start to read.
Spontaneous hugs from my tween and my teen. “We find delight in the beauty and happiness of children that makes the heart too big for the body.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Watching my kids enjoy sledding in 2″ of snow because it’s the most we’ve had since 2013.
Seeing our school bring in thousands of pounds of food this week for those on the verge of homelessness.
Laughing so hard at an old Tyler Perry Madea movie that my husband came in the room to check on me.
Hang in there, we are all in this together.
You cannot know how much I needed to hear this message today. Delight. I can do that. Rubbing my face in my cat’s fur….listening to him purr. Thank you
I have been unemployed for a year now and my health issues are impacting my job search. I’m in my own low and panicked place right now.
I feel delight when I’m petting my cat… or any cat really.
Wandering through a bookstore and finding a book that will take me on an adventure. My dog’s exuberance when I get home, even if I’ve only been gone for 10 minutes. My big indoor cat turning me into a sofa. My feral outdoor cat allowing me to rub his belly for 5 seconds.
And thank you for writing this about why gratitude journals don’t work for you. This is exactly the reason they don’t work for me. I thought I was the only one.
I have secret chocolate while my girls are napping in the afternoon. I was going to skip it today so I could get dinner started, but I’m pretty sure you just ordered me to go make a microwave mug cake (2T flour, 2T brown sugar, 1T special dark cocoa powder, 1T veg oil, 1T water, microwave 40 seconds. Pour a little milk over to turn into warm pudding) so I better get to it before they wake up. And if I’m eating, I may as well read. Ebooks from the library are also a delight. Free reading without even having to leave my house? Yes, please.
I delight in the fact that I get to revisit and complete a dream by working in theatre. Both technical and now “gulp” on stage. I’ve loved the stage all my life but never had the chance to pursue it. I went back to school at age 41 and tonight, in the midst of my 50th year, I have rehearsal for Carrie:The Musical with an energizing group of college students. And it is delightful!
Putting on my slippers and comfy pants when I come home from work delights me. Once it’s spring, watching my daughter play soccer delights me. Thanks for reminding us we need to cultivate that feeling more often!
Mystery Science Theater 3000. Hot black tea. My guinea pigs, named Fry and Zoidberg. Sharing research study findings with my students. Writing sentimental fan fiction. Wearing a fancy outfit. Going out to a restaurant, especially with a friend but even if it’s by myself.
Good conversations about history and academic theory. I truly love talking abt this stuff and currently no one to talk to…
That first sip of hot, black coffee.
I got out of the apartment to run errands and treated myself to coffee and a doughnut from DD. I suffer from depression and anxiety so it feels good to get something done.
I find delight in knitting! It’s something that I create, I can feel, and is useful! Knitting has truly helped me thru the hard times!
My dog lets me kiss him on top of his head, then he snuggles his face against my neck for a minute. In my mind he’s “kissing” me back because dog licks can be gross.
My daughter’s laughter, and the absolute joy she has when she presents me with one of her completed art pieces. She gets this sense of pride about herself, and it makes me happy to see that in her.
I delight in climbing into a freshly made bed with clean sheets. Stretching out, feeling the cool smoothness of the sheets and smelling the freshness makes me feel indulged. And happy. Right before drifting off to sleep it is the best feeling.
Nature delights me. One time while walking my dog I saw a Luna moth on my porch post. I got so excited, I turned around to run into the house and get my husband, smacked into one of the other porch posts and scared the moth away. I cried because I was so sad he didn’t get to see it (and because I had splinters in my nose).
Something that delighted me yesterday was seeing the sunset as I was driving home, because the days are getting longer. I hope you find something lovely things to delight you today and all days:-)
I delight in robbing my cat Dushenka’s floofy belly. That’s some primo belly, there.
My blog is/used to be my gratefulness journal. But I let it lapse and I’m just trying to get back to it. Again.
I’m gonna eat some chocolate, watch Taskmaster, and browse ravelry for a hat pattern. Those are my current delights.
I was momentarily delighted when I saw the fireplace picture before I read the entirety of what you were saying and thought it was going to end with you throwing your gratitude journal into the fire.
And on a more regular basis, I’m gonna go ahead and admit that pinterest delights me. Whenever I see something that I can’t afford or do that I know I’m gonna be obsessed with, I just pin it and then I can forget about it since it’s been safely filed for “later”
Reading a book outdoors while it’s raining, secluded, underneath the wave. That brings me delight even when I’m low.
I love turning on the 80’s station while I’m cooking in the kitchen. Hearing songs that I loved when I was a teenager delights me.
Watching my dog after I ask him if he wants to go for a walk. He’s delighted and so am I.
When my daughter stops being a moody teenager for a second and her sassy, funny personality shines through. It delights me to know she’s still in there under all that adolescent angst.
Being greeted by my dog when I enter the house gives me delight. Anytime she hears the car in the driveway, she runs to her bed to grab a bone and brings it to us as we come thru the front door. Then like the Pied Piper, she leads us into the family room. If we don’t follow her, she comes back and tries leading us again
I have been listening to the audiobook for Lets Pretend This Never Happened this week. It’s been so awesome. It’s nice when you remember that others feel the same. Also, it’s a great tool for making my 14-year-old son uncomfortable. So, thank you SO MUCH for that!!! It’s been awesome watching him squirm. I like to call it good parenting, not just entertainment. I should be starting Furiously Happy by the weekend.
Much like you, I struggle with gratitude vs. guilt in my dark days. Joy and/or delight are very rare as of late.
So forgive me if it sounds trite…the only joy/delight I can identify at the moment is smiling/laughing little ones. I worked with littles for many, many years and have never not been delighted by a child’s smile or laugh…even at a distance, even if it’s on YouTube.
Children are literally Hope.
My dog stopped playing with her toys abruptly about 4 years ago and recently she has started to play again. Every time she tries to murder a teddy bear, I smile.
I’m grateful I finally figured out I’m autistic. It’s making it easier for me to deal with people I know, people I don’t know–basically humanity in general. And I’m grateful that there are other weirdos in the world who “get it.”
Birds on our bird feeder delight me!
Bath & Body Works foaming hand soap. I decided a long time ago that they were a small price to pay for as happy as they make me when I wash my hands.
I rock on the back porch by myself and just try to let the chirping birds fill my brain instead of the depression
I recently put peanuts in an empty wall-mounted flower pot outside my window so I can watch the squirrels enjoy a snack. Apparently blue jays also like peanuts. Now I find delight in watching the turf war I created over the peanut pot.
This guy gives me delight!
https://instagram.com/1bike1world?igshid=eqf6vp0kr4at
I get delight from my little sisterhood of three friends-over 40 who share my twisted and cynical sense of humor and way of seeing things. We have worked together and known each other for years. We live in four different parts of the country and rarely see other now, but we share funny memes, pics, or stories constantly, then comment back and forth trying to outdo the others in outrageousness and clever comments (or maybe that’s just me)! Anyway, it never fails to cheer me up and it reminds me that I’m not alone…or the only weirdo out there.That I’ve got at least three other special weirdos who are thinking of me.
Unforecasted sunshine in February. Salty popcorn and sweet hot chocolate.
My mom surprised me, my fiance, and the kids with a puppy just before Christmas. We were NOT ready for a puppy… just bought our house a few months ago, planning renovations, need to build a fence, etc. However, this little fuzzy baby Goldendoodle is exactly what I need, all day, every day. Yes I’m picking up shit piles from my wood floors, mopping up increasingly large pee puddles, trying to keep her from destroying my furniture— but she is endlessly delightful, sweet and smart. She gets me out of the house for walks, we listen to the birds, she snuggles me when my teenagers aren’t interested (all the time, really). I battle depression and anxiety and I thought Maizy would be another burden, but just breathing in her puppy smell and stroking her fleecy fur (that doesn’t shed!) is such good therapy.
“And I’m pretty sure that’s how tornadoes happen”
When I was in kindergarten we had learned about how tornadoes happen and the warm/cold air thing. Then it was lunch time so we queued up to wash our hands and I turned on cold and hot water to make warm…kid behind me starts freaking out that I am going to create a tornado until I give him my best stink eye, call him an idiot, and say it is cold/warm air, not water.
I like to think that was the launch point of my sarcastic attitude and limited tolerance for stupidity and therefore that is a very delightful memory for me.
On clear nights, when I’m home from work and walking from my car to my apartment, I can look straight up through the buildings around me and see the sky. The air is cool and quiet, and one or two stars peek through the downtown lights. It’s only a moment, and a short one at that, but it’s always utterly delightful. I try to be present and enjoy the small things when I can, because when I’m depressed it’s hard to feel anything.
Love the focus on delight! For me, kissing the top of my cat’s head and hearing him go “mrrp!” or the his purrs when I pet his soft belly.
Reading a book outdoors while it’s raining, secluded, underneath the wave. That brings me delight even when I’m low.
I paint dorky little wooden figures my mom carvess. She’s not an expert carver and I’m not an expert painter, but it is genuinely fun!
I am working on a project to deal with my hoarding/clutter, and I organized my cabinet that contains all of my plastic containers for food. It is an absolute, unmitigated delight to be able to open that cabinet and FIND WHAT I NEED!!! Geez, it’s so dumb, but so gratifying.
I feel delight every morning when my love wakes me up with morning kisses. Then he preps the Bialetti and leaves it on the stove for me to turn on whenever I want my coffee.
There’s always something to be grateful for, blessings surround us every day, but depression and anxiety obscure them.
As I tell my son, who is struggling with his own depression (he sarcastically thanked me it)
Always look for rainbows in the rain. Hard to take my own advice, but even on the darkest of days, you need to find joy, delight in something! 💐
Sending love and hugs,🤗
I went to the fabric store. Just so much possibility all around. And I picked patterns to make matching sundresses for me and my daughter for an upcoming trip. Lots of fun fabric options but I’m hoping she picks the sharks. Can’t think of anything better than a frilly ruffly sundress covered in sharks
The smell of granddaughter’s hair, her silky-perfect skin. She is one, and simply flawless.
You delight me. Every time you put words to internet. Regardless of mood or subject matter, I am delighted.
Other things that delight me…socks with snarky messages, LEGO sets, over-sized sweaters, really juicy limes, pretty cocktails, fan art, hummingbirds, calling my cat “Ninners” even though that is not anywhere close to her actual name, Chris Hemsworth’s abs, crazy hi-jinks on my favorite daytime soap opera, pretty eye-shadow palettes, sappy rom-coms, the Graham Norton show, cooking a new recipe that turns out well, embroidery patterns…etc., etc.
The thing that delights me most in life is hearing the front door open and my boys say “Hi Mom!” When they come home from school. It wasnt always this way. I worked in corporate America and they went to after school care and it was a juggling act between my husband and I as to who was picking them up and when. Now I work from home and can be there for everything.
There is a local shop that sells Extreme Ginger honey. It delights me to slather it on a piece of sourdough toast. That was my lunch today, along with raspberries and banana slices.
I find delight in the car— on a two-lane highway with my kiddo in the back seat listening to an audiobook or some good music on the radio and headed somewhere fun or nowhere at all.
I have a little miniature schnauzer, and when things get particularly rough she lets me bury my face in her side. I concentrate on how soft her fur is, listening to her heart beat and breathing in her scent that smells like her puppy shampoo. I feel so lucky to have a precious fur baby.
Watching the sparrows and chickadees that come visit my bird feeder outside my dining room window.
Watching the sparrows and chickadees that come visit my bird feeder outside my dining room window.
The way my daughter’s hair smells when I sneak into her room to kiss her goodnight while she’s sleeping. The way hugs from my kids never fail, even in the worst of it, to make my heart explode.
Also – good books and soft, heavy blankets.
Random human things delight me. The other day I passed a person riding a bicycle, dressed in black from head to toe, hood up, hands in pockets, smoking a cigarette. That person clearly had zero fucks to give. It was delightful.
Pretty much describes me. My dad died recently and I’ve been in a funk ever since. All I want to do is stay home and cuddle with my cat. Lucy and her antics make me smile on my worst days.
I sent some friends of mine surprise gifts today. I didn’t tell them they were coming and am looking forward to their confusion over who would send them a package, and who knows them well enough to know exactly what they’d like to bring a little light to their darkness. This thrills me beyond belief, to be able to give a little tangible reminder of love and cherished friendships.
I like to put extra coins in the air machine so the next person that uses it finds that it costs them less than they expected.
You make me happy, Jenny! I’m grateful for your blog and for my friend, Karla, for introducing you to me. I’m grateful for a hot cup of tea in the morning and/or evening. I’m most grateful for frequent, daily purrapy session with my roommate’s cat! 😀 💖 😸
I delight in swear-y cross stitching, I delight in walking my dogs, I delight in watching trashy movies with my kids and I delight in knowing how loved I am by my husband. Despite all these things I still often feel like a failure and useless and a burden because depression lies. It lies to me all the time and my brain sometimes makes me think the world would be better without me in it, but the things that delight me make me stay here.
I also have an electric fireplace that I love (however, I can turn the heat portion off and still enjoy fake flames) so me and the dog pretty much enjoy it year-round (without causing tornadoes). My delight is how happy the dog is every evening when I get home. It’s hard to be grumpety and tired when she acts like it’s the highlight of her day (and I’m pretty sure mealtime is the real highlight). In fact, now that I think about it, she’s probably showing all that love upon my arrival because I showed up to serve her dinner. Bitch.
Watching video’s of laughing babies on youtube can always make me smile when I feel overwhelmed with life.
I moved to a new place five weeks ago, and I have min red rose bushes and irises growing!
I’m grateful that the meds finally seem to be working and facing every day is no longer an endless slog.
Thank you for articulating my problem with gratitude journals – I’ve been having the same “guilt for feeling badly when given so much” every time I’ve tried.
I delight in getting that perfect bite of food – the one that captures all the flavors and textures in the right proportions to give that perfectly satisfying taste.
Getting into bed with fresh sheets and a book.
I’m currently in a small depression trying to not let it turn into a major depression. Right now the show on the Acorn tv app Queens of Mystery is helping so much also the show Agatha Rasin too
Thank you. I need this now. Nothing delights me. Depression lies but it’s hard not to listem. All I want is to stay in bed and sleep.
You’re not hiding, you’re putting the world in time-out.
I’m delighted when I’m snuggled under the afghan with my beagle.
My rescue-scaredy-cat, Daisy Mae, falling asleep on my lap. Has taken years to gain her trust. She is on my lap as I write this…sounds like nothing but for this cat, it’s huge!! (I posted a pic on your FB post) 😽
I have a friend who recently posted that her anxiety makes her feel unloved and unimportant. This woman is such a delight to me. . . the number of times she’s made me laugh to the point of snorting is uncountable. She’s weird and goofy and has her own vocabulary, and I love every bit of it. My life would be a sadder, blander place without her.
Jenny, you have also made me laugh just as hard on multiple occasions. So, I can say that I’m grateful for you! Your splendid wonky sense of humor is such a lift on difficult days. Don’t ever change. 🙂
As far as delights go, the smell of lilacs in my yard, the smell of ozone during a summer thunderstorm, frogs croaking in the distance on a spring night, the smell of sawdust, and the sound of a cats purr (or that adorable squeaking noise they make when waking up and hugging their face with their paws. . . . I mean come on! )
BTW, I saw this on the interwebs recently and thought this might be a strong draw for your new bookstore! https://www.littlethings.com/nova-scotia-adoptable-cats/
When Cat the Younger decides he’s done enough mischief for one morning and glues himself to my thigh while I work.
I find delight in working on a quilt. I love taking fabrics, cutting them up, and sewing them back together in a pattern that creates something beautiful. I think it resonates with me because I feel like life breaks me into pieces on the regular, and I need my friends and family to help put me back together. It saves my sanity.
Making stupid snapchat videos to send to my friends and family. I literally cry laugh in the car while making them. It’s ridiculous, but delights me EVERY SINGLE TIME!
The little wrinkles on my dogs neck, dancing in my bed to my favorite music, binging my favorite shows, catching up on a good book, good potato chips, perfect guacamole, soft doggy ears, cuddly blankets, chocolate mousse, good coffee ice cream, London fogs from Starbucks, taking the perfect pet picture, puzzles, and so many more things
Friends and I are going to a 90s video dance party and I’ve just had the most brilliant idea to make them friendship bracelets. Just waiting for the work day to be over.
