15 Seconds of Bliss | #MyFridayStory №393
I’ve picked up a few bad habits in my life, like we all do. But I’ve also managed to hold on to some good ones — small routines and rituals that anchor me, often without even realising it.
When I was growing up, we never had a key rack. But there was a small table right by the front door, and that’s where the car keys always went. Simple. Predictable. If you stuck to the habit, you never had to run around the house like a lunatic shouting, “Has anyone seen my keys!?”
That small act of order stuck with me. I still leave my keys, my wallet, and my pocketknife — the same one I’ve had for years in the same place every day. It’s not just about saving time. It’s about having systems that serve you, not stress you.
A few months ago, I added another little habit to my daily rhythm. I call it “15 Seconds of Bliss.”
It’s nothing fancy. It’s probably the simplest practice I’ve ever used to shift my state of mind. Whenever I catch myself spiralling into worry, fear, or negativity — or even when I have a lull in the day. I stop and take 15 seconds to find something to be deeply grateful for.
It could be the warm mug of coffee I’m holding. Or the breath I’m taking. Or the yellow laces on my green Lowveld Veldskoen Shoes. It doesn’t have to be big, just noticed.
Fifteen seconds.
If you can find 15 seconds of joy, you can find a minute. Then maybe an hour. Maybe even a day. And before you know it, your life becomes dotted with pockets of gratitude. Not because everything’s perfect, but because you’re paying attention to what’s already good.
I know what you’re thinking — it sounds a bit idealistic.
And I get it. War, poverty, homelessness — those things are real. And for people stuck in survival mode, joy may feel like a luxury they can’t afford. But for those of us not in a war zone, with food in the fridge and shoes on our feet, isn’t that exactly the reason to be grateful?
If you’re not sleeping on a pavement tonight, that’s a blessing. If you have running water, food in your stomach, or someone who loves you — that’s your 15 seconds right there.
I have this little ritual I started years ago. It’s a bit odd, but stay with me.
Every time I go to the bathroom — yes, while I’m sitting there, I say a quiet prayer of thanks. Because whatever is coming out of me means something went into me. It means I had food. I had something to drink. My body is working. I know, it sounds silly, but it keeps me grounded. It reminds me not to take the basics for granted.
Gratitude like that can’t stay locked up in your own little world. It spills over into generosity/. Into how you treat people, how you share, how you love your neighbour, and maybe even your enemy.
The thing is, most people try their best to live a good, moral life. They follow the rules, go to work, pay their taxes, and try not to swear too much around their kids. But many still live in fear, not of the world, but of God. Their faith becomes a long list of “Thou shalt nots.” And God becomes the bogeyman in the sky with a lightning bolt in one hand and a naughty list in the other.
That kind of religion might work for a while, but when life really starts throwing punches — illness, grief, failure — it crumbles. What we need is something deeper, something more real.
I’ve come to know God not as a judge on a throne, but as a kind, compassionate Father — as He was in Jesus. A man who moved among the broken, told stories to fishermen, shared bread with outcasts, healed the sick, and walked with the wounded. A man who wasn’t afraid to be vulnerable or scared or tired. Who didn’t dish out doctrine but dished out grace.
That kind of love changes you. It doesn’t demand transformation, it causes it. You stop living for yourself. You stop chasing ego. And instead, you start seeing everything as a gift.
That’s when 15 seconds of bliss becomes a gateway, not a gimmick.
Because once you know what it means to be loved like that — radically, endlessly — how can you not look for joy everywhere? How can you not be jumping with gratitude? How can you not find bliss in the smallest, most ordinary things?
The truth is, you will never run out of things to be grateful for — only out of the will to notice them.
So maybe it’s not silly at all to say a prayer in the bathroom. Or to admire your shoelaces. Or to sip your coffee like it’s the first time. Maybe it’s holy. Maybe it’s worship. Maybe it’s exactly the kind of habit that saves you.
Fifteen seconds at a time.
Thanks for reading.🙏
If this story stirred something in you — if you’ve introduced a good habit into your daily routine —
I’d love to hear about it in the comments or messages.
Until next week,
Have a wonderful weekend. And remember — be generous.😊
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