The blog will pick a word of the week, to share & explore the selected word. Here’s an expression for the word – joie de vivre (French).
Joie de vivre (French)
Joie de vivre (French)
The blog will pick a word of the week, to share & explore the selected word. Here’s an expression for the word – joie de vivre (French).
Read The Book of Delights: Essays by Ross Gay. The winner of the National Book Critics Award for Poetry offers a spirited collection of short lyrical essays, reminding us of the purpose, the pleasure of praising, extolling & celebrating ordinary moments or wonders.
The Book Of Delights is a beautiful record of the small joys we often overlook in our busy lives. More than anything else, Gay celebrates the beauty of the natural world – his garden, the flowers peeking out of the sidewalk or the hypnotic movements of a praying mantis. The Book Of Delights is about our precious, shared bonds & the priceless rewards that come from a life closely observed. These remarkable pieces of poems serve as a powerful & inspiring reminder that we can always carve out a space in our lives for simple joys, appreciation, innocence or delight.
Joie de vivre (French)
The blog will pick a word of the week, to share & explore the selected word. Here’s an expression for the word – joie de vivre (French).
Joie de vivre (French) literally means the joy of living. More than a phrase, it’s a philosophy of approaching life with appreciation, curiosity, compassion & enthusiasm, even when life isn’t perfect. It’s about choosing to find delight, freedom, abundance & meaning in everyday life. A heart that delights in little things never runs out of reasons to smile. “The purpose of life is to live it, to experience the unknown, to express freely, to create curiously, without the fear of new horizons” – Eleanor Roosevelt. Every ordinary day hides an extraordinary moment. “The world is full of magical things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper” – W. Yeats. “Stuff your eyes with wonder, see the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream” – Ray Bradbury.
A simple way to express the philosophy is to live fully, to notice deeply, to give generously. In essence, joie de vivre is the art of embracing life, not because it is always easy, but because it is so finite & precious. “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back & realise that they were the big things” – Robert Brault. Joy is the simplest form of gratitude, joy is in the journey. “Joie de vivre is about loving life, loving people, loving to be alive, feeling alive. It is about smiling, being in your heart & being grateful for all the beautiful things in our world” – Jamie Callan.
Dolce far niente (Italian)
The blog will pick a word of the week, to share & explore the selected word. Here’s an expression for the word – Dolce far niente (Italian).
DOLCE FAR NIENTE: A Comprehensive Guide To Embracing The Sweetness Of Doing Nothing. Are we constantly on the go, feeling the pressure to always be productive? Do we long for a sense of peace, compassion & balance in our hectic life? The sweetness of doing nothing gives us a chance to re-discover the joy & meaning of relaxation.
A refreshing perspective on the worth & value of leisure. Beautifully crafted to inspire us to break free from relentless pursuits, to find creativity & serenity in the moments of idleness. Whether we’re overwhelmed by work, stressed by daily responsibilities or simply seeking a more fulfilling lifestyle, there’s mindful guidance to achieve happiness, harmony & well-being. Motivational.
Dolce far niente (Italian)
The blog will pick a word of the week, to share & explore the selected word. Here’s an expression for the word – Dolce far niente (Italian).
The world keeps perfect time with clocks
With lists that bloom & fade by noon
Yet somewhere, in a slower light
The afternoon forgets the moon.
To do nothing is not to waste
Nor lose the measure of the day
It is to find the hidden pulse
That hurried footsteps chase away.
So, let ambition rest awhile
Its sharpened edges laid aside
For joy is sometimes simply this
To watch the turning of the tide.
And when the evening folds the sky
In amber, lavender & blue
We count among life’s richest hours
The ones that quietly slipped through.
For dolce far niente is no escape
But, wisdom dressed in humble flows
To know that being is enough
To bloom like every wildflower grows.
Perhaps, paradise is not a place
We arrive at, but an hour with nowhere else to be.
That existence itself is sometimes
Its own fulfilment.
Dolce far niente (Italian)
The blog will pick a word of the week, to share & explore the selected word. Here’s an expression for the word – Dolce far niente (Italian).
Il Dolce Far Niente: The Italian Way Of Summer. A gorgeous, photographic ode to the magic of southern coastal Italy in the summer by the renowned travel, fashion & lifestyle photographer Lucy Laucht. A languorous July afternoon. That brilliant light & those impossible Mediterranean blues. Everywhere, the sounds of laughter & light-hearted conversations. Captured by the photographer Lucy Laucht are incredibly lyrical scenes of Naples, Ischia, the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Puglia, Sicily, the Aeolian & Egadi Islands. A captivating, creative ode to the Italian way of summer & that distinctly Italian art of sweet idleness. Fascinating.