Also it is INCREDIBLY sunny in Kitchener, Ontario and it is making me dance around from place to place today.
Does the stove have an adjustment where you can just turn on the flames? Because I have a similar one and I can leave the heat off and just have the flames.
I have a rescue cat with a neuro disorder. He can walk but he wobbles and he csnt jump but he can PULL. his forelimbs are like the hulks. I work from home and every day when I set down to the computer he comes and lays by me. Moral support. At night he likes to wander the house and sit in the dark and scream for no reason (hes siamese) and I’m fairly sure he gaurds the house from.demons. But whenever I first get in bed he comes and lays on my pillow. And he will tap me with his paw until I take it in my hand. And we fall asleep forehead to forehead, holding hands. This delights me.
Ps. When my boyfriend stays over all else goes out the window. And he holds my boyfriend’s hand instead. And sleeps on his belly instead of fight demons. But that’s good too.
Watching animals eats makes me really happy. Like they’re feeling good, or if they’re pets, they’re being taken care of well. I also keep a pep talk journal when I write encouraging thoughts to myself, and when Im feeling super dark, I can just read old pep talks. You are all wonderful people!
We are adopting a sweet, sweet female Great Pyrenees as soon as she weans her nine puppies – that is totally not logical (we already have one and three cats and two kids) but it feels very right so we’re going with it.
What delights me, always, are cats and kittens. Mine, someone else’s, doesn’t matter.
The soft tips of my dogs ears, the little wrinkles on her neck and the sound of her snore. Binging my favorite shows, and catching up on a good book. The perfect potato chip, perfect caprese salad, and chocolate mousse. London fogs from Starbucks…if you don’t know what they are, they’re earl grey tea lattes, and they’re YUM. My favorite music, my favorite movies, and “friends.”
Doing jigsaw puzzles, specifically finding pieces that match and feeling them slot together, It’s a tiny burst of delight, but it’s reliable and comes many times during each puzzle.
Also I’m really looking forward to spring, because blooms and new growth bring me a lot of delight.
Fresh flowers! I buy bouquets regularly throughout the year and last summer I treated myself to a flower-share from a local farm and got big beautiful bouquets every week.
When I pour dish soap to wash dishes then give the bottle I teeny little squeeze when it’s right side up and hundreds of baby bubbles shoot out. Absolute delight every time.
WORD. You are speaking to my soul’s experience in your description of depression. I’ve been in a recent episode for the last few months after a brief reprieve, so it’s so comforting to know—really know—I’m not alone. Now to the delight, because that does happen, even in the midst of all the garbage I’m feeling. My cats bring me delight daily—from the look of pure adoration in one cat’s eyes when he looks at me (once he’s been fed), to the completely cat-circus-worthy antics and smothering affection of the other cat, these two amazing creatures who love me no matter what, regardless of what lies depression tells me, keep me going every day.
So I run a fan group and all of my friends know this. Last night I get a message from one of them that her local library is having a fan night where they’re meeting to talk about Furiously Happy while eating and drinking at a bar near my friend’s house, all set up from her library!! So now I’m invited, on a kiddo’s school night, to eat and drink and meet new Jenny fans! I have all the happies!
Some of the fan friends I’ve met have literally saved me, multiple times. And rumor around the group/internets is we do something similar for them. It’s all these degrees of just being a Jenny fan, it connects us in these amazing ways. So… I could talk about something light and breezy… but ultimately I just wanted you to know that you are the center of something very special. And I hope that might help just a little. Sending you all the love. One girl who got inspired by a blog post one time. 😉
I realized after a trip this summer that Old Piles Of Rocks in the UK delight me. I got such a thrill from walking around ruined castles and abbeys …
That said, an unexpected shock of color in the evening sky, or a particularly whirly gust of wind will also delight me.
I had chicken tikka masala for lunch. When I’m really anxious, cooking is too hard. So a nice meal is a sign of triumph
Silly laughing with family around a board game, the sound of wind in the trees or water running over rocks, an afternoon at home with nothing to do except get lost in a tv series.
And I am 100% with you on gratitude journals not working, thank you for saying that, I’m sure many others have had the same struggle with them.
Bring sunshine today in cold Minnesota. It’s the little things.
I am delighted by sitting next to my son and both of us reading a book quietly, or with my daughter at the table painting with watercolors. It’s so… happy.
I also have a wonderful blessing in being able to (often) regulate my schedule, and control my life.
HIGHLY recommend reading or listening to books on how to manage guilt (such as Brené Brown’s books, Daring Greatly, etc). A mindshift has been a huge impact for me!
For me, it’s less the things that bring me joy as learning to live in the moment. When I have an overwhelming thought of futility, I think “Why this?”. And then try to translate that into new ideas. I have to work hard at realizing “this is a good moment” and FOCUSING on that. It’s so much easier to slip into “BUT” and minimizing it. Whenever I catch myself in a BUT moment, I try to stop and focus on the GOOD.
It’s SOOO much easier if you let others you’re close to know you’d like to focus on the good. Others are good at stopping you at the “BUT” and directing you back to reveling in the GOOD
.
Thank you for all that you do. Right now I delight in cool ranch Doritos mixed with M&Ms and the Babysitters Club Club podcast. I also listen to Let’s Pretend This Never Happened and Furiously Happy when I need a pick up. Thank you for being a light for so many.
That feeling when I can’t place an actor in a TV show or movie, and then I suddenly remember what I recognize them from.
The way my cat lays his head on the floor, then flops his whole body over whenever you reach down to pet him. (Wish I could post video.)
Delights: being outside in fresh air, a good book, snuggly soft blankets, sunshine, flowers, cuddles w my puppers, walking when I’m up for it, noise reduction headphones, being in water, memories of my grandparents, travel/seeing new things.
The sigh of exasperation my partner’s son gives us when we use “gen Z” slang – his frustration brings me much amusement and joy.
Kissing the top of my new grandson’s head. Total delight.
When my 8 yo son still climbs in the bed every morning before school for snuggles! Also, when everyone else is in bed asleep and I get a quiet 30 min to read without interruption!
Watching the squirrels who live in the dead, hollow tree right next door chase each other up and down, spiraling around the trunk, leaping with abandon from tree to tree, limb to limb, chattering all the time at my two idiot dogs who are ZERO threat to said squirrels. Their antics just amuse me and make me laugh.
Sunday Trash Day delights me. I load up the trash and the three old dogs into my 2004 F250 Super Duty Long Bed Has It’s Own Zip Code old ranch truck with Leo Bananas (wire haired dachshund mutt) on my lap looking out the window with fierce concentration, Cami the Husky rides shotgun – with all the noise she makes about going for a ride I can’t tell if she’s terrified or just zen once she’s in the seat, and Ellie my 10 ft tall red dachshund who has the whole back seat to herself. She knows how to roll the windows up and down which is real funny until your window lock quits working. She stands on the armrest, the window rolled down juuuuust enough to have her ears flapping in the wind. We go to the office building and drop the trash, go to Walgreens if necessary and then do a big figure eight route on the back roads back to the ranch with the iPod plugged in, the music up and the dogs on the lookout for something interesting to see. A lot of times there’s nothing new but we are content to be in the moment, enjoying being together and doing something we all love.
A great poop. Road kill. And rubbing the ears of a dog.
Things that delight me : Schitt’s Creek, My 8 year old daughter and her great sense of humour, Finishing a pretty card.
I get delight when I get head butts from my cat – it’s become a ritual after my shower and it brightens the start of my day.
Sooo many things delight me. I think I really am very lucky as far as that goes. But before Christmas I bought myself a hummingbird feeder that hangs on my window. So while I work every day I get to see tiny adorable hummingbirds come and chow down all day. It never fails to delight me.
I have one of those fireplaces, too. Too expensive to run it as a heater, but just the light of that fake fire is strangely comforting. It’s on right now.
What (also) delights me is that every day when I get home from work my cat runs to the door to meet me and throws herself on her back so i can rub her tummy. She also snuggles with me at night. She’s amazing.
Laying my head on The Viking’s stomach when we’re in bed reading. He gives me arm tickles.
What a great thought. Sometimes it’s hard to find things to be thankful for when you’re a caregiver for your husband, a supporter of an adult son with major depressive issue and being disabled myself on top of that. A lot of days, I could run screaming out of here. I had a boss who told me, if I tell you to grab your purse, do it and we’ll escape this nuthouse. So my delight is watching our 10 month old corgi puppy be a crazy baby and eating ice cream.
Jenny, you are beating the horse I rode in on. I have spent half a lifetime trying to hold separate my quality of life from my pain, and to find quality of life even when my depression is bad. When they are both bad, I put my head down and try to keep my feet moving, and I hope something arrives that brings me delight. The best medicine I have ever ever found, for me at least, is to roll in puppies. Live, happy puppies. Dead puppies aren’t that delightful…
Ian
For me, it is candles, tea and either a good book or a good movie. Simple pleasures for a simple person 🙂
There is a woman in my office whose name is Consuela and she it taped to her cube window since she doesn’t have a name plaque. If I’m ever feeling down I can walk by it and am reminded of Friends when Phoebe wants to change her name to Princess Consuela Banana Hammock. Delights me every time.
I’m coming out of a deep depression and today I left my house and went to Sephora. Then… I approached a bunch of salespeople and asked for samples. It delights me to walk out the door with a gazillion samples. p.s. I do actually spend $ there when I can afford it😉
I should be on disability because I have a regular job, and sometimes between anxiety and depression and RA, it’s really hard. But what gets me up most mornings is knowing all the dogs I’ll meet during my day. And seeing my regulars as they bound up to me and share their love, that delights me.
I like to watch contagious laughter compilation videos on YouTube. I will also watch blooper reels of my favorite shows whenever my depression is being an asshole. Watching people laugh makes me feel delight.
My three favourite things are eating my family and not using commas.
Gratitude journals also make me feel guilty, but delight I can definitely do: When the plants outside start to add their new, bright green, spring growth; hearing my kids laugh a belly-deep laugh; the way my husband smells when I hug him; the birds that visit my birdbath and feeder.
My daughter sent me a video this morning of my 5 year old dancing and his pure joy is absolutely contagious.
I love the idea of ‘delight’ better, it removes the pressure of feeling one way or another about something, and allows you simply and naturally just FEEL how you do about it. It makes me want to do some art journaling which is my creative out-lit, which also delights me getting my fingers messy and wearing the evidence of my creations and the pride I feel when I am happy with something. What also delights me is when one of my cats, Luther, comes to bed with me, anywhere in the house even if he’s alright asleep he hears me crawl into bed and soon he’s jumping up to come to bed with me to get chin scratches and curl up onto my pillow with me to snuggle every night for a little bit. It soothes my soul every night. All my cats have little behaviors that delight me.
I find delight in planning a trip to Disney World. Calling up to make reservation and most of all, dining reservations! Picking all the places I want to go 180 days before arrival. New places, old favorites, I love planning for food that makes me and my husband happy. I’ll tell you a trick: call somewhere on Disney property and then say you made a mistake, mis-dialed. And they will tell you to have a magical day. Great pick-me-up!
I delight in a perfect cup of tea, a good book with a line that takes my breath away and seeing a cardinal in my backyard on a winter day.
When My daughter and I see a spider and yell for my husband to come “catch and release” it outside (because even though we want it to live we can’t get too close ourselves in case one of the spiders eyes sees us and REMEMBERS that WE disturbed its plans = revenge) and hubby doesn’t come. So we yell again, this time more frantically because SpiderJan is now moving quickly, probably to her revenge hideaway where she will contact her tribe and tell them to drop down on us at night while we sleep) and all we hear is hubby yelling angrily from the bathroom on the other side of the house, “I’M SORRY! I’M POOPING!”
That right there had us both laughing in delight. Assumably SpiderJan, too.
I look at french bulldogs wearing bow ties or spiffy outfits on Instagram. They delight me in a completely ridiculous way. Start with #bluefrenchieapollo . He is the dapperest of them all!
Watching the fog roll down the mountains out beyond my house and settle into the hollows below brings me delight.
I buy adult fiction for my library district. About every two weeks, I get a box of Advance Reading Copies from publishers. Coming to work and seeing the cardboard boxon my desk makes my heart skip a beat.
Something that delights me….
-my goooofy husband will somehow, someway just pull an act of silliness to thrill me (last time i was feeling pretty down and he showed up in my home office with a tri-color led flashing bindi on his face)
-the way my cat bounds onto my bed and onto my body trusting he is welcomed and puts his big ole’ snout right up to mine and lands for a mighty hug
– a random thanks from someone i’ve helped
– getting to help someone i didn’t anticipate
– wintergreen lifesavers
when my granddaughter says “Gigi I love you”
I delight in my dog’s waking-up, happy-dance, roll-around ritual. And watching the caterpillar/chrysalis/butterfly process in my milkweed garden.
My dog delights me every day. When she comes to me and puts her paws up to let me know she wants to be held. When I run my hands along her soft brown fur (my previous dog didn’t like to be petted so I take full advantage of Ella’s love for it). When she brings me a toy to play with and makes her happy little play growl. When she gets bouncy and excited because it’s warm enough to go for a walk and she tries to heard me out the door because she wants to go now! She can be a serious pain sometimes, but I love her more than anything and she can always make me happy.
OMG – thank you for this post! I’ve been struggling a lot, and trying so hard to write, but feeling everything you share here. And this coincidence made me smile: I had just turned on my electric fireplace. It had been my mom’s, and I “inherited” it after she passed away last September. It gives me delight because I love it, but also because she and I have both sat in its warmth.
I delight in the fact that my 8 year old wants me to lay next to him and read at night. I delight in him loving The Phantom Tollbooth as much as I did. I delight when my 12 year old forgets he’s 12 and holds my hand. I delight in the deer running though the woods, and especially today when my older one thought he saw a corgi, but we don’t have wild corgis in the woods, we have deer!
I recently read the book “Joyful” by Ingrid Fetell Lee about finding (and creating) joy in the everyday. Joy being the same as your delight. I have a little prism that makes rainbows in my window that brings me joy and delight. Also art, especially this print by The Art of Seth: https://www.etsy.com/listing/150728830/at-long-last
I find delight in my bed. I have a memory foam topper and I love the way my sheets feel. I smile every time I get in it.
Putting my ice-cold feet on my hot water bottle at night, at the foot of my bed, and feeling the warmth permeate through my feet.
I find delight in knowing I am not alone in my mental illness. Not that I want anyone else to live in the depths of hell my brain puts me in; more just seeing our community shine on as a beacon of light for each other. We fly our weirdo flags high so the other weirdos can find us, find “me too” and find a glimmer of light in the darkness. Of course we are all a little broken- how else would our light shine out or how else would your light shine in? I also get a lot of delight in knowing that our community of mentally ill folks and other weirdos and misfits, knows what it is like to feel unloved, unwanted, unimportant, so
we also feel deeper than ordinary people. We are the empaths, the nurturers, the dreamers, the ones who notice what you didn’t say, and know you are hurting. We are all phoenixes who rise out of the ashes time and again, and that is pretty badass.
I keep coming back to these
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loDMRzPiCic
Any baby’s laughter – it’s the sweetest sound ever! Also, certain mistakes because they remind me that no one is perfect so it’s ok if I make mistakes too. Example: Billy Joel’s song ‘You’re Only Human’ is about accepting your mistakes. He made a mistake during the recording session & his then-wife, Christie Brinkley, encouraged him to keep it in – to accept the minor mistake as evidence that nobody’s perfect. He did. You can still hear in the recording & see it in the video. So when I listen to it, I remember why it’s there & remind myself to just try my best & accept my mistakes. 🙂
Blood oranges. They start showing up in the grocery store this time of year, and I am always so happy to see them. My local Price Chopper actually sells them in bags now, which makes me ridiculously happy.
Painting delights me. I can always tell when it has been too long since I have painted as I start to get very grumpy all the time. Once I have my paintbrush in hand, the grumpies melt away (for the most part) and I can escape into my canvases.
I feel that in my bones, the isolation. I’ve been doing it for too long, and it’s really dawned on me the past week or so how bad it’s gotten. I appreciate you so much, Jenny. I feel so much less alone just knowing that I’m in good company.
I’m not really in a place where delight comes easily, but I will try to find something today. Thank you for the prompt.<3
I find delight in having lap kitties..especially when they get in my lap a purr! I think your drawings are a great journal. I love seeing them when you post them.
