How to Live a More Pleasure Filled Life
Mmmmmm…. pleasure.
What does that word bring up for you?
The word pleasure is so often associated with sexuality.
Yet when I googled the word, the first description that came up was… a feeling of happy satisfaction and enjoyment.
Sexual pleasure is something I am totally on board with - as a coach specialising in intimacy, and studying sexuality then of course I am - but today I want to talk about pleasure that is not related directly to sexuality.
I recently introduced a new mantra into my life… I devote myself to pleasure.
What does this mean?
Well - to me it means I use pleasure as an anchor in my day. Everyday. I devote and commit to finding as much pleasure in my day as I possibly can.
It takes some practice - because of course there are some tasks that feel a bit ‘bleurgh’, and because there is a lot of social conditioning around experiencing pleasure, but actually there are ways that even the most mundane tasks can feel pleasurable.
A few ways to receive more pleasure in your daily life…
Write the word pleasure at the top of your to do list, or somewhere you will see it as often as possible. (I actually have it on my vision board which is positioned in front of my computer so whenever I am working I can see it)
Make yourself a playlist of songs that bring you pleasure. The ones that spark that tingle of excitement and happiness within you - then when you are doing something mundane that isn’t typically a pleasurable task - play the music.
Focus on what feels good. We so often put our attention on the uncomfortable sensations in our body - and dismiss the ones that feel good. Our brains tend to go towards the negative naturally, so we need to practice and train them to feel the good. For example, when you are walking up a steep hill (pushing a buggy in my case) instead of putting your attention on the heaviness on your legs, can you shift it to feeling the breeze on your face, or the sun on your skin, or how good it feels to take a long breath of air?
Everyday self touch. I consider this to be the kind of touch that will make us feel soothed and supported. Of course this can be in a sensual, intimate way - but equally it can be simply rubbing your own feet, self massaging your shoulders, or stroking the skin on your arms.
Bring pleasure into your non negotiable self care routine. We may believe that there is not time for pleasurable moments in a busy life but, could you bring them into your daily care routines? A daily shower routine is the perfect time to focus on pleasure - feeling the water run on your skin, massaging your scalp as you wash your hair, massaging your moisturiser into your skin with the intention of feeling good - all of these can be easily integrated without taking up lots of time or effort.
Move in a way that feels pleasureFULL. There is a time for hardcore exercise that feels intense, and then there is a time for movement that feels juicy. Make sure you are not just focusing on the first and disregarding the second! Yoga, as an example, is often a practice that we go to when we feel tight and tense - and sometimes the poses themselves can be really intense and uncomfortable - there is a time and a place for this and working with our edge is beneficial, but balancing this with moving in a way that feels enjoyable is equally important.
Infuse eating with pleasure. Instead of rushing and devouring your meals without giving them a second thought - can you connect to pleasure while you eat them. The pleasure of biting into a juicy piece of fruit, the pleasure of a square of chocolate melting in your mouth, the pleasure in the smell, the textures, the tastes of every morsel of food you eat.
Remind yourself that you are worthy of pleasure. Sometimes we deny ourselves pleasure because we don’t feel deserving of it. Try one of these mantras… I am worthy of pleasure. I am worthy of living a pleasure filled life. I am worthy of experiencing pleasure. (if this speaks to you and you want to dive deeper - then get in touch to discuss how I could support you)
So here are just a handful of ways you can bring more pleasure into your daily life.
Now over to you, what could you do to bring more pleasure into your day?
What would your day look like if you underpinned it with pleasure?
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU IN THE COMMENTS IF YOU FIND YOURSELF ENJOYING A MORE PLEASURE-FILLED LIFE WITH THE HELP OF THESE REFLECTIONS.
Lx