Dolce far niente (Italian)
The blog will pick a word of the week, to share & explore the selected word. Here’s an expression for the word – Dolce far niente (Italian).
The Sweetness Of Doing Nothing by Sophie Minchilli explores the southern Italian philosophy of Dolce Far Niente to inspire us to find pleasure & peace in the everyday. How often do we focus on being in the moment, on doing nothing? Whether it’s sitting at a cafe watching the world go by, whiling away the hours with our loved ones or being immersed in nature at the beach taking in the sunset, these seemingly ordinary moments are the ones that bring the most happiness & highlight the joy in living.
Rather than treating idleness as laziness, dolce far niente is a mindful way of living. The Sweetness Of Doing Nothing shares an incredible philosophy with amazing advice to motivate us to savour life’s precious moments. Often, just our presence is enough.
Dolce far niente (Italian)
The blog will pick a word of the week, to share & explore the selected word. Here’s an expression for the word – Dolce far niente (Italian).
Dolce far niente (Italian). The sweetness of doing nothing. It’s a beautiful philosophy of finding value in moments that aren’t driven by productivity or achievement. The sweetest moments in life are the ones that achieve nothing except reminding us that we’re still alive. The sweetest memories are made in the most ordinary moments. The phrase encourages us to enjoy life simply for its own sake.
Instead of asking what should we be accomplishing, it asks, can we appreciate the beauty, the conversation, the observation, the emotion or the silence without rushing to the next thing? Can we enjoy this moment without needing it to be useful? Can rest & relaxation be valuable on its own? Can we let the moment breathe, without any expectations?
It’s recognising that a meaningful life includes some wonderful unplanned, unstructured, unspoken & spontaneous moments. “Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life” – Omar Khayyam. It motivates us to rest without guilt. Leisure isn’t something we have to earn, it’s part of a healthy life. Simple pleasures like a cup of coffee, a walk with our pet, a good meal, reading or watching the sunset by the sea are enough. Slowing down leads to creativity, joy, reflection & stronger relationships.
Work has its place, but it shouldn’t consume every precious hour. Some of life’s richest moments ask nothing from us except our full presence. Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. There is quiet abundance in an unhurried day. An unhurried life is a deeply noticed life. The little things, the little moments, they really aren’t so little.
Many modern cultures emphasise on constant effort, productivity or self-improvement. Dolce far niente offers an inspiring counter balance, suggesting that rest can also improve creativity, that unstructured time supports our mental well-being, that happiness comes from ordinary moments.
Dolce far niente is an invitation to savour the present. “The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time” – Bertrand Russell. Our soul blooms in moments that ask nothing of it.
Libertas (Latin)
The blog will pick a word of the week, to share & explore the selected word. Here’s an expression for the word – Libertas (Latin).
When dawn unfolds its golden wing
The silent hills begin to sing
No chain can bind the soaring breeze
Or hush the whispering of the trees.
Freedom is the morning sun
That warms the earth for everyone
It is the wind that sweeps the sky
Teaching every soul to fly.
Freedom lives where voices rise
Beneath unclouded, hopeful skies
It walks with those who dare to stand
With a open heart and steady hand.
Liberty is more than flight
It is the courage to choose, not might
Not just the power to break a chain
But, strength to heal another’s pain.
It cannot live in iron bars
Nor fade beneath the darkest stars
It shines within the human soul
A quiet fire that makes us whole.
It is the child who dares to dream
The artist painting hope’s bright gleam
The teacher lighting eager minds
The traveler new horizons finds.
It blooms in tenderness freely shared
In every truth that’s bravely dared
In joyous passion inspired to grow
Like rivers finding seas to flow.
May freedom’s flame forever burn
With every lesson we still learn
For liberty’s enduring song
Reminds us all that we belong.
So, let our words be filled with grace
Our actions lift the human race.
For freedom’s song will never cease
When joined with kindness, love & peace.
Libertas (Latin)
The blog will pick a word of the week, to share & explore the selected word. Here’s an expression for the word – Libertas (Latin).
The Freedom To Journey On: A collection Of Poems, Short Stories & Artwork. A beautiful collection of poetry & art based on the life experiences of Elena Thornton. Artists shape our world. Everyone is an artist, everyone creates. We are unique & have many talents. We just need to go within, explore freely to find it. There are expressions, emotions, ideas, insights, reflections or dreams all built up inside us & sharing is a way to meaningfully express. We all have that book, that sculpture, that story that we need to share with the world.
“Draw the art you want to see, start the business you want to run, play the music you want to hear, write the book you want to read, build the product you want to use. For everything that is really great & inspiring is created by the individual who can labour in freedom” – Albert Einstein. “The secret of happiness is freedom and the secret of freedom is courage” – Thucydides. Life without liberty is like a body without a spirit. Freedom is the oxygen of the soul.