My wife’s coffee. We work opposite shifts, and she sets up the coffee maker before she leaves, as I usually get up before she gets home from work. The smell and taste of that coffee is what takes the usually sleepy grumpy face and turns it into a smile, I think about her first thing when I wake up and she makes the best coffee in the world.
I play pinball. It’s not something I’m very good at, but it’s one of the few things that I can take delight in even when I suck. It is strangely soothing to me.
I have to write sometimes with my right hand only because my puppy is asleep on my shoulder
I like to have one of those la’croix sodas and drink the initial part very fast and then burp very loud, slamming the can on the counter like a rough cartoon cowpoke
I have borderline personality disorder and I’ve lost myself again. I have forgotten what delights me. This list has helped tremendously. Thank you ♥️
When my cat snuggles on my chest, curled up, and I can feel his warm breath on my arm.
My niece who greets me like I am the best person she’s seen all week even though it’s months between visits.
King Crab legs – they are a rare treat but one of my favorite indulgences.
Cooking for my husband – he’s self conscious most of the time about expressing emotion, he has difficulty gauging how much is appropriate – every meal is met with praise and happy noises as though I’d hired a Michelin-starred chef.
Thank you Jenny, the act of writing that felt good.
Losing my footing at work and and home. Don’t feel valued at either. Seeing that slippery slide coming. I’m having difficulty finding even delight. right now. I’m glad to read in this thread how truly not-alone I am. So I’ll try: Rainbows. Sunny afternoon after a gloomy morning. my elderly dog “running” in his sleep.
Leaf tornadoes in the fall. Listening to my children’s breath while they sleep. The rare occasion my husband grabs my butt for no reason. Watching my nine year old on the drums. The face of a child who just realized something great- like the day my daughter discovered that ice cream trucks were a thing. I happened to capture her face on film as I told her that’s what the music was….she was four and standing in a kiddie pool with sheer delight on her face and that picture makes me feel the same joy every time I see it. I delight in finding words through others when I can’t compose my own from the hole I’m in. Thank you. 🙂
Naps!
For me, the thing that seems to put me in the most content mood is sitting on the balcony of near a beach, at sunrise, sipping a cup of coffee. The combination of the sea breeze, the waves crashing, the dim red light, and the smell/taste of the coffee is just perfect.
Somebody needs to bottle that.
I find delight in the laughter of my children, the hugs from my grandchildren, it reminds me that I love, and am loved. And we love you, too.
I needed this today. I am feeling marginalized at work and it is incredibly demoralizing. I’ve been in the grey foggy place for days. I’ll try to find some sparkles today.
I went to yoga class this morning and that gave me delight. As cold as it got in SA I didn’t want to leave the house, but by darnit I had new yoga socks and I was excited! Sending you hugs
I never knew others felt that way about gratitude and guilt. Thank you for letting me, and I imagine others as well, know that our depression is not just lying to just 1 person (me. Or you, or whomsoever else feels that!) My delight comes from seeing my grown daughters in person, and their families since they live so far away (London and Portland, OR)
I am delighted by innocent curiosity. When I see a person asking questions and pondering the answers, it warms the cockles of my heart and gives me joy.
Thank you so much. Your delight suggestion is spot on. Sometimes gratitude cycles into guilt…Grrr depression. Delight in my freshman in college texting us news because he wants to not because he has to…and my drawing club being creative and awesome and all the amazing people like you who believe in me when I don’t believe in myself. Hugs
My kindergarten students giving me a big hug or the way my dog waits for my at the door when I come home bring me delight! It is so hard to remember the joy these things bring when you are in the darkness of depression.
I am delighted when all four of my children are cozied up in our family room, telling stories, laughing and making fun of each other.
Dancing! Dancing with a live band playing, dancing with my earbuds jammed in while cleaning the kitchen, dancing at an exercise class in a tiny village of strangers who welcomed and embraced me for a short period of time. Moving to music delights me. I did that today
I will think of you the next time I trip over my feet and shake my groove thang!
I am going to copy your post and sign my name to it and sent it to my family. You summed up my life in a nutshell! (Look at me, I’m in a nutshell!)
My brain will not stop spinning today and I can’t accomplish anything. So I ate the fattening, delicious banana pudding, have crawled into my grandson’s bed and am watching him play a pretty horrifying Roblox game. This is MY delightful right now. Thanks for including me.
Clearing things out of my house and organizing the remains. My pink home office – such a light, floaty, airy pink that shifts to a soft warm beige at dusk that just warms up my heart. And strong green accents! Color generally gives me delight. Oh, and ridiculous glasses and scarves. My middle-aged-art-teacher-vibe game is only getting stronger and I love to see people smiling at me when I sail by in all the colors of the rainbow.
I use my electric fireplace with the heat off and just the flames. I have an Echo on top playing crackling fireplace sounds, and burn pinon wood incense. The perfect fire!
Each and every time I feed my dog, a huge, white Great Pyrenees, she comes over when she’s finished and lays her big old head on my lap and gazes soulfully into my eyes with her brown eyed gaze. A big, fuzzy thank you. Gives me all the feels every time.
Hummingbird nest webcams. Thanks for this, Jenny.
I took my 10 year old daughter out of school this year and have been schooling her at home, something I NEVER intended to do. She’d been assaulted at school, and she was depressed, self harming, and flirting with an eating disorder. Six months in shes SOARING. Shes become confident, learning an instrument, gone up a grade level, shes happy and strong. Its been amazing. That I’ve been able to do this for her, is the absolute joy of my life, even through my severe pain and depression, every day I realize I saved her, and that fills me with peace and strength to do it again tomorrow.
Forehead kisses from my husband, Ice cream and the perfect bowl of cheap ramen. I’m talking the 10 cents pack stuff. And when it has been so long I can’t remember the last time I laughed I pick up your books and laugh until tears stream down my face and I can’t breathe.
Your words about gratitude and guilt hit so close to home, that I thought I had written the paragraph. My life has been so dark the last three years it is hard to see any good. However, this past week I made an online connection with someone and it seemed “heaven scent” since it was like we knew each other for years. For the first time in many years I have laughed, dreamed and felt happiness. Of course my good fortune could not last, since I think I inadvertently upset and hurt this person earlier today. I have apologized so hopefully this small glimmer of light will not leave, because I am so damn tired of the darkness that surrounds me.
Patting all the puppies I come across on my daily walk.
I appreciate the first pour of coffee out of the pot!
Curled-up cats on my lap. Hummingbirds! Cute baby animal pictures or videos.
I try to just write in the morning, like Morning Pages. It sometimes helps. I’m not that regimented about it. I too feel guilty whether I write or not, whether I “live in gratitude” or not, and it is exhausting. I am so glad you shared this with us.
Really struggling to find delight right now in anything
It makes me feel better that it’s not only me who feels that way on days that depression or anxiety get the best of me and my brain becomes unpredictable. I do have to show up to a job or tell them where I am or let them know I’m teleworking (can only do that so much). It’s exhausting sometimes, but there are things about my job that are delightful. But the delight at being home with my dogs, comforts, books, and crafts is much more. One of my biggest delights is probably when my dogs are happy. It makes me so happy. I love them so much!
I love the little surprised mrrrp? sound that my cat makes when I pet him when he’s not expecting it. Then he headbutts me and purrs. He’s so sweet!
Popsicles. Even when it’s freezing cold and I’m on the couch wrapped in a blanket, fireplace blazing, I get delight from popsicles. Especially grape but other flavors are a mood boost too
A few things:
1) I keep a gratitude journal, but it’s basically the same thing as a delight journal. My friend who lives far, far away and I trade emails once a week telling each other all the things that brought us joy from the week before. It holds us accountable so that we actually do it, and it helps us find joy in places we might have overlooked it without someone pointing it out to us. Plus, it keeps us up to date on each other’s lives.
2) Something simple that brings me joy are the little bubbles that float up when I’m washing the dishes.
3) Today is the 4th anniversary of my dad’s death. I’ve been struggling HARD the last week or so. But I planned ahead and made dinner plans with a bunch of my friends tonight to keep myself from sitting at home and wallowing in my grief. So even though I don’t feel even a little bit delighted right now, I know I’ll be surrounded by people who love me and make me laugh, and who my dad would have loved if he’d ever gotten to meet them. And I’m putting out lucky pennies all over the place today to delight anyone that happens across them. To boost my spirits even more, I’m also giving away free digital copies of my book about my family’s ridiculous journey through my dad’s dementia. For anyone who is interested, just shoot me an email at emilypageart@gmail.com any time this week.
4) Something else that brings me joy is your writing and the community of people who also delight in reading your lovely, weird musings. So there’s that. Hugs to all of you out there who are struggling right now.
I leave a set of Christmas lights up all winter long. From the first snow until about April. They help me get through the dark months. I have also bought a couple of salt lamps which happily glow in the evenings and make my house more cheery.
This: https://www.ted.com/talks/ingrid_fetell_lee_where_joy_hides_and_how_to_find_it?language=en (liked it so much I went to find her book)
This is why I love you..we understand each other!! and apparently many other people do. When I read what you write, I feel less alone (even if I am isolating but grateful and guilty for the life I lead). What delights me is that I have a kitten (5 months now) that wiggles her butt and looks giddy while fetching a fuzzy mouse repeatedly. She drops it near my feet and I throw it, drops it again, I throw it..never have I had a cat successfully play FETCH with a cat. Especially one who seems so happy to be playing the game.:) Love to you
Cosleeping, and when my tiny daughter wakes in the night and reaches for me and wraps her arms around my neck for a hug and then falls back asleep.
Your posts, audiobooks, and lots of pillows.
i tried keeping a gratitude list for a year. looking back on it made me feel pathetic. the list pointed out to me how very small my world is because of anxiety. it was the same few things over and over and over. few being the key word here. with my disability and my anxiety and depression, i dont leave the house much. my world IS small. and i’m mostly ok with that. but it felt like the gratitude list kinda threw it in my face and shamed me. perhaps i will try delight instead.
When I had a regular job with set hours, I would just go to work and cry there, instead. I quit last year, couldn’t get a new job, so I’ve been spending my focus on getting my business off the ground… with zero success. So I feel you, and even the things that bring me joy come with a heaping spoon of guilt for daring to enjoy them because I can’t pay for them.
Regardless… the thing I used to look forward to SO MUCH was Adventure Saturdays! It was my one day off a week, and my spouse and I would take a bus downtown and be tourists for a while. Have a meal, find a body of water. I wasn’t satisfied until I found one heron and one interesting bug. Bonus points if it was recently deceased and I could take it home. Oh, and if we didn’t walk for 3+ hours, I felt weirdly dissatisfied as well, ha.
Dressing up my pets in silly outfits, and posing them for photos always brings me great delight! while they might not appreciate the dressing up part, they do appreciate me being in better spirits after laughing hysterically with them. then, of course, I have to post said photos for the rest of the world to delight in 🙂
Hearing the wind in the trees
Browsing in the bookstore & finding a new book delights me! Wishing I lived closer to YOUR bookstore Jenny!
Fresh sheets, a good book and a cup of tea!
I am delighted that one day, a long time ago, I saw this giant rooster that said “knock, knock, motherfucker” and I read it. It led me to you and at that time, I didn’t realize there were so many others out there like us. This is my safe place and I delight each time I see another post from the Bloggess. I also delight in the fact that no longer must I deal with people on an everyday basis. Now that I am retired, I can stay home to paint, write, and do all my favorite things.
Tiny delights: The sight of a cardinal in flight or sitting in a tree. The feel of a spring breeze on my cheeks and ruffling my hair. The smell of my mom’s recipe for vegetable beef soup cooking away on the stove. The way the world looks super bright when I’ve turned my face up to the sun with my eyes closed, and then turn my head to look at things around me. My dog inviting me to play with him, or snuggling with me, or the way his tail wags when he hears my voice. The taste of really good dark chocolate. The memory of laughing with friends until my face hurts, even when I can’t bring myself to laugh like that in the present moment. Reading a really fantastic first sentence in a novel. Getting lost in a story–movie or book or play.
<3333 I hope that your brain starts to shift back to less rocky places very soon, Jenny. We love you!
Depression is definitely not rational. I get those guilty thoughts about being grateful as well. My “delight,” my next door neighbors dog gets up, or stops doing whatever he is doing as soon as he hears my car pull in or I come out of the house. I always go and pet him, let him kiss me, and tell him to be a good boy. If I’m leaving for the day, I tell him to be good and he sits at the fence and watches me pull away. Warms my heart each and every time. <3 <3 <3
God you’re a gift. And now thank you for the gift of delight. I’ll be looking for it all day (and more) thanks to you!
I’ve been having trouble keeping a normal writing/editing job, and recently was laid off (for somewhat shady reasons) so I’ve really been dealing with low self-esteem. But today, I looked at a FB post I made about what I’d do if I won prize money from a writing contest, and it got a lot of traction (for me at least). It helped me to see that I could do something right, even if it’s an old social media post.
Jenny: you’re awesome. Everyone that’s going through something right now is awesome, even if you have a hard time seeing it (I know I am). Love you all, and we’ll make it through.
Even on my darkest days I watch the sunset and every sunset is beautiful and different. It reminds me even on the crappiest days there is still beauty in the world
My big old 50’s/60’s era console stereo brings me joy every time I use it. No matter how many high-end speakers I have, nothing carries the impact of this piece of furniture.
I have a new car. It is leased but that is a bonus. Something goes wrong and I take it back and get another new car. It is the closest to magic that I can find. I delight in finding new things the car does because ALL new cars do a lot of stuff for you, the driver. Today I discovered if I am holding the fob and the car is locked, all I do is walk over and open put my hand on the door handle and PRESTO, the car is open. I am entranced. Yes, it is the small things.
I delight in store signage with partial letters burned out, and the often ironic new meaning… Like the “OE” was out in Shoe Carnival, making it “SH CARNIVAL” or the quietest carnival ever. Delightful.
Wow! You climbed into MY brain! Im glad I am not the only one that has those what I call “pingpong” thoughts.
My two latest delights are really. REALLY GOOD popcorn and good cheese on sale 😁
A very light breeze moving over my skin (and through my leg hairs most of the time) delights and calms me every time it happens. Thanks for your honesty and commitment to writing.
My cats. Like when they tilt their little heads to the side…that brings me joy. Shopping also brings me joy. Your humor brings me joy! Like 80% off an Alice and Olivia faux fur coat joy!
How my Pointer mixed breed rescue dog greets the day delights me every morning. When I wake him up he gallumps up the stairs to the patio door with his crazy long legs then he executes puppy leaps and bows (he is 2.5 yrs old). After I open the door he shoots out to perform amazing leaps around the yard–simply rejoicing in getting to greet a new day. Makes me smile every time.
We were at the supermarket earlier, and there was a couple showing off their baby to someone they knew. I got to sneak in to admire a tiny human, and that delights me.
I delight at watching my children excel at stuff. And I delight when they accomplish something that they had to work hard for. I also delight in their precious faces. But they’re 12 and 14 so sometimes I don’t delight addy the smell of their armpits and socks.
I also take delight in a sploosh of whipped cream straight from the can.
A perfect reflection in a puddle. It always seems like magic or maybe like you could step through into another universe.
I’m kind of the opposite – I barely do ‘delight’ when I’m not feeling depressed, I’m much better at grateful. 😀 Once or twice a year when the kids’ dad takes them overnight, I am delighted at alone time. 🙂
While I am too awkward to gracefully accept compliments without making things weird, I do in fact feel delighted whenever someone tells me I always make them laugh or that a blog post was “hilarious” or something.
And you delight me every time you write something that I deep down in my gut connect with. <3
My dog sneezes when she is annoyed. Or I think that’s what causes it. When she doesn’t get what she wants right away, huuuge sneeze. Delightful every time.
Last week on my way home after work, I saw the moon and Venus high overhead. I stopped and just stared for a minute or two. The day before had been cloudy and rainy, so it was doubly delightful that the sky had cleared enough that I could see such beauty.
I find delight in the feral kittens I feed that live in my carport. They’re too scared to let me pet them but somehow them nuzzling my hands and feet is acceptable. I’m tickled by their fickleness and the way they pounce and play in front of me. Recently I took 2 in, and I love the way they sleep in the small of my back at night.
My patients delight me when they come in, happy to see me even though they often get a poke in the bum. It delights me that my ketamine infusions continue to work, keeping depression at bay.
