What's your pleasure?

"Pleasure - a cause or source of enjoyment or delight".

We (my brother and I) were recently exploring the upper ledges of Harpers Ferry, WV, taking in the same breathtaking views I imagined US President Thomas Jefferson experienced back in 1783. The faint gurgle of the Shenandoah river could be heard from far below and the mountains gave way to the town of Harper's Ferry bathing in the bright sun of the afternoon.

It was a very peaceful and serene experience that could make someone forget about any troubles of everyday life.

This quiet moment was broken with a sharp whisper from David beckoning me to cast my attention up the hill to a few deer that had ventured down from the safety of their dwelling to forage for food. And they were only a few feet away from us!

I was always under the impression they were easily spooked animals And the slightest movement would have them “running for the hills!” Yet here they were, sharing space with us. This guy pictured above noticed us and I was able to grab a snapshot before he turned his attention back to feeding. It was serene, surreal, and almost perfect (if it wasn’t so cold!)

I can’t help but smile and be filled with that same feeling experienced in those first moments: peace, calm, awe, and absolute pleasure.

Pleasure.

There is an interesting relationship between pleasure and stress. Pleasure releases dopamine in our brains and gives us the feeling of being rewarded for what we are experiencing. High levels of dopamine can affect how we perceive what’s going on in our lives and affect how our day will turn out. If we are feeling positive then the day has the potential to be fantastic! Stress decreases dopamine production and affect us in a such a way that we perceive minor inconveniences as the worst possible things that could ever happen! We are more prone to depression and disengagement.

If we have an increase of pleasure it seems we also have a decrease of stress and vice versa.

One of the best coping mechanisms we have against stress is to find some trigger that put us in a positive mental state of mind (which in turn releases dopamine), and can set the tone for a potentially fantastic day thats almost stress free! An example of this can be found in trying to remember the things that give us pleasure and to think about them before doing any activity. This should help us get into a positive state of mind and our actions will align with that positive mindset.

I know for a lot of people travel is the top activity that gives them pleasure. Going on vacation, relaxation and trying new food and drink ranks highly on their pleasure meter. What I recently discovered about myself is that I love travel also, but what really gives me immense pleasure is the anticipation stage of travel! The notion of making travel food and packing a cooler full of snacks and loading up the car before a long road trip is what does it for me! Packing a suit case and anticipating whats to come puts the biggest smile on my face. Of course when the time to go arrives nothing beats the memories created and experiences had, but the anticipation...nothing beats it!

What is the biggest source of your pleasure? What memory or activity puts you in a positive mood and starts your day off on the right foot? Drop a comment and let me know what gives you the most pleasure!