After well over a year of lockdowns and living in the shadow of a pandemic, we’ve got a new perspective on lots of the small things in life as well as the big things.
We’re talking about those simple everyday treats and well-being activities – which we previously took for granted but now hold dear to our hearts.
So all hail the small pleasures – here are six of them making us smile right now!
- Sunshine
When you live in a country like Britain where it’s not uncommon to experience four seasons in one day, you’re always grateful for a properly sunny summer.
But the UK heatwave has felt even more special this time around – waking up in the sunshine to the sound of birdsong is such a tonic and those long, light evenings are deeply cathartic too!
- Music
While working at home we’ve rediscovered the joys of radio – how about you?
Top picks are Lauren Laverne on the 6 Music Breakfast show for a mix of new and classic 90s tunes as well as interesting banter, Kate Garraway on Smooth Radio with some laid-back 70s and 80s hits to ease you through lunchtime into the afternoon and Anne-Marie Minhall on Classic FM later in the day.
- Sport
Granted, it’s a shame that football didn’t come home – despite England putting up an excellent performance.
But between the Euros and Wimbledon, it has been a wonderful summer of sport – and remember that the Tokyo Olympics are still to come. For its unifying power, sport is making us smile.
- Books
There’s nothing like escaping into the pages of a good book for a while, and 2021 has been a vintage year for new page-turners.
Recommendations so far include Kazuo Ishiguro’s dystopian examination of AI and humanity Klara and the Sun, Raven Leilani’s Luster with its prickly observations on modern relationships and Rachel Cusk’s Second Place, a fascinating study of a female writer’s power struggle with a male artist.
- Hairdressers
Did you try to cut your hair during lockdown? Using a YouTube video as a guide?
Yup – ours was a disaster too. But it’s only making these wonderful professional haircuts after lockdown feel more special. Whether you get a five-minute buzzcut from a barber or spend hours in a plush salon chair, it’s an absolute pleasure.
- Dentists
Last but by no means least, dentists make us smile – see what we did there?
Visiting a cosmetic dentist London can improve your smile, which in turn can make you feel better about yourself and improve your self-confidence.
If you missed a few appointments during lockdown and you take pride in your teeth, you’ll know exactly how good it feels to have a skilled pro like Portman Smile Clinic take care of them again. You can opt for a basic cleaning to brighten up your smile. And now that we’re wearing masks a little less (while staying safe) we can enjoy swapping smiles with friends, relatives and perfect strangers – which is lovely!
We hope that you’ve been smiling at some of the same small pleasures as us – but if not, please let us know your alternatives in the comments section.