Yaaaassss! SO much this. I get a case of the guilts when I stop to think of all the things I should be happy about. If I wasn’t depressed, it would be easy to see these things for what they are! I have a ton to be grateful for, but depression doesn’t only hit those without awesome things. It hits everyone despite their situation. Gratitude does produce so many guilty thoughts, like if I have this much awesomeness in my life than I have no reason to be depressed and reminds me of how broken I am even more. I have depression in spite of my gratitude. I like your fix. I delight in The pure unadulterated happiness of my 6 y/o sun, who is not shaken when someone tries to break his spirit. He knows he is loved, and does not take after me and take everything so personally. I hope it stays with him. I love to watch it.
I am endlessly delighted by the sound my dog’s ears make when they shake their heads. That slapping sound always makes me laugh.
My dogs, in general, are pretty delightful. I have a 10 lb chiweenie that wanted nothing to do with me for about two years after I rescued her. She is now my little furry parade. Everywhere I go, she follows. If I lay on the sofa, she will gingerly climb up on top of me, and curl up on my chest, with her head tucked under my chin. What could be better than that?
Feeding the crows at work. I may have to start a ‘go-fund-me’ for peanuts, but this delights me.
I work from home and have 3 jobs… I find that taking a daily mental health break is my dose of delight. I grab a snack (today it was queso dip and chips) and turn on Gilmore Girls reruns for a bit. It’s nice to have some me time before the kids get home from school each day.
Cold crunchy dill pickles!
I get immense delight in the following:
– burying my hands in alpaca fleece
– the smell of a baby’s neck
– deep, solid cat purrs
– knitting something complicated successfully
– fresh, clean sheets – even better if they’ve been line-dried in the sun
– floating in a lake
– knowing my daughter is healthy, capable and deeply loved by everyone around her so at the inevitable time of my demise, she’ll be in good hands
– laughing with good friends
You delight me, my wife, and both of my kids. Both of my children are on medication for depression, and your books and blogs have been very helpful for all of us.
Call every motorized 2 wheel vehicle you see a motorbikel, out loud.
Reading an author’s entire library of works in one long binge.
True crime on Netflix somehow comforts me.
Loving on strangers’ dogs when they are walking them (or taking them into stores).
Diet cream soda.
A warm Cinnabon.
Myrna Tellingheusen on Twitter.
YOU in any form.
Coming home and snuggling under a pile of blankets.
Geeky Teas in Burbank, CA (greatest store ever. It’s 2 levels, a ton of rooms a million themes and every fandom you can imagine).
Princess Bride and This is Spinal Tap (both by Rob Reiner).
Lazy day not getting dressed. PJ’s and reading in bed with all three dogs. And then the asshole cat comes in and starts some shit. The chaos that follows is an unholy delight.
I get immense delight in the following:
– burying my hands in alpaca fleece
– the smell of a baby’s neck
– deep, solid cat purrs
– knitting something complicated successfully
– fresh, clean sheets – even better if they’ve been line-dried in the sun
– floating in a lake
– knowing my daughter is healthy, capable and deeply loved by everyone around her so at the inevitable time of my demise, she’ll be in good hands
– laughing with good friends
when we are doing errands, my husband & I stop for coffee & a treat. and call it a date. It’s much more fun than it sounds. Today was coffee, whole wheat cheese & chive scones with plenty of butter, and a peanut butter square for him & a cheese shortbread for me. We hold hands & chat. Married 28 years.
My cat brings me delight. Even when she’s misbehaving or having the occasional independent streak. I worry so much about the day she’s no longer with me but I really appreciate every minute of her company.
I find delight in gardening badly. I live in California and don’t follow any of the rules but most of the time is works out okay. I plant everything out of season and have no control over the weather. The food is misshapen or too small but I made it myself and it’s perfectly safe and good to eat.
I do that too! We put on the fireplace Christmas Day no matter the temperature so the house can feel super cozy. Which usually means turning on the A/C because it’s 80 deg outside and we stupidly have the fireplace on and the oven on to cook dinner. But it works.
Wild birds… I’m always delighted they choose to visit my garden.
New episodes of Doctor Who and the new Picard series delight me.
And Jenny, I want you to step outside yourself for a moment when you feel guilty and want to beat yourself up. Ask yourself if that’s how you would want a friend to feel if experiencing those circumstances. I have learned to beat myself up a lot less once I learned that trick. If I would not blame/if I would forgive someone else for the sort of things I fail at often, why can’t I forgive myself?
My grocery store recently stocked daffodils from England. I wont see any local until at least May (maaaaybe April. Maybe. I shouldnt say it, so pretend I didnt, but it’s been a pretty mild winter. Maybe I will get the rare, early spring.).
And now I have this gorgeous splash of yellow, and I shove my nose in and sniff like Al Pacino when he was making that movie with all the guns and drugs. I cant remember the name. The one with the little friend.
And since I dont have a vase at work, I have one in my water bottle. So every time I take a sip, bam. Daffodil.
I get delight from my two year old. When I’m low he brightens my day. The chat, the laughter, the snuggles.
I get delight from seeing your creations, from shops to paper mache to repurposed taxidermy, it’s amazing. You’re amazing.
I know its cheesy, but the small random things my husband does to make me feel better when I am in a bad pain spell or the depression is weighing hard upon me are some of the things which delight me most. He bought me a paper flower bouquet for valentine’s this year (we haven’t celebrated in a long time) and gave it to me early so I can enjoy it longer. And its paper because cats 😁 last night he brought me a box of valentine’s ding-dongs (the hostess cakes) which sent us both into fits of juvenile laughter. Stuff like that really catches me off guard and fills me with delight.
Hallelujah, I finally lived long enough to become a grandmother! My middle son’s child is now 9 months old and I delight in having a grandchild. I love visiting and talking and searching those tiny features for resemblances to people living and dead. It does my heart good to love this child.
I love that you live in Texas but enjoy an electric fireplace. Those things are too much heat for me, and I live in Wisconsin!!
The smell of fresh cut grass, the first time you break out the mower for the year.
But more than that…the smell of daffodils. That has always been my first indicator of spring, and I can not help but smile.
Cheez-it crumbs. I swear, the bottom of the box is the best part!
A mug of delicious coffee next to the fire watching the birds at the bird feeder.
Right now, a good grilled cheese sandwich is delightful. if you were next door, I’d invite you over for one.
I’ve recently found that a gratitude journal doesn’t work for me either. And while I do have a 9-5 job, I’m blessed to be on medication that works so I don’t completely shut down when I fall into a pit. My therapist tells me I’m “high achieving.” Blessed indeed.
My cat brings me delight! I literally tell her that at least once a week. She is the fluffiest, chirpiest, sweetest baby cat in the entire world. We have special games that she’ll only play with me and no matter how I’m feeling, when she jumps out to attack my legs, I’ll chase her and play with her.
My friends bring me delight! Even if I’m in a bad place I can still meet my friends and get out of the house. I never want to go hangout but I do because I remember how I feel when I’m with them. They are water to my dry bones. <3 when I get home I’ll delight in my cat for you, Jenny!
My dog delights me every day. Even at my saddest, I can give him something crunchy and watching him chew it cracks me up!
Some of the things that delight me: your books & writings, birds who visit our feeders & birdhouses, the insects who visit our pollinator field, the pollinator field itself since it is free from pesticides & has so many interesting visitors & residents, our veggie & flower gardens, the sound of waves on a large body of water, music that I like. Sending you heartfelt wishes for the things that delight you to begin to not be overpowered by this current bout of depression.
Tomorrow is my birthday and I asked/told my husband that I wanted a set of the softest, fluffiest towels for a present. They came the other day and now every morning I can get out of the shower and wrap myself in a a soft fluffy cloud and start my day with delight! Also, he gets delight too!
I recently started coloring with gel pens, and I am finding it delightful. It is more mindful and meditative than colored pencils or markers for me, and that is what I was looking for.
Everyday when I feed the fish my cat runs pell mell over to excitedly watch me do this boring task, like it’s the most amazing thing on the planet, that delights me, especially on down days.
I delight at inserting the final piece of a jig-saw puzzle!
Cats and books bring me a ton of delight. A good cuddle with my cats. Seeing them get along for a brief moment. And my shelter kitties. I especially love when I meet the super scared cats and I read and talk to them until they begin to trust me. That is seriously one of the most delightful things in my life. I’ve been working with two very scared undersocilazed older cats. One I’m quite in love with and he’s responding to me so well I’m considering taking him home. His sister is still very scared and anti human but she actually ate some food for me (so far she only comes out and eats at night when everyone is gone) and that filled my heart with extreme delight. Also I stalk the library constantly for new books by the plethora of authors I like and it’s seriously delightful when I find new ones in and even better when I see they are ready for me to pick up. So books and cats = serious delight ❤️
That moment you step outside and your face feels the warmth sun for the first time. I always try to close my eyes and smile up at it and just enjoy those first few seconds
I am delighted that someone else struggled with a gratitude journal; your post made my day and gave me a smile. We rescued a dog a few years ago, not he has finally learned to snuggle and on the couch beside me as I type (all 70 pounds of him). Seeing him go from a scared dog hiding behind the couch to sleeping next to me with his belly up delights me every time.
Walking barefoot through a forest. The warmth of the sun. Making a fire. Friends. Even when I think I can’t really feel a thing, these keep me going somehow.
Thanks Jenny, Iam a young graduate physician and sometimes I feel low and start thinking that I shoulldnt since where I work (ER room) I see a lot of bad things happening to people daily, so I have to feel grateful all the time, which is really hard this days. But I guess we all can practice something that delight us, that way I wont feel guilty when Im feeling down. Thanks for all your posts!
PS. The first time I read one of your books I was feeling very depressed and bought just for the picture and now everytime I feel down I read it! Thanks!!
Today, my delight was coming home from work and eating a handful of cinnamon hearts.
I am always just a little bit delighted when I happen to see a digital clock at 12:34.
Right now I am delighted whenever our the 3 year old son of our assistant basketball coach is around our building. The minute he sees me I crouch down and he runs straight to me with a huge smile on his face and launches himself into my arms for a hug. It is the best thing in the world and brings me delight every single time!
My delight for today was combining various leftovers into a delicious dinner!
My delight is making tea and sitting by the window with my plants and reading a book in complete silence 🙂 I hope your head stops being stupid soon!
My cat always seems to know when I’m having a shitty time, whether it’s physical or mental health related. He’s normally somewhat aloof but when I’m injured or depressed or anxious, he curls up and naps on or next to me or just gets really close and purrs at me. And at first I resent it a little like why do you have to try to make me feel better, nothing is going to make me feel better, just leave me alone so I can disappear. And then he’ll headbutt me or nuzzle my hand and I’ll start petting him and while it doesn’t fix everything, it makes things better somehow and even when it feels like there’s no hope, well there’s this purring beast in my ear telling me otherwise, and that’s kind of delightful.
The smell of rain on hot tarmac brings me delight. And the laughter of children; I love that sound.
Before even reading your post I did this today. I have felt especially anxious lately and only today I decided to do something bff that delights me, I had a beer with my lunch and watched the next episode of the Crown. I LOVE that show and the rest of my family is just meh about it. So since they were both gone I did something just for me, even though there were LOTS of other things on my list. I need to be on my list too. Hugs from Cali!!
I am delighted by having an hour in my day to drink tea and read a book in front of the fire. (And I will also turn on the fireplace when there is really no reason to, just for the delightful coziness of it.)
Misheard song lyrics
I am delighted by seasonal Reese’s. Trees, hearts, eggs, and pumpkins. I fine that from late August until Mid April I gin those little joys of peanut butter pulled goodness in the store and I always buy them. They make me happy. I look forward to these during the year so much. I fill the void of not being able to buy them from April to August by eating as many as humanly possible.
My depression is weighing me down right now, too. It’s a constant struggle some days. I’ve been watching episodes of The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross on YouTube. I find him comforting to listen to and enjoy seeing what he can create. I also snuggle my cats. I hope this lifts for you (and me and all of us struggling) soon! 💜
Right this minute I’m delighted by the smell of warm brownies that I took out of the oven 5 minutes ago. I’m delighted that there is a vase full of gorgeous cut flowers on the table to
brighten this cold, dreary day. Mostly I’m delighted that we can have cut flowers now. While
my wife was recovering from a stem cell transplant, we couldn’t have them in the house.
Now she’s in remission from a diagnosis of stage 3 multiple myeloma & THAT makes me
positively ecstatic.
My cat and dog bring me so much delight, especially when they are in playful or silly moods. My dog, a 60lb bulldog-pitbull mix, has a ridiculously cute underbite and it brings me so much joy when I see it.
Today after therapy I went to Costco which is hard for me because I am agoraphobic and can barely get out of the house one day a week to go to therapy and get meds refilled and food. But since I made it I bought myself a big, fragrant, beautiful bouquet of purple stock and now I am home in my studio with my dog and my purple flowers and, though worn out and weary from the outing, I am delighted to just sit here cuddling my little one-eyed chihuahua mix Molly and kiss her and squeeze her a lot while sniffing the air to smell this glorious stock. Yes. Depression, agoraphobia but sometimes delight too… 🙂
I did do something that delighted me today! I bought a cheapo old point and shoot film camera at Goodwill for $2, then put a roll of film in it and walked around taking random pics of nature and my dogs. This new film photography hobby of mine has been so much fun, even if I have no idea what I’m doing. Hope you were able to find some delight today too!
Two weeks ago we adopted a rescue puppy. A 70 lb, year old, long hair white German shepherd. He’s gorgeous. I didn’t even know they came in that flavor. He has a funny habit of rubbing against my legs just like a cat. In the morning. While I’m getting ready for work. Is it crazy that arriving at work covered in white fur delights me?
My pets – my cat who sleeps all day just in time to wake up, bring me a toy and demand loudly to play fetch FOREVER (or until I hide the toy, and my dog Ellie who is by my side almost all the time. It’s soothing to give her just a constant little pet when I’m anxious or trying to go to sleep. They are my constant companions and I love them so much.
My delight today was finally getting up the nerve–thanks to this great post of yours!–to submit some of my poems to a magazine. I’ve been rejected by 3 other mags and an anthology, so this will probably be a short-lived delight but thanks for giving me the courage to try (yet) again, Jenny; you and all your commenters are the best!
Taking an obscenely, hot bath and digesting some brain candy. Typically this means reading a a trash novel with no literary merit whatsoever.
On these gray winter days, I like to put on one of the TV Latino music channels called “Urbana” and dance incredibly badly around my living room. The hubs is napping elsewhere when I do this, so there is nobody watching or commenting. Except maybe the people in the dental clinic next door, but who there wouldn’t appreciate the diversion of an almost 60-year-old woman dancing around like a maniac to music whose lyrics she doesn’t understand in the middle of the afternoon?
I delight in singing. Lately, it feels like a chore. There is no joy in Mudville.
I have followed your posts for a year or so now. Time often dissolves, so who really knows. Your words often resonate with me but today, this post, these words from the rafters of an illness I deeply understand, gave me pause. Thank you for the invitation to join you in some small delight. I cannot name one for myself today. Just wanted to let you know l’m out here and your words mean more than you could ever know.
i have wild squirrels that ‘knock’ on my balcony door to ask for a treat. I love that the trust me to not let the cat out when the are nose to nose across the screen door.
Showers as hot as lava when i can barely tolerate my own existence.
Candles.
Books.
Coffee in my favorite mug.
I find delight in music and when I do, I fix my hair, make myself look decent in a pair of Jean’s and nice top which isnt too often as I have resorted to sweatpants lately. My depression takes a toll on me and it’s hard to find the light. Reading about your struggles really helps me come out of my fog and just knowing someone else is making it through makes me want to do the same.
I find delight in music and when I do, I fix my hair, make myself look decent in a pair of Jean’s and nice top which isnt too often as I have resorted to sweatpants lately. My depression takes a toll on me and it’s hard to find the light. Reading about your struggles really helps me come out of my fog and just knowing someone else is making it through makes me want to do the same.
The street art of David Zinn, and the following quote from him, which reminds to take more time to knit tiny toys on tiny needles: “Whatever it is you enjoy doing in a way that feeds your soul and seems to serve no other practical purpose, you should probably be doing more of that.”
After my dad died, we found a list he had made of memories that made him smile/things that he was grateful for. It was really great to share those things with him one more time, and to have something tangible in his handwriting telling us how much he loved us.
