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Recoding Small Little Things in Life For Pure Joy

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Working with assignments piles up like mountains with a suffocating atmosphere. Is that what you are experiencing as a teenager under this cutthroat education system? 

Tutorial class after school every day, drawing class on Monday, football practice on Tuesday…Days like this make you feel like a never-ending loop. Are you feeling bored with your life? We often think ordinary days are boring, waiting only for special days like birthdays and holidays to feel excited. Nevertheless, in this pressure-cooker society, recording small little things that make you grateful in our everyday life may bring simple and a much-needed sense of happiness.

In bustling Hong Kong, it is a unanimous consensus that we are living in a fast-paced city. So how can we still have time to record the small little things?

For me, after a rushed day, I like to calm myself down and reflect on what happened that day. For instance, I saw a beautiful and warm sunset after tutorial class, finally I completed a long English composition, or I had an incredible lunch meal. I will record these moments in my diary or on my private Instagram story. Whenever I’m feeling stressed or facing a setback, I simply read my diary or scroll back through my Instagram story. It reminds me that happiness doesn’t have to be complicated. There is actually so much to appreciate and jubilant about in the world. When we are not taking everything as a matter of special, it becomes easier to find joy in these small little things.

What does it mean by savouring?

Recording these tiny moments in life is actually a concept of Savoring or practicing gratitude. Introduced by Bryant and Veroff in 2007, savoring refers to the overall experience while intentionally focusing your attention on appreciating positive events. This concept is especially relevant to us as teenagers, helping us find value in the middle of our busy lives. 

In this unforgiving ecosystem, numerous expectations from parents and social comparisons are amplified. Thoughts like “I am not good enough”, “I am still not the best compared with others” always cloud our minds when we review our academic results and extracurricular activities’ achievements. By practising the concept of savouring, it potentially increases self-esteem and shifts the focus to positive experiences, which helps us escape this vicious cycle.

Tick off life’s small victories

Recording small little things is just like ticking a box-ticker. When we savor, we get to revisit positive experiences from the past, enjoy the present, and anticipate optimistic events. Even if it’s just completing a long composition for an assignment or surviving a feel day of studying, taking that box symbolises a successful day! We should be proud of ourselves for the effort paid off for these small victories in life. Over time, this builds our self-confidence and helps stop the thought of comparing ourselves to others, allowing us to live at our own pace.

Here are the steps you can follow to practise recording small little things in life:

  1. After completing all the necessary tasks, sit down and calm yourself for a few minutes. You can play some music to make yourself feel relaxed and comfortable during this time!
  2. Rethink each detail of your life for the whole day.
  3. Get a pen to write down things that make you feel glad or you can record it on your Instagram story!
  4. Slowly read each small little things you have recorded down, savour those fruitful and meaningful moments again.
  5. Congratulations! You have ticked the box and celebrated the small victories!

Starting from today, let’s gain this simple joy in life. Grant our small little things together, escaping from the race for a while. It’s ok to take a breath and rest.

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