Stop and Smell the Roses

Example 1:

Mark: Hi, Joanne. You look a little tired. Are you OK?

Joanne: Hey, Mark. Yeah, I'm all right. I have been really busy recently. My new job is pretty demanding and I've got a few big projects to complete for school. I haven't been sleeping very well, but I'll be OK.

Mark: It's good to be busy, but make sure you stop and smell the roses! You don't want to make yourself sick. 

Example 2: 

I have a great job and it requires me to work many hours each week. Although I really enjoy my job, I have to remember to stop and smell the roses from time to time. Life isn't just about work. It's important to stop and appreciate the simple things in life.

Meaning:

Stop and smell the roses is a common English expression that can be used as friendly advice to someone who may be working too much or too hard.

If you take a break (stop) and enjoy the simple pleasures in life (and smell the roses), everything can be a little more enjoyable!

This idiom can be found in LSI's textbook titled "Reading Foundations"  This book is used at LSI to teach the Level 2 Reading/Vocabulary class.  For more informatioin please visit www.languagesystems.com