I have one of those little electric fireplaces, too, and I love it also. Mine has a toggle switch on the back that lets me use it without getting the heat if I want, just the flickering “flames” (I’m in California, so I don’t always want the heat either). You might check to see if yours has that option. It’s very nice!
My 11 year old son and I have been learning woodworking together. We are both delighted when we finish a project, and seeing how delighted each other is just increases the delight in ourselves. It’s awesome.
Seeing the seeds I planted germinate. I’ve planted tens of thousands of seeds and seeing them come up never fails to delight me.
Elizabeth Quant – your post delighted me! At the risk of alienating my other cats, my cat Larry delights me. His past owners ditched him at 15 – said he was vicious and wanted him put the sleep. The vet refused and he ended up in a shelter. A wonderful rescue called SCAT baled him out and shipped him to me. He was vicious because he is full of B-Bs. He doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. Every night when I’m trying to sleep he smashes his body as close to mine as possible and slides down to sleep next to me. I always feel safe with him there no matter how sad I may be.
LOVED that funky dance montage!!!!
The other thing that delights me is my daphne bush. It is almost in bloom, and I can’t wait to bring in a sprig of its delight-genic fragrant blossoms
Watching the cat delights me: When she sleeps, snores, attacks a toy, looking at the birds etc. Even when she stretches out on my legs when I’m trying to sleep. She makes me laugh & comforts me after a bad day or 12. Jenny your send of humor & your honesty delights me too. Thank you.
I am delighted every time I get to pet the heads of my furry welcoming committee. Delight bordering on joy at seeing a Great Horned Owl in the wild if a cemetery in the city is “the wild.” https://possumscatsthingsgnawingatme.wordpress.com/2020/02/01/mombert-makes-me-pretty-things-really-belated-part-2/
I’m delighted and grateful that I’m retired and don’t have to go to work when it snows or when my back doesn’t want to. I’m also delighted that my cat wants to be near me most of the time.
My puppy Harrison is a year and 4 months old. He’s now mature enough to sleep in bed with us throughout the night without chewing the pillows and bedding, and it brings me such delight to feel his warm, furry presence next to me.
I’m planning my wedding and making lists and being organized makes me feel so peaceful. Last night I sat at the table, surrounded by wedding party gift bag swag, all organized, portioned out and crossed off my list. I was drinking tea and feeling content. Silly I’m sure but I felt so accomplished and calm.
This blog. Reminds me I’m not alone.
And my dachshund puppies. The make me smile no matter how bad it feels.
These always delight me.
https://www.lorinclarke.com/public-service-announcement
My cat likes to stand on my stomach for a few minutes, making up his mind about what he’s going to do next. The joy comes in when he decides it’s naptime, and his legs get soft and his little body just melts against mine, and then he’s out.
Last weekend it was warm enough here in the arctic north (Minnesota) to hang our pillowcases on the line where they actually dried instead of freezing into flannel cookie sheets. Laying my head on outside-smelling pillows delights me!
I delight in flavored coffee, like coconut coffee. I know there’s more but this has been a hard few weeks. I am feeling low, but still totally functional, it is lulling me into the belief that this is how it is and will always be. That this is the best it gets. But sunlight will return more, I will remember that normal is not this stagnant, joyless low. And try to find delight, because you’re right. I do still find comfort and small delights Nd they’re something to celebrate. I really needed this post. Thank you.
I also delight in how pretty snow looks falling (even if I have to go drive to work in it regardless of how gross the weather is)
When I’m down I watch these videos. There’s a handful of them. There’s some sort of Japanese prank show and the ones with the dinosaurs are gold. They never get old. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmxQSwwTRqU
I delight in the smell of the laundry detergent aisle in the grocery store.
I love all the kittens, puppies and adorable little kids who have been wandering across my facebook feed lately. A friend just posted a picture of her tiny niece at Disneyland in her mouse ears and tutu and I’m melting 🙂
For me, when my anxiety and depression overwhelm my senses the only thing I can do is “reboot.” I have to pass out into a deep sleep, sometimes hours-long nap, that somehow resets my mind so that I can prioritize the things around me into manageable chunks. My delight is that when I wake from these “reboots”, I’m always covered in my cats. They somehow sense that I need their presence, their physical weight, and their sometimes oppressive warmth to help my system ground itself. They can be obnoxious little demons, as all cats have the capacity to be, but they are my demons and sometimes I need them just as much as they need me. They are my delight and often my landline.
Throw blankets. 💜💜💜💜 Lots of them.
Grateful for this blog entry. Very relatable.
My secret delight is when my cat bites my chin ever so softly. It’s his version of a hug I suppose.
I’ve been writing haiku. Those little poems bring me delight!
I am delighted by the look
On my grand babies faces when they see me-every time!!
I delight in the hugs from my five grandchildren, especially when I haven’t seen them awhile. The almost 14 year old still gives them to me freely without being told and that means a lot in this day in age. The almost 6 year old gives the quickest hug like I would expect from the almost 14 y/o and I find that hilarious.
first, thank you for also being someone that gratitude journals don’t work for. i could never figure it out, why i didn’t get from them what people said i would get. i feel guilty if i feel good and someone else has it bad or is feeling bad. so, on to a delight! i delght in listening to the songs my daughter recorded for me as a present one year. big smiles and warmth in my heart. now i’m off to find a new delight for the day. thank you!
Brand new socks. The feel of them on my feet. For some reason, I’m convinced that when they’re new they feel more snug, more soft, more cushy. (With even a couple wearings, and I can totally tell they aren’t new anymore!) Absolutely one of the best feelings ever. Delightful!
It deslights me that at my regular volunteer job yesterday at a 3-, 4-, 5- classroom, I asked a little boy who was drawing a big picture what it was, and he said, “I don’t know. I’m not done yet.”
Listening to music or playing music
Going to record stores or record swaps. Same with used bookstores. There’s something about the smell of old vinyl and books that makes me feel delight
Clean sheets at the end of a long day
Watching drag queen videos on youtube.
I recently actually started taking my depression and anxiety more seriously and getting help, and having followed you for several years (from afar, digitally, not like a creep or anything), you’ve actually been a big help in that. I cannot thank you enough for everything you do and how you put yourself out there and help us not feel alone.
That said, my knittting, coloring, and singing have been getting me through. I can sing along to songs even when I’m in the worst moods (usually, if I’m nonverbal then fuck all), and as well as doing the other two activities. So I guess those would be what delight me. My fiance and cat are quite delightful as well, the former knowing exactly what to do when I’m in a mood and the latter providing all the cuddles one could need.
Jenny, I decided in honour of your blog to write a haiku. So here goes…
Happiness has left.
Delight, maybe I will find.
Still waiting for dawn.
I get the guilt thing with gratitude……crazy but true. So today a neighbor took me to a butchers to get B O N E S for my doggers and that delighted me as it is STILL SNOWING/raining…who knows? Love, you
List of small delights:
that doughy middle of the Cinnabon (savor it, child; you worked for it)
the smell of new leather shoes
the crunchy part of an English muffin hot out of the toaster
the delight of salted butter and peanut butter on that English muffin
the tickle of the ultrasonic toothbrush on my gums
the first 10 minutes if a hot bath when the water is the hottest
hot laundry out of the dryer piled atop of yourself
the pine scented air freshener in the bathroom
the satisfying “cluh-THUNK” noise my apartment door makes when it closes
the strained groaning noise of the coffee machine in my building as it brews that cup of sunshine
the absolutely gorgeous reflection off of the skyscrapers at dusk, showing pinks and purples and blues back at my Eastward-facing window
What gives me delight is driving by a dining table on the side of the road with a free sign on it, then I pull over, and Bam! it’s hard wood. I can always use another table top to break down, or cut up or add to another piece of furniture. You wouldn’t believe how easy it becomes to upcycle furniture (which I love to do) when you have a huge stash of table tops.
The first summer evening each year that the fireflies appear.
You delight me Jenny, with your quirks and foibles and your honesty. You never cease to make me smile. Thank you.
I feel awful for this, but I don’t really have issues with depression. Which is great, but then I feel bad for those that do. But what does delight me is reading your books, your posts, and people’s repressions and learning the plights many of you make to get through your days, nights weeks, etc. Everyone is so brave on here and I’m just grateful to get to read your stories and diaries. I think everyone has their issues, but what some of you do to make it through the day astonishes me. Keep chugging along, everyone… make others smile with your dedication to helping others feel good about themselves.
the way my puppy does a sassy walk when shes wrestled the toy away from me, that delights me! when shes knows im down and she snuggles me, that too. you being kind enough to rwach out and share your life to let us know we arent alone, that amkes me truly grateful
Big, fluffy blankets and the sound of lawnmowers or weed eaters outside on a sunny day. 😊
I delight in cool ranch doritos smooshed into a tuna sandwich, when my cat ella flops on the kitchen floor for belly rubs everytime i come home from work, chocolate & carmel
Outlander! I discovered it yesterday and it transports me to another world one hour at a time!! I love how you say stuff we all feel. Stuff that eats away at us. Stuff we have been taught to feel terrible about but is so normal for so many. You have my gratitude and love, Jenny.
Pizza. And “Withnail & I”. Not necessarily in that order.
I delight in jumping into a bed with freshly cleaned sheets, with freshly shaved legs, after taking a steamy shower …. (and having new bunches of eucalyptus in both the shower, and the vase next to my bed when doing it makes it even more delightful.)
The beautiful smile of my best friend. The feel of my dog’s fur in my fingers, and the way he presses his head into me.
You listed the one that I would say… the way my dogs greet me when I come home every day is just magical. One of them goes and grabs a toy and then says WOO WOO WOO with the toy in her mouth and it tickles me every time – I say WOO WOO WOO right back at her and wag my butt like she’s wagging her tail. God damn, I love my dogs! Sometimes my depression makes it so I can’t walk them or take them out to hike and I feel like a jerk that they’re not living their best life, but then I think they’re probably pretty happy just laying in bed with me.
I found the perfect buttons for a sweater I’m knitting in a donation box at work and I don’t know whether my boss will let me have them (I will pay $ if she wants) but right now I’m just excited that they’re pretty and I touched them and I love them.
I dabble, using watercolor pigments with expensive brushes on pricey paper. Sometimes art happens and that is a delight. Lacking that, I read some JENNY which is always delightful.
There is a restaurant around the corner from my house that has this AMAZING Chicken Curry Noodle Soup (it’s literally on a list of 100 things to eat in San Francisco). I swear by it when I think I’m about to have a cold. Well – I’ve been burnt out the last two weeks, and desperately craving this soup, and when I went two weeks ago, it was on the one night in the week they are closed, and then they were closed all last week for New Year’s, and so I finally, FINALLY got my soup last night, and ate two portions of it and it was everything. It is chicken and chili oil and potatoes and fresh mint and lime juice and hoisin sauce, and some kind of magic broth (chicken coconut?) and even though I do not like coconut or spicy things, it seriously cleared out my head and brought me great joy. I love this soup very, very much.
The first moments when I wake up with my two little dogs is my favorite part of my day. The dogs have that sleepy, soft, puppy look that I can’t resist. I kiss them and talk to them about being sweet and not biting my toes. Then they get all needy and I have to start doing stuff and the moment is gone. Until tomorrow.
I had one of those cute faux potbelly stove electric fireplaces in my basement for like 3 years (just sitting in a corner and never used) and then one day decided it would be great in my bedroom. i talked my husband into helping me move it and then we discovered it was a 3 prong plug and our outlet was one of the original 2 prong. So i talked him into helping me change the outlet. An hour-ish later I had a cozy fireplace in my room and IT IS A DELIGHT. Also, there is a button on mine to turn the heat off so i can just have the faux flames on. The first time I turned it on my cat who was sitting on my bed began to anxiously meow/howl and tried to lead me out of the room so I learned at least one of my furry friends cares about my safety and would try to save me froma fire so that is also delightful.
I’m grateful for the times when I am able to just sit and sink into a good book.
I’ve laid up in bed for almost 3 weeks due to making my sciatica worse by overdoing some cleaning and then sitting up too much in bed. Today was the first time I’ve been out of the house, except for walking my dog, since I hurt myself. Injust ran errands, but I treated myself to lunch at BK and read my Kindle as I ate, enjoyed being nice to people, and my dog ‘got’ me an early Valentine’s gift of a cute little inexpensive pink teddy bear that will go well with my stuffy collection in my bedroom. I hurt a lot doing shopping and now, but I so enjoyed myself.
Delightful… delightful is cuddling on my bed with the electric blanket on, our dog cuddled on my husband’s shoulder, and just giggling and talking about whatever we want to talk about. It’s US time, with no distractions or deadlines. <3
Sending lots of hugs and love for the hard times! I’ve been going through a minor low time the past month or so, but it’s starting to look up (I think, I hope). What delights me? My dog, especially when he is so excited to go outside that his entire body wiggles while I put his leash on.
Also, I’ve recently gotten into Play-Doh as a calming/soothing thing to do when my anxiety acts up, and it’s given me a ridiculous amount of delight! I started out just using it like a stress ball and such, but I quickly got addicted to the awesomeness of Play-Doh and I now have 9 different-color containers on my desk and a couple dozen small trinkets I’ve made and let dry.
We just ordered a pizza delivered – thin crust, Alfredo sauce, Italian sausage, mushrooms, black olives and onions – so I’d have leftovers for lunch for the next two days.
It may not survive the night. This is some SERIOUSLY good pizza! And it has brought both my wife and me delight.
Taking a nap under a thick, soft blanket on a rainy day delights me right to sleep.
I have this thing this time of year where every morning outside my house I look for the first crocus of spring even though it’s way too early! But I always have that little bit of hope, that it’s out there just for me too see!
Dogs with snow booties that can’t quite figure out how to walk in them, so they prance. I mean…
Fresh peaches, the ones with juices that run down your chin.
Fresh sweet corn with ALL of the butter.
Harry Potter Trivial Pursuit
Our kids coming home for a visit, even if it’s just for a day.
Playing with my granddogs.
The 1812 Overture, played full blast when the cannons start.
Bohemian Rhapsody, played full blast from the very first note. And singing along at top volume.
Having my husband go to the store with me (because I hate to go alone) and watching him throw random crap into the cart (it makes me laugh).
Knowing I’m not alone.
I delight in my dog having dreams. I delight in dipping my toes in the ocean. I delight in big hugs from my niece and nephews. And I just move to a new city after 23 years in another and I’m delighting in discovering new favorite places.
Doggie dreams
Toes in the ocean
Big, genuine hugs from my niece and nephews
Learning about a new place (just moved)
I’ve taught myself how to do some basic nail art, and I so enjoy looking at my own cute nails throughout the day. A silly thing, I know, but it makes me happy!
I, too, enjoy electric fireplaces. I also have RA and am adverse to cold. I have a big, self contained unit in our room and a TV stand that has one built in. We burn incense bricks that smell like fireplaces when we have them on (fake it till you bake it)
Crawling into bed after the sheets have been changed. They’re cool and smooth
Irreverent coworkers who understand me, even though I hate this job and have to leave. It’s sometimes the only delightful moment in my day.
Cats and cat videos delight me to no end. My fur babies always make me smile.
Even though my “baby” is grown-up, he still lives at home while he goes to college. I love to hear him suddenly burst out laughing from upstairs at something he is reading or watching. His deep chuckle delights me just as much as his sweet laugh did when he was little!
These are a few things that delight me:
The loveliness of the sky: blues skies, skies with dramatic or fluffy clouds, sunset colors splayed far and wide, the moon shining so brightly, stars especially when I can pick out the constellations.
Ice cream. Currently peanut butter chocolate, with chunks of peanut butter cups in it. Sometimes lavender honey ice cream. Sometimes blueberry with lemon.
Art that moves me (the form of that changes daily, depending upon my mood and what is in the day.
My favorite, very worn and tattered, forest green pullover sweatshirt that my ex-mother-in-law, which has since passed, gifted me 25 years ago. I love wearing it, almost daily at home, as my comfort item.
Riding my old lady three-wheeled bicycle! It makes me feel young. My cat curling up in my arm at night and letting me pet her.
