Embracing The "Basic" Pleasures Of Each Season Is Actually Good For Your Psyche

Fall might be the season with the most stereotypically “basic pleasures” (think apple picking, pumpkin spice lattes, and plaid), but every season has its own set of ritualistic, simple pleasures that make it special. Haters might scoff at those who embrace being basic, but seasonal rituals add a richness and variety to your life that’s actually good for your psyche. 

You know the law of supply and demand – limited supply increases demand. There’s a similar “law” that can be applied to each season. Like everything in life, each season is fleeting. There is only so much time in the fall to have a pumpkin carving party or go for a hayride, and that limitation actually increases the pleasure you feel when you partake in those activities. You know you only have a few weeks a year to enjoy all things fall, and that limitation increases your enjoyment.  

Because seasons are fleeting, embracing the pleasures of each season also makes us feel like time is moving more slowly. You’re not just doing a silly activity, you’re making memories with the people who are important to you – memories that you’ll all carry with you for the rest of your lives. 

One of the core tenets of happiness in life is always having something to look forward to. It could be as big as a grand European vacation or as small as eating a piece of chocolate for dessert. Embracing seasonal rituals gives us something to look forward to with each season, and it adds variety to our lives. 

Sure, you might be sad that summer is over and you have to return to school in the fall, but now you have everything pumpkin to look forward to. Or maybe your family throws an annual Christmas party in the winter that you can now start planning. Whatever it is, embracing the rituals of each season gives you something to anticipate, which can add excitement and pleasure to otherwise dull days. 

So what are the “basic” pleasures of each season, and how can you make the most of them? Here’s a helpful guide!

Spring

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of spring? I think about longer days, warmer nights, April showers, pastel colors, and new life. It’s the time of year when it feels like the whole world shakes off its winter coat and steps outside again. Spring is also the time of year when you can get your life in order and prepare for the business that summer always seems to bring. That’s what spring cleaning is for, after all – it’s a time to get your life in order so you’re prepared for the chaos of life. 

There’s a lightness to this time of year that puts a little spring in our step (pardon the pun). Maybe it’s the pastel colors of the flowers popping up everywhere. This is the time of year to embrace new possibilities, whether it’s a de-cluttered home or an empty flower bed, ripe for planting. You have the whole year full of exciting events and seasonal changes to look forward to. 

Here are a few basic pleasures to help you fully embrace springtime:

• Gardening

• Painting Easter eggs 

• April showers

• Picnics

• Spring cleaning

• Flower arrangements

• Tea parties

Summer

Maybe it’s silly, but even though I’ve been out of school for over a decade, there’s something about summertime that feels like we’re all on summer vacation. Sure, we still have to work (unless you’re a teacher, in which case, maybe you really do get the summer off), but summer is still a time when a lot of us take a trip somewhere – even if it’s just for the weekend. 

Summer feels synonymous with adventure. It’s the time of year to pack up your car for a road trip, take your family to the beach, or just sit on your back porch with loved ones and do some stargazing. Summer might be hot (depending on where you live), but it’s the time of year to get outside and revel in some warm air before fall comes. Here are a few ideas for how you can get back to “basics” during the summer and enjoy those long, hot days:

• Catching fireflies

• Going to the beach

• Camping

• Barbecues

• Road trips 

• Sunbathing

Fall

Ahh, fall. I think every girl gets a little chill up their spine when they think about this time of year – and it’s not just because the weather cools off! There’s something special about fall that makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Maybe it’s how beautiful the world looks as the leaves turn gold and red. Or maybe it’s the simple domesticity of this season where we get to let our nesting instincts take over and make our homes feel cozy, bake pumpkin-flavored treats, and light our favorite spiced candle. 

If you’re a fan of Halloween, then you can plan a killer outfit, put on a scary movie, and find a spooky haunted house to visit on the weekend. If Halloween isn’t your thing, then there are still a ton of other basic pleasures you can enjoy this season. Fall is the time of year to bundle up in your comfiest sweater, turn on some Gilmore Girls, sprinkle some fall decor around your home, and sip on a pumpkin spice latte. 

Feeling overwhelmed with the wealth of basic pleasures that fall brings? Here’s a list to get you started: 

• Pumpkin Spice Lattes

• Apple picking

• Gilmore Girls

• Scary movies

• Pumpkin carving

• Haunted houses

• Cozy sweaters

• Taylor Swift 

Winter

Winter and summer are opposites, so it makes sense that if summer is the time for speeding up and getting active, then winter is the time for slowing down and savoring the last few weeks of the year. Winter is when we get to build snowmen, gather with loved ones, eat yummy holiday goodies, and enjoy the magic of the holiday season before we start the seasonal cycle all over again.

Celebrating the basic pleasures of the winter season means making memories with loved ones and remembering what you’re grateful for, like family, friends, warmth, great food, and love. My favorite memories from Christmas as a kid are small things like baking cookies with my mom, reading The Night Before Christmas every Christmas Eve, and decorating our Christmas tree as a family. 

The holidays are when we get to enjoy the traditions we’ve been looking forward to all year. Maybe it’s your mom’s famous pot roast, making hot chocolate, or watching How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Whatever your holiday traditions are, savor them and remember that these are the special moments that you and your loved ones will remember for years to come. 

Looking for some ways to get in the holiday spirit this winter? Here are a few basic pleasures that are sure to bring some joy and warmth into your heart, even on the coldest winter day:

• Hot chocolate

• Snow days

• Picking out a tree

• Ice skating

• Holiday movies

• Mistletoe

• Making snow angels

Closing Thoughts

What embracing the basic pleasures of each season is really about is celebrating the little things in life. Life is a series of simple moments highlighted by a few big events. Reveling in those simple, basic things is what adds a real richness to your life. So embrace the basics of each season, make memories that last, and enjoy every second. 

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