The cup of tea is steaming. The evening sky with skiffs of pink paint strokes is transitioning to dark, and the boys are settling into their favorite nooks of the furniture.

Ending the day at home, in a home of one’s own is a priceless feeling. Trying to bottle, frame and not forget such deep calm or ever take it for granted is at the gentle forefront of my mind. And the need for a wall clock seems almost rude as savoring and losing track of time is the highest of priorities.

However, the sense of responsibility is cemented concretely, which almost instantaneously rearranges, or sets to align with, the priority of nurturing the home and its occupants.

Whatever your dream, whatever you are working to welcome into your life, if it has taken any type of sacrifice, any amount of time longer than the snap of your fingers or the swift click of purchasing, when it all materializes, the everyday moments will appear to be in technicolor. In my case, the first delivery from the UPS man, the first collection of mail from the mailbox in my new neighborhood and the introductions to each of the neighbors, even pulling the weeds to sharpen the yard, yep, everyday moments to savor.

But here is my goal, to savor each of these events just listed, along with oodles more of seemingly quotidian moments, with just as much glee twenty or thirty or even more years from now. Because in comparison to previous similar moments in my life, it has been the savoring of these everyday moments of appreciation that are making the difference in the quality of everyday life.

The ease at which we become acclimmated to changes in our lives is swifter than we may think possible. Whether the change is wanted or not, the capacity to adapt and become accustomed to “the way life is” is something that happens as a way to help us survive. But here’s the thing: We live in a civilized society, and how lucky we are. And because of this reality, a reality we each realize is a privilege and must not be taken for granted, we want to thrive. And this is when living consciously in our daily lives deepens the quality of our days.

When what we desire materializes, choosing to be conscious enables us to not take it for granted. Consciously living our daily lives enables us to celebrate the smallest, yet most anticipated ways of life that we had previously not had the pleasure to experience. In my case, waking up and going to bed in a sun-drenched home as opposed to a home that while cool inside, had very few windows in which I lived for four years.

And when what we do not want waltzes into our lives unexpectedly – whether a loss of someone or something loved, coming up short on a dream so hard fought for for so long, when we are living consciously, we can make sure it is temporary and be determined not to let it affect us negatively, dragging us lower than what we are capable of or becoming cynical about the world that seems to want to step on our toes.

Moving forward is most certainly a good thing, but to not ground ourselves in the present is to not choose a solid foundation from which to spring forward. And it is with a solid foundation of understanding, acknowledging and savoring what makes a good day that ensures many more will be in our future.

Wishing you a first week of September that is full of an abundance of everyday moments to savor. Bonne journée.

~Psst . . . The Simply Luxurious Kitchen‘s season two premiere will go live here on the blog this Saturday (September 7th). The first episode will take us to France, back to Oregon and into my kitchen. I do hope you stop by and check it out. Pour a cup of something delicious and settle in for 30 minutes of food, stories and fun in the kitchen.

SIMILAR POSTS/EPISODES YOU MIGHT ENJOY:

Learn How to Truly Savor Everyday Moments & Watch It Elevate Your Life, episode #163

36 Ways to Welcome Joie de Vivre into Your Everyday Life, episode #253

Savor Everyday Routines