10 Complex Joys in Life That Are More Than Simple

Everyone’s heard of the simple joys of life. But what are some complex joys of life? After polling the internet, these are the top-voted responses.

1. Loving Healthy Relationships

“Finding a partner you feel content with, someone you can’t imagine not being around, is such a joy. Relationships work. They shouldn’t be unpleasant, but they are hard work. So it’s not as simple as just existing together when you have been together for many years,” shared one.

“But at the end of the night, when you look over and see your best friend in bed next to you, there is nothing like the absolute joy of knowing that you are doing this together, no matter what.”

2. Finishing Chores Early

Someone confessed, “I enjoy spending a whole Saturday deep cleaning the house, including a deep, deep scrub down of the shower/tub and complete turndown and washing the bedding.”

“Then, at the end of that exhausting day, put some tunes on and a good candle, throw the sheets in for another round in the dryer, take a nice long shower in your squeaky-clean bathroom, then make the bed with the warm sheets and dive right in there.

Then, as you’re drifting off to sleep, you get the most satisfying moment: tomorrow is Sunday.”

3. Watching Your Children Succeed

“Seeing your child graduate high school and head to college across the country. Pride, love, loss, and fear mix in a complex feeling, but joy is at the center,” one noted.

“Likewise,” agreed another. “Going through those life experiences and knowing what you’re doing would make a lost loved one proud. So there’s sadness and joy in knowing you’re doing bigger and better things than they could’ve imagined.”

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4. Overcoming Lies

“Overcoming a lie you’ve been told or even told about yourself. Realizing the lie wasn’t needed to make you happy,’ one expressed. “Ultimately, growing from the emotional turmoil that you experienced. That joy is tough to explain and is hard fought.”

5. When Ideas Come To Fruition

“As an engineer, joy is when the thing you’ve been designing gets assembled and run,” someone explained. Another added, “As a musician, joy is finally being able to nail that piece you’ve spent many hours practicing.”

6. Pleasing a Picky Pet

“Joy is finding the right dry food for your cat that they will eat after months of looking. And when they eat it, you hear the crunch, and the bowl is empty; it brings unspeakable joy,” one cat lover suggested.

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7. Daily Challenges of Becoming a Parent

“Fatherhood,” one dad explained. “I never thought it’d be easy, but wow! It’s a daily, HOURLY challenge in self-control and personal betterment (role modeling). But, the positives are intense and touch your soul.”

“The pride and joy of watching them persist at something. The frustration of not intervening and the relief of seeing them learn from and deal with adversity. The serenity of their small pleasures.”

8. Overcoming Personal Trauma

“Overcoming trauma,” one shared. “Yeah, it’s still there, it will always be there, and it will always hurt, but moving past the situation. Even being put in the same position, making the better decision, it’s something. I grew up in an abusive household. I swore I would never turn into my mother.”

“Now I’m married with kids of my own, and I see myself entering some of the same situations I grew up experiencing. But, I know to embrace a positive mindset, better those situations, and give my kids a better life. It’s bittersweet. My kids get a better life than I ever had.”

“Yeah, I wish I had a better life growing up, and that will always hurt, but the joy my kids bring me and knowing that I’m not traumatizing them as my mother did me. So that’s a complex little joy in life.”

9. Becoming Independent

“A personal joy for me is not having to walk on eggshells in my home. After years of being unable to live my own life, it’s nice to find a place where I can explore my hobbies and exist,” one stated.

10. Learning To Cook Your First Successful Dish

“Taking cooking classes to improve and expand your culinary skills – inviting people for dinner to share dishes you’ve prepared brings joy to your life,” another replied.

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Finally, someone said, “My joy comes from cooking a multi-dish dinner for the first time and having them all finish roughly the same time, especially your first thanksgiving.”

We hope you enjoyed this list of complex joys in life that are more than simple from Reddit. This article is inspired by the internet and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Motherhood Life Balance.

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