Why bother with fountain pens? They’re finicky, need refilling, and can be expensive. But ask yourself: why bother with anything?
Often, a small change can elevate an entire experience. Sure, a ballpoint is convenient, but does it pleasure you as the nib glides across the paper?
This isn’t just about pens. It’s about life.
Canned tomato sauce is easy, but where’s the joy? A cheap mattress saves money but at what cost to your sleep quality?
We often sleepwalk through life, unconscious of small pleasures. Yet when asked what we want, we say “to be happy.”
Ironically, we chase happiness in grand, intangible goals while it’s available daily in small doses.
A Journal of Consumer Research study found that investing in small, frequent pleasures brings more happiness than rare, expensive ones.
What gives you pleasure? Coffee? Grilling? Writing? Sleeping? It’s not the exceptional but the daily that shapes our joy.
Be intentional. Elevate the 80% of experiences you have each day without much thought. As Annie Dillard said, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”
Find joy in the small things. It’s waiting for you to notice.