I’m still trying to find my happy place. The dark does come and just hangs out no matter what you do to stop it. Really the stuff you have written has been a god send and I’m grateful I found your books. Chear up is just a good way for a person to get punched in the neck! I write pointless stories of old funny memories and try and remember that it used to be good and this cant last forever. Those are just words and it seems to never let up…but it will I know it will! It cant last forever. So I wish you well, i feel like i could be falling of a cliff sometimes and I’d be board and wouldn’t care. A few days later maybe I will, and you will too, it will pass. Thank you for EVERYTHING your words have done for me!
I find delight in a fresh box of crayons or a new package of “limited edition” Sharpies.
I’ve been isolating like a mofo. I actually find delight in my miniature schnauzer’s musty, dusty dog smell. I like to hug that boy right up and glory in his scruffy scent.
Music. The lyrics make me realize I’m not alone in how I feel.
Dollhouse miniatures bring me so much joy! Looking at them. Shopping for them. Decorating my dollhouses with them. Touching them. They make me giggle. I disappear into my miniature world and it is wonderful.
Something that gives me joy: the look on my wife’s face when she gets cake for breakfast 😉
And… Mentioning my testicles in polite conversation.
You know – the little things…
My 3 year old niece delights me anytime I see her and especially when she acts silly. I love to turn the heat down in the winter and sleep with my down comforter and snuggle up with my pup.
Getting a new book in the mail. Also, crunchy potato chips in my tuna sandwich.
I am the same way …. I try not to exist. However, I try to snap out of it through art or reading …. or walks. 😉
Tonight it was asking my 14 year old son to cuddle with me for 2 minutes before bed. Just sitting there with him lightened my mind and heart. Thankfully he gets it and puts up with his crazy mother!
Thank you so very much for writing so insightfully about depression. So many people don’t understand that we can’t “just snap out of it”. I am grateful for you, milk chocolate, my two rat terriers, and the Internet.
Drinking a cup of coffee while watching the birds come to the bird feeder my husband hung in a tree close to a window where I sit in the living room. Is that a run on sentence?
Definitely the excitement my dogs have when I come home after being gone—doesn’t matter if it’s been a whole day out or I’ve just gone to take the trash out, they do weird little hopping dances. My one very non-lucky/kissy dog gives me exactly one kiss on the chin when I come home from work, it’s the best.
I’ve been growing a veggie and herb garden and watching the plants grow, digging in the dirt, pulling weeds, and just generally tending to the plants delights me so much.
I am grateful that I live in a place with a pleasant climate and near enough to a beach that I can get sand-between-the-toes therapy. I suffer through depression regularly, but I’ve realized that this monster will always find me, so I might as well live in a place that delights me!
Sitting here reading this while my cat lies next to me snoring. This delights me tonight because it’s all I’ve got at the end of a long day and my brain hurts.
the perfect word that falls into place like a puzzle piece, the smell of fresh cut hay, my granddaughter’s “two teeth” smile…
Live events. Concerts, sports, comedians. Anything I can attend and get lost in for a few hours. Dancing, cheering, laughing. It calms me and winds me up at the same time. I can even attend alone, because the feeling that everyone there is sharing the experience while having individual meaning come thru is wonderful to me.
Helping my daughter with a homework assignment for photography, which means I get to see her make art. Also, being greeted by the greyhound, who I swear would jump into my arms and hug me if he could. Smelling the Daphne that just started blooming in my front yard.
I feel delighted if I make a piece of art that I end up liking. Partly through the process I will start thinking it is not good, then, oh well, keep working on it….. what’s the worst that can happen, and then sometimes, like Bob Ross magic, a happy accident.
And most times chocolate and/or kitties brings me much delight,
I love how even as you’re struggling you are able to encourage us, sharing so openly and showing us how to find our way. Love you Jenny ❤️
I find delight in my dog’s enthusiasm for life – her face always says ‘what are we gonna do next?!?’ like life is an adventure she can’t wait to get on with.
I find delight in warm peaceful snuggles with my cats, as they have their own way of luxuriating in the good things in life – a place in the sun, warm soft blankets, someone to cuddle.
Sunrises on the way to work ❤️
This is a random comment but stick with me, so when Alex Honnold finished free soloing Half Dome he said he was delighted and people gave him a bunch of crap for using that word to describe how he felt after his accomplishment. And he was just so pleased and happy to have done what he’d set out to do. All I’m saying is delighted doesn’t get enough credit. You should be delighted for something that brings you joy. 💗
I live in this same space a LOT. “…guilty that I sometimes feel miserable (even temporarily) when I am given so much.” I struggle between feeling like what I have is more than enough (which it is), is just enough, or not enough. And I was sad to realize that there is almost nothing that delights me right now.
The sound of water. I have video clips of the lake I grew up on, and sadly no longer love by – Lake Superior. When I feel down, I play one of the videos in an endless loop, close my eyes, and just listen to the waves. Thank you for asking us to share!
There are these felted wool creatures I discovered on Twitter years ago, created by an artist named Kit Lane. I love these little “bobs” so much and I just can’t explain how much they delight me. If I truly did have a spirit animal, it would be these.
Oh I love the idea of delight instead of gratitude! I thought I was the only one who light sped from gratitude to guilt. But delight, that I can do. We just had a new addition to our gone – a 12 week old kitten by the name of Maximus Catticus. And he had bonded well with our older girl Tilly. We lost our other cat 10 days ago, she was nearly 17. But I can find delight in the memories of her and her brother (Hansel & Gretel), and there is delight in the birds in the trees, the summer storms and in the promise of a dead cold winter. This, I can do!!
OOOHHH – So we have 4 dogs and my husband is a real night owl and gets up around noon. The dogs hear him upstairs taking his shower and when he comes downstairs, they (and I) serenade him with a good minute or 2 of howling. It is an utterly DELIGHTFUL way to start the day 🙂
I have a rescue dog. She was abused and even now that she’s been with us over four years she is still very timid. Every once in a while she’ll jump into bed and curl up in my arms. That makes me very happy and gives me a wonderful sense of peace and calm. Very how so many people are mentioning their pets. They really are a special gift.
I love and appreciate how you phrased it “what delights you?” vs “what are you grateful for?” – both are helpful, but there’s something about realizing that there are actually a lot of things that delight me that I don’t think about. Also, I’m sitting by the fire cuddled w/ my dogs, and I just finished your book Furiously Happy – I sincerely delighted in it. Thank you for being you and being brave enough to share yourself with the world.
3 delightful things:
Every morning when my husband heads off to work, I say, “have a sexy day!” And he responds with “stay sexy”.
I wear my ugly Christmas sweater at completely inappropriate times throughout the year, like kayaking. I hope to someday wear it to a funeral.
My cat has turned into such a baby that I can’t eat a meal anymore without holding her and cooing sweet things into her ears. I’m told the “problem” is me. WHAT PROBLEM?
I’ve been thinking of you, Jenny, since listening to John Green’s lustrous podcast “The Anthropocene Reviewed.” The “most recent” as I write is one published 01-30-20 and titled “Works of Art by Agnes Martin and Hiroyuki Doi.” I promise you it’s well worth your time. Draw a circle around it 🙂
When my horse nickers to me.
I stole and then ate my little brother’s tuna treats and then hid and watched for an hour while he tried to remember where he left them! It was hilarious.
To use your analogy – the depression is like a big, damp, heavy, mouldy blanket. All the things you have get tainted by the blanket. If you were actually trapped by a blanket that was too heavy to lift, you wouldn’t feel bad for not enjoying the things trapped with you – they could be damp and/or mould covered. It’s only when the blanket is lifted that all your treasure has time to dry and become mould free. It’s difficult to be grateful for things that look like what’s weighing you down, and some of those things you treasure might even be adding to the weight of the blanket.
Gratitude is a good thing to start when you are reasonably well, when you can see your things clearly. Guilt is another lie – there is a saying – the healthy person has infinite wishes, the ill person has only one, guilt says you should feel bad because you have things other people can only wish for, but that’s like needing food and being given gold, diamonds, cars, houses etc. – how can you enjoy the riches if you are starving? Concentrate your gratitude on the thing that you wish for, delight in those things that you get that are extra. Thank you for making me think that through. 👍🏼
My delight this morning has been seeing a squirrel running along my garden fence, audiobooks and crafts. They make me forget the blanket of illness for a while. (And that’s what I’m grateful for).
I feel this so deeply right now. It’s so hard to explain to someone why you’re “just sad” sometimes. I love music. For most of my career, I commuted 2 hours each way to work. I loved buying a new CD (remember them?!) and listening to it over and over in the same sequence until I had the whole album memorized. That gave me DE-LIGHT! In a world where we have the ability to stream any song we want out of a million, I miss the simplicity of my ONE new CD. I didn’t have to make a decision on what song to stream, in what genre, on what playlist… I just listened to my new CD. On repeat. For two hours each way. And it was delightful. 🙂
Thank goodness I am not the only one. I bought an electric fireplace a few years ago and I turn it on everyday. I love looking at the fire part of it for some reason. It puts me in my happy place. A couple years ago the flames went out! I called the company and they were going to send me a replacement motor for free. I waited a few days and it just hadn’t come in yet so I got on Amazon and bought another fireplace. So now I have two. My family and friends think I am crazy because it goes everyday, even in the heat of July. I just thought fire was my element but maybe it just brings me joy. We are currently in the market for a new house and I am insisting on a real fireplace. I am just delighted I am not the only nut bar out there that loves her electric flames. Thanks.
The face of a toddler is pure delight for me
Your book “Furiously Happy” brings me joy and comfort. It’s my emotional support book and I carry it around with me pretty much everywhere. My derpy cats Bella and Tony bring me joy and I love how Bella will cuddle up to me and demand pets and then stare up at me with this look like, “Oh god I LOVE you so much right now!”. The 1930s (or maybe its 40s IDK) version of “Little Women” with Katharine Hepburn as Jo brings me joy. She was the PERFECT Jo, in my eyes. Marilyn Monroe in that one movie where she gets stuck in a porthole in a ship brings me joy. Watching my new favorite anime, “My Hero Academia” brings me joy because All Might is so doofy.
Ice cream for dinner, my favorite wine being on sale, being invited anywhere, finishing a knitting project. This brings me the most delight. Guilt has no place when it comes to counting your blessings. Count them and be grateful. You are allowed, you have permission.
Fire. The smell of woodsmoke, the heat, the flames. I can totally relate to how you feel with the heat of your electric fireplace, I build a fire in my woodburner and open the windows not to overheat. It’s just so difficult for me to permit myself this thing, almost like it feels too good and I shouldn’t be enjoying it.
I delight in watching my tripod kitten going “wump wump wump” through the house and in snuggles from the older two cats. I delight in the aching beauty of the third movement of the Shostakovich 5th Symphony. I delight in imagining myself at Fallingwater. I delight in rediscovering a skill (crochet) I practiced as a child, taught by my grandmother.
this little thing made me smile today. I watched it over & over…
My favorite thing lately is the way our old man of a dog enjoys his nightly rides. He’s 9 years old, but at 100lbs and with arthritis in his spine walks are too hard during the winter. So my husband started taking him on nightly car rides. As soon as we start putting on shoes & coats, he immediately throws his head back and literally prances to the front door! We put the back window all the way down, and he rests his chin on the windowsill and WALLOWS in the scents and sights. We go on a different route every night so the scents are different. Once we get home, he has to tell everyone all about his ride. He throws his head all the way back, stub of a tail going so fast you think he just might achieve lift off, and lets out the deepest rooo calls. It is so funny, charming, and totally joyful! He’s just so HAPPY! My Apollo reminds me every day that our dogs have it right. Enjoy the little things because they add up to the big things!
I am delighted every night when I settle down on my heated mattress pad. Oh, what a sweet treat to feel that smooth warmth!
The way my older dog waits for his special snuggle on the couch before we go to bed together delights me. Seeing how the colors work in my knitting even if I am messing up the pattern, delights me. Seeing the moon delights me too, no matter the phase.
I find this post delightful — I too struggle with gratitude vs. guilt.
This might not seem like a big deal but when I stopped calling depression “mine” I felt stronger. It’s not mine. I don’t want it and would love to get rid of it. I refuse to own it. Words are so powerful especially the ones we say to ourselves.
Something that really delights me (thought it seems kinda silly) is going through my cross stitch fabric stash when I’m looking for fabric for a new project and discovering that I have THE perfect hidden gem fabric already in my fabric box for the project. There is something so joyful and satisfying about realizing that, totally without meaning to, you bought JUST the right fabric for a project before you even knew you wanted to do the project. It’s a very special kind of happy. 🙂
Also, beautiful, hand-dyed cross stitch fabrics delight me. Each piece ‘sparks joy’ every time I look at or touch it. I sometimes am giddy with all the joy. 🙂
Also, also. There’s a new bakery down the street from my house. They make the BEST desserts and baked goods. Whenever they have fresh focaccia bread? BLISS. One of my favorite delights. 🙂
Right now it’s the sight and smell of the Mexican plum blossoms! More mundane but regular: fresh towels. Extremely quotidian: coffee and showers.
I find delight in those moments when I repot a houseplant into a pot that it absolutely fits with its personality and the plant has become its best inside self.
Every day when I go to and come back from one job, I pass two yatds with giant, er, rooster statues. They make me giggle remembering one of the first posts I saw from you. I always yell, “Knock, knock, motherfucker!!” at them both and giggle all the way.
I have a bird feeder in the back yard and looking out of the windows and bird watching always makes me feel good.
I’ve taken to calling last year “The Year That Shall Not Be Named” because it was so bad personally and professionally. I counted down the days until it was over and couldn’t stop talking about how bad it was and how miserable I was. Unfortunately, that just sucked me down more. So going into 2020 I decided to celebrate the wins, no matter how small. Each morning I think about the day before and in my planner I write a few words about my win or even multiple wins. It’s been a game changer to celebrate wins even on the tough days. Yesterday, “Win: Got my eyebrows waxed!”
My husband does card tricks for my boys and they are complicated enough that I have no idea how he does them. He asked me once if I wanted him to tell me how they worked and I vehemently refused…my kids’ reactions aside, I am so completely delighted by him and his magic that I sometimes get all giggly and teary-eyed even though I’ve seen them performed before. I have always described it as being delightful, and it truly is.
Also, Schitt’s Creek is delightful. Canada knows how to do edifying comedy and it’s DELIGHTFUL.
For me, it’s watching my dogs play. Even when I’m in my lowest, funkiest of funks, if they start playing I have to smile.
My 9 month old son Paul just learned how to wave. Chubby baby waves are pretty damn delightful.
Worms on a rainy sidewalk, having the woman at the coffee shop know my order, and how wonderfully extra spicy my Bojangles chicken biscuit is right now.
I am grateful for you and your ability to give a glimpse into what so many of us feel everyday. I have needed the post you have posted lately because it resonates with me down to every last sentence. But I’m also grateful for the way my dog smells like Fritos, the way a great pen slides across a piece of paper, that all of my earrings have the little rubber backs. Thank you for you.❤️
Watching instant karma videos of people doing something stupid and immediately regretting it. Especially cars being pulled over by the police car they did not see. Such joy.
Red balloons 🎈 stupid happy feelings are brought on by seeing a single 🎈. Might be because of Winnie the Pooh (no one can be Uncheered by a balloon) – but I am always delighted by single latex balloon. (Those silver Mylar ones don’t bring me the same delight for some reason)
The lady Redbird in the Mexican Buckeye outside the bathroom window, looking at me with “Hi, how are you? Don’t you think I’m beautiful?” The cats in the bedroom window making that chi chi chi chi song when a bird comes close to them. The knocking sound when I walk out the front door and see the woodpecker, giving it all he’s got, trying to drill a hole in the utility pole that’s hard as rock. The two black headed vulture parents outside the barn, keeping watch from the mesquite tree and the barn roof. Because I know that soon, I’ll see the little grey heads of the babies, with their first downy feathers, peeking out of the loft. The red of the lipstick salvia blooming through the weeds. The remains of the chili pequins; still red, drying on the plant, waiting to be picked. All things that the Mother gives us, if we just look and see. Each one gives a little nudge to your heart and energy to your soul.
I am not sure I can do this justice, but when a doxie is playing and stops to shake its head so the ears slap back and forth making little clapping sounds – I am not sure if they are applauding the fun they have been having, or saying “I had so much fun I had to slap myself to prove it was real” or what, but that sound and sight delight me. Readers, If you have a fur baby, give it a hug from me.
Delight: Being the first one to open, peel the seal, and dig into a pristine jar of Nutella
It was far more of a challenge when we had two teenage boys in the house, but having an empty nest does not diminish this act’s delight.
