The Little Things

Experiential Epicure

I live just south of the Brecon Beacons in Wales, it is a beautiful part of the country, walking the dogs this morning I could see the snow on the peaks in the distance.

Unfortunately I can’t get up there walking, as I have to go off to do a talk for a corporation.

One of things that really turned me off this current coaching scene is the constant striving, the “be the best you can be” rhetoric, the constant need to improve and prove yourself (to who?), it is the domain of the desperately insecure and why it seems to attract the nerdier (and needier) element of society. Who often end up just kidding themselves that they are better, cooler, smarter and more capable than they actually are. Who over use adjectives like “excellent” and “outstanding” and have fake smiles plastered across their faces, afraid to admit they feel a little tired, or a bit down occasionally…

I was watching spooks last night (strange how things crop up in the most unexpected places) and one of the characters said the following quote:

“Happiness isn’t about getting what you want, it is about appreciating what you have.”

You think you life is really bad and there is nothing to appreciate? Allow me to draw your attention to my very good friend Steve, who has done a good bit of media lately. He is a tetraplegic, basically he his paralysed from the neck, has been for 25 years (we recently celebrated his anniversary – anything is a good excuse for a party, right?!). He was interviewed because of the sad story of the rugby player Daniel James who died in assisted suicide. Steve was asked his opinion on it. And he said his advice to people in the same situation? Don’t do it, you can always find something you appreciate in what you have got, friends, family, doing something for the community, it could be even more simple than that, a favourite food, activity, film.

We seem to think things need to be BIG to be good, we have lost the appreciation of the little things. But the “little” things are often much bigger than the BIG things. It is just the way we look at things. Think about it.

Me? Seeing the beautiful sight of the snow on the Brecon’s was enough for me today. What more do I need. What about you? Why not make a list of the things, the little things, that you do or have now, that you may over look or take for granted that make you happy.