Twelve Simple Things I Love Doing When No One Needs Anything From Me
By Suzie Thoraval
The small joys that help me truly switch off on holidays
“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.”
Here are 12 things I love to do on holidays:
1. Drinking tea, slowly
Not while doing something else. Just sitting with the warmth of the cup, watching the day unfold. Small, grounding, and quietly restorative.
2. Swimming in the ocean
Letting the effervescent waves wash over me — the cold, the movement, the rhythm. It’s one of the few places where my thoughts settle without effort. The ocean doesn’t need anything from me either.
3. Discovering a new place — near or far
Whether it’s somewhere completely new or a new part of my own city, exploring without an agenda shifts my perspective. It’s about noticing rather than ticking things off.
4. Reading a beautifully written book purely for pleasure
No learning objective. No relevance test. Just the joy of good writing and being carried somewhere else for a while.
5. Being creative without an outcome in mind
Drawing. Mosaicing. Crochet. Making something simply because it feels good to make it — without worrying about where it’s headed.
6. Listening to music, properly
Not in the background. Letting an album play. Remembering how music can change the mood of a whole afternoon.
7. Listening to a podcast out of pure curiosity
A fascinating topic that has nothing at all to do with my work — and doesn’t need to.
8. Going to the Australian Open with my daughter
A tradition we’ve held since she was five. The buzz, the sunshine, the shared rituals. One of those moments where past and present sit comfortably side by side.
9. Going to the theatre or an art gallery
Being absorbed in someone else’s creativity. Sitting with ideas, emotion, beauty — without needing to respond or produce anything in return.
10. Sitting in the garden on a balmy evening
Music playing softly. Conversations that wander. Light fading without anyone rushing it along.
11. Making lovely dinners and truly enjoying them
Using fresh ingredients. Taking my time. Sitting down and mindfully enjoying every bite — cooking and eating as something to savour.
12. Watching movies with my family
Stretching out on the couches. Discovering new favourites. Letting the evening stretch out.
What strikes me is that none of these things are remarkable in the conventional sense
They won’t show up on a to-do list. They don’t move anything forward. They don’t need to.
They are moments where I’m not required to be useful, responsive, or “on”. Moments where I can simply be present — in my body, in my surroundings, and with the people I love.
A question worth sitting with is this:
When no one needs anything from you, what do you genuinely enjoy doing?
No justification required.
And If music helps you slow down, as a bonus for my newsletter subscribers, here's my Adaptive Stability Inspiration playlist on Spotify — a mix I return to when I want to feel steady and grounded.
