#88 The simple things

Greetings from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

I'm here on a business trip, and the day has been spent meeting clients (weekend here is Fri-Sat), followed by some culture, and back to meeting clients which will continue long into the night.

I'm primarily here to speak at a client event tomorrow night, bringing behavioural finance to Saudi for the first time.

I've flown in business class in my favourite cabin configuation, I'm staying at one of the nicest luxury hotels I've stayed at for a while, eating at great places, and spending time with some of the wealthiest people in the region, talking about sums of money and lifestyles which are simply unimaginable to the vast majority of the population.

Despite all the flashiness, my favourite moment of the trip so far was something very simple.

It was simply that first feeling of heat and humidity as I walked out of the airport. It was night and the temperature was in the high 30s.

I exhaled and I smiled, and thought, life is good.

The simple things

For me it's the simplest things in life which bring me the most joy, and I've spent some time thinking about them. Here are a few of mine:

• Opening my eyes and seeing a blue sky outside

• Walks along the beach at sunrise

• Early morning sessions in an empty gym

• Morning journaling with an iced latte

• Sunsets

• Quality time with loved ones

• Deep and meaningful conversations

• Eating healthy

• Reading

• The sound of the sea

• Flying with no luggage

• Watching Formula One whilst eating pizza

• Cutting open an avocado and it being perfectly ripe

• Positively influencing people's lives through this newsletter

• Late night morrocan mint tea outdoors with candles and Arabic music

Implementation idea

What are your simple pleasures?

How regularly do you make the effort to experience them?

How often do you express gratitude for them?

— AJ

On my bedside table:

📖 Non-fiction: The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk

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