Pleasure feels like a dirty word. All too often, the language of “pleasure” becomes one of sex— consistently associated with eroticism. When I hear “pleasure,” I think of orgasm, not a walk by the water’s edge, or the smell of fresh-cut flowers. But pleasure is not a dirty word, and treating it as such erases the importance of prioritizing and integrating pleasure into your own quotidian machinations.

The human experience is a hodgepodge of sorrows and joys, daily obligations coupled with mind-blowing encounters, relationships that drain you bone dry, and connections that fill your cup until it spills over the edge with love and gratitude. This collection of moments becomes a unique and irreplicable human life. To have the fondest reflection on your life, I invite you to experiment with the art of taking pleasure.

In this moment, you take time out from your day to read a little compilation of words and ideas from a stranger, you do your part to feel pocket-sized sparks of pleasure. Every high we chase, every party we attend, every soup we slurp—all manifestations of the human predisposition to seek pleasure. Of course, there is pleasure in sex and intimacy— some of the rarest and most explosive— but consider this a reclamation of the opportunities for pleasure that exist at every turn. A call to reintegrate pleasure into all that you do, and to revel in the moments in which you feel it.

To seek pleasure begins with infusing it into your routine. Instead of rushing to get a coffee and chugging it to sooner induce the caffeine rush you need to propel yourself through the day, enjoy the way it tastes. Find comfort in the warmth of the mug it comes in. Smile at the person who hands it to you. Notice if this cup tastes a bit different than yesterday’s.

When you take a shower, restore yourself. Feel the water run over your skin, and shampoo like you care. Fill your bathroom with products that make you happy— the kind that are good for the Earth and your skin.

Curate the places you live in. Surround yourself with colors and art and fall in love with the way your space reflects light.

Have a piece of cake at midnight and listen to songs that move you because it feels good. Most importantly, understand that not everything needs to serve a purpose. We are allowed to slow down, and so, I implore you to do so.

Consider this an invitation to resignation and patience. Pleasure does not mean earth-shattering climax, nor is pleasure synonymous with being sloth or unmotivated. A life that emphasizes pleasure is one that takes the unremarkable and peppers in a little joie de vivre. In your bustling youth and through your sage years, do not forget to prioritize the notes of your days that make you feel true pleasure. We have the power to fill our days with joy. This is the art of taking pleasure.

The Art of Taking Pleasure