My Delight is taking a big breath of fresh air after being inside all day. I just love it.
My delight? Receiving new pix and videos of my precious month-old granddaughter who lives far enough away that we can only visit her occasionally…
I have multicolored strands of Christmas lights in my lemon tree for when it dips below freezing here in southwest AZ. It always makes me happy to look our and see them happily keeping my tree warm!!
I am delighted to see a new blog post from you! You are so good at putting into words what depression feels like. It makes me feel better to know that others with this feel the same way…and we still get through life.
I think you’re amazing. And your sharing really helps me with my own depression and anxiety. Thanks for being you and putting it out there for the rest of us.
I’m delighted when my Australian Shepherd smiles when I come home (Google photos and videos, it’s adorable.)
I’ve been struggling with depression lately. What delights me is making homemade salve. The smell of the beeswax and oils, the fragrance of pure lavender. I am also delighted by my crystal collection. I study their beautiful colors and facets.
Red squirrels share their territory with us and I delight in their adventures every day. They have a sanctuary in a group of red pines. One of the things I love the most is that they store food balanced on small forked twigs about 4 feet above the ground. I have found an apple, mushroom and deer bone perched in the same pine. My heart nearly bursts with the preciousness of this intimate glimpse into their lives.
Sometimes it’s about finding the smallest, silliest thing to hold onto. In retrospect, in high school General Hospital kept me alive by being the one thing I looked forward to every day. These days, it’s my dogs, my sourdough starter, and boxing.
When I come down the stairs in the morning our puppy, Mr. Mister, is always waiting at the end of the hall. He tries to freeze as I round the corner is so excited his entire little body vibrates. Mister stays perfectly still, staring at me, and shaking until I say, “Hiiiiiii!” The minute the ‘he’s comes out of my mouth he launches at me, a blur of fur barreling full-speed. When he gets to me he goes up on his hind legs and hugs me.
Best 30 seconds of my day, everyday.
…the landscape rose and fell like a honeymoon duvet. – Terry Pratchett
Delightful simile
Finding a box of old buttons that I can sort and drool over. while petting Little Miss Maine Coon cat.
Your writing in any form, especially this blog which makes me so thrilled when I get a new one, and all the lovely individuals who share on it. Anything cute that cats and dogs and squirrels and birds do. Daffodils in the spring. The first crocus and snowdrops of spring pushing their way up from the snow. A windy, rainy day. A snowy day when I don’t have to be out in it. A hot cup of tea that I can sip very slowly so as not to burn my tongue. Rainbows. A ray of sunlight between clouds (it’s like seeing heaven.) An unusually warm sunny day in the middle of February or March. Waves crashing on the shore. The call of loons. The coos of morning doves. The joy of children discovering something for the first time. People who say to me “have a blessed day” because they are wishing me the best possible version of a day that they can imagine. Wind rustling leaves or bushes or trees. Whipped cream in a bottle- the whooshing sound it makes as you top off something with it. Peppermint. Chocolate. Coffee. Books I’ve just discovered that I like. Going to senior yoga with my mom. (I’m usually the youngest person there.) Dunkin Donuts coffee, because it’s not pretentious, it’s just regular people coffee. Saint Patrick’s day parades, because you know no matter what the weather is like, people will turn up to cheer and smile and watch other people stomping down the street to the delight other people watching them. Making other people smile.
Today’s delight is my 1.5 year old son learning to jump. He bends his knees and throws out his arms for balance then quick-like stands up straight and plops on his bottom laughing. Totally thinks he went airborne! Pure joy!
My cats snuggling up to me when I go to bed at night. My new socks I found advertised on your blog (fuck off, I’m reading). Seeing all the ‘delight’ in the comments of this post. Most of all JENNY LAWSON delights me, thank you so much!
I delight in a process. Like putting a Lego set together, or a puzzle. I just like seeing the pattern and saying “OOOH! I see how this works!”
Feral parakeets squawking over London delight me.
My 3y/o can’t be anywhere close to a sewer without bending down to shout “HELLOOOO! btbtbtbtbt OCTOPUS!” No clue where he got the idea that there’s an octopus living in the sewers and looking for a casual chat, but it makes me laugh every single time
Long ago I developed the habit of lying down and listening to the dozens of audio tapes of Ram Dass’s talks I’d collected. They delighted me with their humor and broad perspective on life and time and who we really are. That broad perspective helped put my depression and hopelessness into a gigantic context and infinite time frame. I never felt alone when he was speaking. Having one of our dogs or cats snuggled up with me at the time always helped, too. Some days I’d spend several hours with Ram Dass, sometimes way into the night, too. When I was otherwise totally non-functional, I’d hang out the him. Nowadays his audios are available online.
Love the idea of finding delight instead of gratitude. I, too, struggle with feeling guilty that I’m not grateful enough for what I have, when depression sneaks in. Some things that bring me delight are smelling the aroma of a good cup of coffee I’m about to sip, my boys’ infectious laughter when they find something hysterically funny, and fuzzy socks on a cold day
Love this idea! One thing that delights me is the sun glinting off newly fallen snow! 🙂
Silly, but one of my cats’ fur smells really good, he has his own unique scent. I love to cuddle him and smell his fur and he loves me enough to tolerate it
Playing with Oobleck give me delight 🙂 It’s easy to make and easy dispose of when you’ve had enough of that kind of fun…
A few things: I have a new piano, and I’ve been enjoying finding music for it almost as much as actually playing it. I LOVE sitting down and playing the piano, and that I can. I also take delight from surprise snacks, and from Keas. I don’t know if you have ever met a Kea, but they are pure delight in parrot form.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/03/laughter-kea-birds-new-zealand-contagious/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksHNmEF8a5o
Just saw this quote today and thought some people might like it:
“Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world. All things break. And all things can be mended. Not with time, as they say, but with intention. So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. The broken world waits in darkness for the light that is you.”
— L.R. Knost
I can’t help but feel the Universe read this post and said, “Get that lady some snow in Central Texas to DELIGHT her!!”
I am just delighted that you put on the fireplace and the AC and let them right it out. I do that with the humidifier and the dehumidifier. 😘
When it’s snowing-and accumulating quickly- sitting in my lounge chair indoors, with a cat on my lap and my feet up. Not having to go to work! This hasn’t happened yet this year in Maryland.
When one or more of the wool dryer balls make their way into a sweatpant leg or long-sleeve t-shirt arm and I have to shake them out. I’m usually rage-emptying the dryer, but when that happens, it flips a switch in my brain and I’m filled with delight and glee. It looks so funny and I imagine the dryer ball thinking they’ll go on an little adventure while doing their job.
I so identify with this. Delight = my house rabbits—except when they chew up my books!
When someone roars past me in annoyance and then, ends up next to me at the stoplight!
I’m taking care of a friend’s cat. I’m also going through a period of time where I’m reconnecting with long-buried emotions from a wonky childhood. These two are related. This cat doesn’t actively dislike me, but is a cat and is therefore not that much into my overtures of love and cuddles. But when I am crying or being in touch with a strong emotion of grief or rage, this cat comes and finds me and sits quietly by. And it reminds me of my childhood cat, who did the exact same thing. And when this cat does that I am filled with sudden joy, like someone thinks my emotions are important. And the moment that happens that cat is off again making her rounds through the house. It’s like she’s an emotional roomba. I love her and her mysterious ways.
When my cat turns over and wants his belly rubbed. It’s like fluffy jello, which sounds terrible if we’re talking about actual jello, but is actually quite pleasant for a cat. Also, I’m weirdly delighted whenever I get to create or fix something in Excel. I do t know why, but spreadsheets make me feel like a badass.
Saying our chihuahua Porky’s name with a rolled “r” (Porrrrrrky) makes my almost-2 year old giggle and that brings me delight!
I am absolutely tickled every time I see: 1) unlikely animal friendships like a cow and a dog or maybe an iguana and baby chicken, 2) little cats stealing giant dogs’ beds, 3) stories of athletic heroism. YouTube is great for all of these things. I am thankful for YouTube.
Sending love and commiseration. Lately I’ve been falling asleep to “Tales from Beyond The Pale: The Chambers Tape”, which would be the perfect relaxation audio if the narrative framing and interruptions were removed. (I may not be grasping the point of radio plays.) It’s ridiculously effective and I would very much like for Misha Collins to read ALL THE THINGS.
Gratitude carries its own weight. When you add it to depression, the entire burden becomes overwhelming. I also turn to delight when things become dark and heavy. The word describes what it does so perfectly it’s some equivalent of onomatopoeia. DeLIGHT eases the load you’re carrying, and drives back the darkness in your soul. And now I have this song in my head: https://youtu.be/NhjSzjoU7OQ (Birdhouse in Your Soul by They Might Be Giants).
When I was at my lowest point, I would remind myself that the Harry Potter series wasn’t finished yet. It was enough to get me through, because it was something I shared with my kids – I read a chapter a night at bedtime when they were small, all the way through book 4. Not only did I want to see how it played out, I wanted to see them experience it too.
What delights me now:
~ Reading. Anything that grabs my interest and sounds like a good story, or something I want to explore deeper. I’m currently reading The Demon-Haunted World, by Carl Sagan; and The End of the world Running Club, by Adrian J. Walker
~ Words. The way they sound and feel, finding the right combination for that perfect phrase, discovering their origins. The website, Seventh Sanctum, is my favorite sandbox to play in!
~ Sewing. I recently started getting back into it out of necessity. All my pajama pants wore out at once, which is unacceptable, and I couldn’t find anything worthy of replacing them. So to the fabric store, for flannel and thread and elastic and ribbon. I’m wearing my first pair now. They’re too big, and I didn’t bother to match the plaid, but the flannel is soft on my skin, a new friend that I’ve somehow known forever. I’m already planning how I’ll adjust the next ones to fit better, and I know the next thing I want to make after that.
~ Crochet. I’m just starting to learn, and finding it so much easier to understand than knitting. I’ve made a few small projects: hats, a pair of baby booties, and a couple toy octopi. I had to unravel the beginnings of a scarf because the pattern confused me, so I’m going to try again with something simpler for now. My brain is enjoying the creative challenge of learning something new.
The common thread is distraction, giving my brain something to chew on so it doesn’t dwell on all the crap it’s stored in the attic. Or basement. Or in various closets.
Sitting on my front porch, either reading or just watching my neighborhood; walking barefoot in fresh cut grass; a cold glass of brewed ice tea with mint and lemon. Reading!
I’m delighted when I google a random idea and find exactly what I’m thinking of, like “see, I’m not the only one who thought of that!” then I’m a little disappointed that I wasn’t the only one who thought of that…but still delighted 🙂
Okay. It’s winter where I am and that means I’m struggling hard against my depression. My first thought was “Jenny doesn’t want my delights. She wants delights from all her regular people, her posse, her family.” My depression doesn’t allow that I could be a member of this family – I’m too old, too … whatever. Just TOO. Then I saw that you had nearly 500 responses. So what could I possibly add? How could things that delight me be important?
But depression lies. I know this even when I can’t feel it. So I am putting my delights here, to spite the voices in my head.
I am delighted by the fact that my phone is also a camera. I’m old enough to remember when phones were just phones and tied to the wall. And then you could get big chunky car phones. NOW my phone does everything. I love taking pictures and now I always can. It’s magic.
Also, I live in the country so when the sky is clear at night I can see stars. Thousands and thousands of stars. And in the winter I can see stars without being eaten by bugs. I get cold toes but no bug bites.
And the sound of snow falling. That feels like magic too. There’s the hush, but also when conditions are right, you can hear the snow landing.
I’m so happy you asked the question, Jenny because it’s important to me that I can remember the things that delight me when I’m struggling to get through the day.
Jenny,
Just remember that depression lies!
Today, I had the joy of watching a stork land in a stork nest while I was driving home!
(I live in the Kaiserslautern Military Community (KMC) of southwestern Germany. I live amongst 50-70K people who are either in our US Air Force or US Army, with a few others from various other branches of the military.)
This stork must be a bit confused, because this is usually the time of year that storks are over-wintering in Africa. Yet, this stork needed to land here.
In Bann, Germany.
At the hotel Zum Stochennest.de.
While I was driving home.
But, it’s a bit too early for spring, and too late for winter, here.
I suspect it may have fledged from this location, and now wants to attract a mate. The nest is on a pole high above an enclosure with storks that are being rehabilitated. There are also chickens scrambling around in the yard outside the enclosure. This location is on the migration route for storks, so we get to see many as they move along their annual path,
Storks are harbingers of good luck ,when they nest above your house. I’m assuming they bring luck when you watch them land in a nest, too. If that’s not the case, it makes no never-mind to me, because I’m ready for some positive vibes in my life, for a change! I shall will it into being!
I hope you find delight in all the joy you invited in today, Jenny. I know this post will bring joy to many of your readers, as well!
Thank you for that!
My mother is in rehab after a fall in which she broke her neck. She is slowly regaining use of her arms, and we are hoping more will follow. My father, although still quite cognizant has Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and severe cardiac issues. AAAnd I have an 11 year old boy – so you understand stress levels. One of the things I LOVE is that we have free use of the galley on her floor in the rehab. They have this fabulous dispenser with cold filtered water and CRUSHED ICE!!!! I’m talking better than Sonic quality ice here. I bring my empty water bottle with me every day when we visit, fill up with that ice and water. It makes me smile every time. And yep I top off before we leave.
The way snails stick their feelers out and then can squish their whole head back in
I found Furiously Happy when I needed it the most. It delighted me!
Also, one of my cats loves me like a dog loves their human. The love is appreciated and returned.
When you finish reading a book and the next one in the series is not only available through the library, but there’s no holds ahead of you and you can just dive back into the world.
I managed to sew my first sleeve on a garment even though patterns usually look like extreme math word problems to me. It’s a small win/delight but I’ll take it!
My dog PIP.
When my dog has the hiccups.
Giant pompom hats for dachshunds.
Crushed potato chips with garlic powder, dill and real vinegar.
Dark chocolate coconut bliss ice cream with raspberry jam and salted nuts.
Floating in freshwater or sea water.
That moment around dinner time when I finally stop feeling like garbage for a few hours.
I delight in the pure innocence of a baby’s eyes. My dog’s face looking at me after he has pooped on the rug, knowing he did something wrong and yet, weirdly, it brings me a sense of peace mixed in with my frustration. And right now it’s a dark and dreary day and rain is pouring down, but it gives me such delight.
I JUST listened to that episode and whole heartedly agree. The demands of finding gratitude is daunting and makes me feel worse when I can’t think of anything new in a moment. But the way my dog stares up a tree when she things there’s a squirrel delights me. And I’ll find something new today to be delighted by.
I have a pair of socks that say “you fancy bitch” and every time I wear them I feel fancy
Independent book stores, pretty colored pens, cups of tea, getting my subscription underpants in the mail, pretty yarn for weaving, exotic pet stores
YOU delight me. Your books bring me delight. I practice gratefulness, but from now on I will keep a delights journal. Will you give us a book of delights drawing?
Purring, storms, the first taste of coffee in the morning, changing seasons, that incredible clarity when depression lifts, the sound of a river over rocks, giant snowflakes, sobbing after finishing a book.
Listening to Dolly Parton delights me! She has delighted me since I was 12 years old!
I get delight from 13 year old boy snuggles and a 15 year old girl who says “can I give hug?” Then she says “yaaayyy” during the hug. I also get the struggle. When I was younger, I felt I didn’t deserve good things. Food. Food was one of the “good things” I didn’t deserve. So I would go days without actually eating. It may have looked to others that I was eating, but I wasn’t. Now. Now I realize how destructive that was. And when I start to falter, I read your blog, or listen to you on Audible with my 15 year old who struggles with severe anxiety. And we get through the lies and the lies with you.
I delight in live music and room to dance to it. Also, that certain look that my son gets when he is delighted sends me over the moon. Soft beach sand and the sound of the surf. A book that sucks me in and drags me along so much that I completely lose track of time. Kick ass harmony thrills me.
Is hat delights me is turning on some music and being creative. I like to paint with watercolor. I am not good, but sometimes if I can express my feelings through art then they are not so overwhelming. I can paint a place where I can escape to and feel safe. That place is usually at the beach. I can close my eyes and l hear the beautiful song of the ocean and everything around me.
Definitely when I stuff my entire face in my cats floof. This brings me maximum delight.
