It seems people are buying flowers again, after sales dropped during the pandemic. There’s been a significant rise in demand for bouquets in the last six months, according to Tesco, including an almost 25% hike in the supermarket’s premium bunches.

Tesco flower buyer Ryan Daley reckons “the age of romance is back”. But perhaps it also taps into a wider trend that often crops up when times seem tough – turning towards little luxuries and small joys.

It doesn’t have to be supermarket flowers, of course. It might be stealing 10-minutes of peace in the garden with a steaming cuppa, baking at the weekend, a long phone catch-up with a friend – take your pick!

Whatever form they take, there’s a lot to be said for cherishing the good bits, even if they’re just bitesize chunks…

Mini ‘mind breaks’

Think of small joys as mini “mind breaks” during your day, suggests Nicci Roscoe, Master NLP Practitioner and holistic wellbeing expert (mindmedication.co.uk).

“When life’s stresses become overwhelming and you need some time-out to breathe and give yourself headspace, mini distractions throughout your day – such as embracing the wonderful smell of your favourite flowers, playing your favourite music or indulging in a healthy snack you love – can give you the reset you need to help you manage your day and put a smile on your face,” says Roscoe.

“Stopping for a couple of minutes throughout your day to do something you love will have a massive impact on your wellbeing, and help take the pressure off from all the chatter going on in your head and the challenges you are dealing with – whether it be financial, relationship challenges, work, or your general health. Just looking at a video of my toddler-grandsons singing and chatting away fills me with joy!”

Buffers against stress

Holly Beedon, clinical lead and integrative psychotherapist and cognitive behavioural therapist at mental health charity Living Well UK, considers these small joys as “micro-moments of positivity – which help create a buffer against stress”.

Beedon adds: “When we experience these small pleasures – whether it’s enjoying a cup of coffee, seeing a beautiful sunset or receiving flowers – they activate the brain’s reward system, releasing feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin.

“Small, everyday joys can encourage mindfulness and help to keep us grounded in the present, and reduce anxiety about the future or dwelling on things that have happened in the past,” she adds.

Little acts of resilience

We all know small joys won’t make big problems disappear, or suddenly fix all the issues in the world – and it’s OK to be angry or worn down by those things. But the small things can help us feel better equipped to cope and stay connected with the good bits of life.

“With so much unrest in the world, it’s so important to take care of ourselves and focus on what we can to do manage our own mental health and wellbeing,” says Roscoe. “By having a daily routine of positive habits that gives us strength and resilience to get through challenges in our day, this will have a positive impact on how we can deal with taking care of our children and family, work commitments, and so much more.

“It will help bring more clarity and calm, from first thing in the morning until we go to sleep at night, and will give us a better and more peaceful sleep.”

Sense of control

There’s a lot in life that we simply can’t control, and this can be tough to bear. Which is why, as small as those micro-moments and daily habits might seem, the boost we can get from focussing on what we can control, really does matter.

“Especially when we’re going through things that feel overwhelming, or that we can’t immediately change, like work stress or health challenges,” says Beedon. “Through intentionally creating these moments of pleasure or comfort, you’re essentially taking charge of how you respond to your environment; something which can be incredibly empowering.

“While we might not be able to ‘fix’ major stressors with a snap of the fingers, we can control how we approach our daily experience. These acts of self-care provide us with a sense of autonomy, reminding us that we have the power to create positive moments, even in difficult times. This fosters resilience, as we learn to focus on what is within our control, rather than feeling helpless in the face of bigger, unchangeable problems.”