Google brings be delight. I use it to prove me right (or others wrong), help my kid find countries I thought were on a map in a Lord of the Rings book, and to figure out the difference between delight and pleasure. Your blog pleases me. And often brings me delight.
What can’t google do….
So today when it was time to pick up our dog (80 pounds) from doggy daycare (I know…spoiled) I had to go to the bank in the same parking lot, so my husband and I split up. I got to the car after they were already in it and my dog jumped up between the two front seats and began giving me doggy kisses like she had been afraid I wasn’t going to be show up. Boy, what love.
Hearing the songs that I’ve written in my head come to life when I create the music and vocals.
The hope that Booksgiving is coming soon is what delights me!!
I found reading these comments delightful. I personally just found the perfect pen and I delight in writing with it. I keep finding excuses to write things down.
When one of my office mates brings me an apple for lunch because they know that’s my FAVORITE lunch
The first sip from the first cup of coffee each morning delights me in a way that cannot be described. No other sip is as good. At the end of the day, I find myself looking forward to the next morning because of it.
Listening to sad or angry songs. They make me feel less alone in my depression. Favourites include Rainy Days and Mondays or Superstar by The Carpenters, pretty much anything from Alanis Morisette’s Jagged Little Pill.
It’s delightful when my 10yo boy still wants me to read to him at bedtime. We don’t do it often anymore, but he enjoys it so much when I take time to do it.
It’s also delightful how encouraging that 10yo is about my new hobby of embroidery. He always asks to see my progress when I have my project out and is excited for me. I like watching him respond to my new hobby a lot more than the hobby itself. 🙂
My bathroom, which I saved up for 10 years to remodel and then got the perfect blue stone tiles for the floor and a towel warmer for the wall (on a timer, so I have warm towels when I get out of the shower in the morning).
I am delighted by a cup of Earl Gray tea and a square of dark chocolate first thing in the morning.
I am usually delighted in myself when I am able to write an email that tells someone they are wrong, but in a way that doesn’t appear bitchy. When in reality I am cussing at their stupidity. I really delight in that. It’s nice to be able to tell someone they’re stupid and not get fired for it.
When we turn the power on, on the electric keyboard, a low note sounds for only maybe 1.5 seconds. I get a kick out of hearing that and sometimes just turn it on to hear that very low note. The tone is just below the very last C at the left of the keyboard.
It’s somehow comforting and not comforting to see that there are people out there who feel similar to myself. It’s just hard to always feel grateful although in the end it’s best to make the best of every woke minute.
I delight in hugs from my teenage son. Spending time with my daughter when she is home from college. Dinners out with my husband. Doing what I call “comfort reading” which is when I read the same books I have read a hundred times. Sometimes its nice to just escape in a book without having to think too much or pay too much attention.
Looking at a stack of books I haven’t read yet. My cats purring when they cuddle with me. Experiencing some wonderful moment in the theater. Giving it all I’ve got in karate and coming out exhausted and feeling invincible at the same time. Playing with my 3-year-old great-nephew. Seeing a cardinal outside my home office window.
I’m grateful for my daughter’s smile, the series of books that I’m reading now (Chicagoland), and healthy homemade baked muffins, which I like to share with co-workers, friends, and family.
I’m delighted by the interactions I have with children in my job as a children’s librarian. They ask the best questions. “Do you have any books with cute kittens in them?” is an all-time favorite, as well as “how do you get your hair to be purple?” I’m delighted, too, when we bring in therapy dogs for kids to read to and kids who didn’t know there was a dog in the building flock to them and very politely (but enthusiastically!) ask to pet them. It’s always lovely.
A t-rex wearing a superhero cape greeting me when I open my spice cabinet delights me (as does the t-rex skeleton guarding the coffee mugs, and Rex from Toy Story next to the rice canister in the pantry, and the t-rex who holds my mixer cord in the baking cabinet). A bit of silliness is necessary in this world.
The sound of my pug snoring delights me. Lucky for me, pugs snore the vast majority of the time. For example, just because your pug is lying there snoring does NOT mean she’s asleep. She’s just in pug default mode. And that includes snoring.
Things that are accidentally funny. Things that are funny on purpose come in a close second.
Today’s delight is finding iris and Eryngium tubers/roots at Costco, and having a couple of good places in the yard where they will do well, and having enough money to purchase them. I can’t wait to get them into the ground!
I’m crying so much it fucked up my mascara 🤣🤣🤣
Oops. Wrong post
Taxidermy animals with jazz hands. Bob Fosse would be delighted. I know Cats made a comeback but FFS why has there not been more casts of forest animals on Broadway snapping fingers and pizzazzing all that jazz in full fur costumes? Let’s see Chicago with a full rat costume cast. Cabaret, of course, would be raccoons (because Liza basically had raccoon eye makeup, duh). 42nd Street? Dogs, hedgehogs, penguins.
Sending and receiving letters in the mail gives me delight. So do birds at my bird feeder and my plants blooming.
I saw something today that delighted me from head to toe – it was a Mastercard commercial on BravoTV. Some buskers are playing in a subway/train station and a lady with a sign that reads DANCE AND I’LL TAP YOU THROUGH and I nearly cried with delight at the sheer joy it brought me watching all those people dance through the turnstile. <3
Reading socks from Chapters. Warm feet in winter make me happy and I put them on as soon as I get home from work.
I delight in being able to explore and lose myself in a bookstore. I get so relaxed and excited about finding new books to read! I hope everyone who reads this is able to find something you can delight in at this very moment. You are special and worthwhile. This is my first time commenting but I have been following for years. Jenny, you are amazing and have helped me through so many hard times. You deserve the very best. ♥️
Nearly anything you write, as long as you’re not having a bad day, delights me. My pup & how crazy excited she gets when we’re getting ready to go for a walk. Spontaneously hearing an old song that I love on the weird radio station I listen to in the car. Getting an unexpected postcard in the mail (I send a lot out but I don’t receive a lot), Getting rid of stuff I don’t need & freeing up space in my life, and knowing that someone else will enjoy that stuff, at least for a while. Being in nature. Petting a horse on it’s soft fuzzy nose, especially when it obviously enjoys it. This page because it has opened up my mind to many new things I might delight in. Thank you.
When you look at a baby or a little kid and there’s that pause while they assess…and then their little face lights up like a gift JUST FOR YOU. That’s magical, right there.
I started keeping a list of things that make me laugh–podcasts, articles, whatever. I bookmark the site pages in a folder on my computer. Also, Gail Carriger’s books, because they are always a comfort read.
I find writing in a gratitude journal is more helpful when I’m feeling depressed rather than when I’m not. You’re right, looking back over the pages while feeling depressed that you wrote when not depressed wouldn’t help. But when I am depressed forcing myself to find small things to feel grateful for (my husband took the trash out without having to be asked, I got to sleep an extra half hour this morning, my toast didn’t burn) can really have a positive effect on my mental status. You might consider giving that strategy a try.
I keep a happy list. Memories of times in my life that I’ve been very happy. Then when I’m in the post anxiety attack seven week doldrums, I’ll re-read the list and try to picture it in my mind exactly how it happened. Sometimes I’ll get a blip of happiness, but most of all it reminds me that life is worth living.
A fire cracker I had had for years, finally pulled it out. A tiny thing. We lit it and it twirled around in circles and then suddenly, it SHOT into the sky and disappeared. I laughed out loud. The safety instructions I read later said “This item spins on ground with light then flys up into the sky at high speed! Light Fuse and get away!” Delightful.
The trick to gratitude is saying thank you for things you are actually happy about–and TO someone/thing. So “I am grateful for my skills, which I am totally squandering, so fuck me” sucks, but “Thank you Great Spaghetti Monster in the Sky for this awesome book I’m reading” actually makes you feel a little better. And right now I’m delighting in the birds who are taking turns visiting my feeder. How do they know who is next? Thank you spaghetti monster for polite birds!
Laughter
You mentioning crunchy grapes in chicken salad delighted me, because my mom used to do this to chicken salad and I hadn’t thought of it in years. I thought that my mom was the only one. It delighted me that this distant memory of my mom and eating at our family table was brought back to me.
I didn’t read all of the comments above, so forgive me if it’s already been said…..I had a fireplace/heater similar to that. It had a setting where you could have on only the ‘flames’, and not the heat. Not quite the same, I know, but still cozy! Maybe see if yours does?
My dog, Hula, likes to put her nose up my sleeve and just keeps it there. I like that a lot.
I am continually dismayed AND delighted that my children have such imaginations. It drives me crazy and amazes me at the same time. There’s a whole slew of half naked barbies who are teen moms and their boyfriends go to jail for ? I can’t remember anymore but those barbies are working hard for those baby daddies and the moms are picking up the slack and the kids are straight up raising themselves. I die with laughter when they’re all up in their VERY intense imaginary worlds.
I’ve been baking bread and other yeasty things lately. I get such a giggle when I see the dough rising. It smells so good and I MADE THAT. I made a child too, and don’t get half as much delight from her. Also, she’s 19, so there’s a bit of reason for why I sometimes like bread better than my child right now.
My fireplace delights me. And my cats, especially Anna who wants to curl up with me and spoon at night…and Tabitha who runs from wherever she is to jump on my legs the instant she hears me sit on the couch (which isn’t often)…and Milo who nibbles my fingers and cleans my face every morning.
I’m also delighted by snuggling with my daughter every Sunday while I read the comics to her, even though she’s plenty old to read them herself.
I find delight in my spouse surprising me with a homemade latte.
I am delighted when there are blueberries or pomegranate arils in my salad.
Reading your books or posts always brings me delight – it’s like getting an unexpected letter from a friend! ♥️
That San Francisco has parrots. Every time they fly by I am delighted something so beautiful and random and quirky and wrong exists in my world.
Reading your blog and learning by reading books.
I am actually getting a massage today and I cannot wait for it!
Most Stuf Oreos.
Hearing my children say things in exactly the same tone and attitude I’d use always makes me light up. Getting kisses from my pupper, or a hug from my cat (she literally wraps her legs around me and hugs me), or looking at my ridiculously cute planter that my husband got for me on my birthday.
My new just-for-me-and-no-one-else hanging book shelf,
My purple fuzzy bathrobe.
Books, books, books.
Incandescent, lose-yourself-in-music moments.
Snuggling with doggos and kittehs.
See’s Dark Chocolate California Brittle
Snuggling down to bed
My Christmas tree is still up. And decorated.
Every night I come home and sit on my Target clearance faux shearling chair, light that sucker up, and bathe in the glow of the twinkling lights.
Someday soon it will have to come down, I mean even the cats have lost interest in yanking stuff off, but for now it’s still magical.
I delight in finding things funny that other people don’t. It’s kinda like schadenfreude actually, but I’m delighting in my own personal perception that what the other person considers a misfortune, isn’t really a misfortune. Or maybe we translated schadenfreude wrong. Or maybe as Simon Cowell says “the dark side is now the light side.” Simon, in case you want to know, delights in boogie dancing, hip thrusting storm troopers. Just sayin’
What delights me? Bubble baths. My Kindle, usually watching a goofy show I’ve seen a million times. Or sometimes, a good book. Quiet music in the background if I’m reading.
My anxiety and depression have been pretty rough lately, and people keep telling me it’s the moon. I don’t know if that’s how the universe works, but whatever is bringing me down, I’m also delighted that I can take the space I need. I’m with you on the gratitude journal – it’s the same reason yoga doesn’t relax me necessarily. Telling me WHEN to breathe just makes me think I’m not breathing RIGHT and then I freak out. Scumbag brain.
In any case, I’m glad you’re finding your delights.
All the comments you get are a delight to me!
I read through so many of these but honestly I have nothing. I can’t think of one thing that delights me or makes me happy. I work, I go take care of my elderly mom, I go take care of my dogs and visit the one in the hospital and if I’m lucky I zone out to mindless sitcoms until bedtime. It’s been this way for months and there’s just no good in my world. I can’t remember anything that brings me joy or happiness.
Most days, it’s hard to find it. One of the few singular things from my childhood that brings me to a moment of happiness is the smell of wood smoke when I step outside on a cold day. I remember my grandfather stoking the fire in the basement of his and my grandmothers huge house out in the middle of nowhere. That house always felt as isolated and singular as I did growing up. Alone. And cold. And up a dirt and gravel road no one wants to go up. But that smell. I remember being happy smelling that wood smoke. Don’t ask me why, but if I am lucky enough to smell it when I go out I remember some beautiful feeling, I look for it when I can. Thank you.
I took great delight tonight in sitting my chair in the porch to our new house and looking at the garden. There’s lots to do, but I know this spot will bring me much joy. The cricket outside the house that made my husband smile and the bird song earlier in the evening.
Lying in bed with my cat purring and a small bag of champagne/rose gummies from Target. That is delight.
It delights me when my tiny kitten lies in wait to ambush me when I leave a room or round a corner. He stands up on his back legs and waves his paws around in the air like he was a bear, then shakes his head, pivots and races away. At no point does he actually attack me. I find myself laughing spontaneously every single time.
I hear that same podcast and latched onto it! Gratitude is great and all but delight- cats are delightful. My bearded dragon is delightful. I can focus on that to get me through a crappy day.
In my family, we love NPR hosts’/reporters’ names. Our favorites are David Folkenflik and Neda Ulaby. We shout “Folkenflik!” or “Ulaby!” whenever we hear them on the radio, and then applaud and laugh. We are giant dorks, and it is delightful to me :).
Such a beautiful post! I’ve also listened to that This American Life episode this week (during a hurricane in my town) and I’ve gotten so many messages to be delightful DESPITE everything. Still it’s been a tough week but now I’m finally off work and I sit here at home, I have ginger tea with honey and cookies, I’ve lit a candle and my christmas lights, I’m reading blogs and I feel at peace – this is what delights me right now.
Also yesterday this interview with Kesha gave me hope: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvD3uyqcZnM
Her new album is simply full of happy songs and I love her philosophy <3 I hope this helps.
I’m grateful for internet to allow me to have things to pass time.
I’m grateful for my dogs. They are amazing and would never let me down.
I have so many going through my mind right now but I’ll share two and they both involve books.
I work in a public library and one thing that delights me and soothes my soul is that first hour before we open when I am one of the few staff members there. It is so peaceful and still as I walk through the stacks, tidying things. Just being around books brings me comfort.
Secondly, I love going to a bookstore with my husband. We have somewhat different taste in books so we typically split up but once or twice we’ll run into each other as we browse around the store. It’s always a nice surprise to turn a corner and see him there.
Clean sheets. I just changed them on the bed and I might have to go to bed early for once in my life b/c I love clean sheets and the way they feel so much. Also sweatshirts and sweatpants b/c I wish I could live in them all day everyday but I am a teacher so I have to be professional.
I also love walking through libraries and bookstores and if I didn’t have a toddler I’d probably stay in one of them for a whole entire day.
It delights me when the dog park is empty and I can play with my dog in peace. She’s dog reactive and I’m people reactive so we go to the park really early when it’s empty and the sun is just rising and we can be just the right amount of crazy with each other.
Thanks for this post..delight without gratitude is a concept I can get behind.
Your delight delights me
You perfectly captured that circle of hell where your depressed and then you feel even more depressed for being depressed. A really amazing book I can’t put down. The Nightingale helped me through a recent bout.
I was telling my daughter about this post and how you (the Bloggess) are one of the things that regularly delights me, and she said I should tell you that, so I am. Thank you for regularly delighting me and often making me laugh til I pee my pants! You are a delight! 🥰
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I delight in the sound of the Cello when Yo-yo Ma plays. It’s like the instrument is speaking to my soul. Even on those days when I can’t find any good emotions, his music moves me.
When we let our dogs out in the winter, one of them ALWAYS does a bounding leap over the teeny snowdrift outside the door. I love that! (She never does that when there is no snow.)
I’m a bit late to this discussion, but listen to Act 2 of 5 of This American Life episode 692. The utter delight of waiting for the school bus has brought me endless smiles.
https://www.thisamericanlife.org/692/the-show-of-delights/act-two-5
My sweet puppy. Whether he greets me with a wiggle butt/tail, or licks my tears away, or trustingly cuddles up and sleeps on me…he is my joy.
New York City
you get are a delight to me!
Going for an early morning walk (time and weather permitting). Not hooked up to a machine. Just taking in the sights, the sky and my own thoughts.