Stop and smell the roses is an idiom that came into use in the mid-twentieth century. We will examine the meaning of the idiom stop and smell the roses, where it came from, and some examples of its use in sentences.
The phrase stop and smell the roses is an admonition to slow down and enjoy life, to take the time to savor the beauty around you, to relax. The expression stop and smell the roses came into use in the 1960s and is a rephrasing of a sentiment found in an autobiography written by the golfer Walter Hagen: “Don’t hurry. Don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.” This passage was soon paraphrased as stop and smell the roses. Related phrases are stops and smells the roses, stopped and smelled the roses, stopping and smelling the roses.
Examples
“Everyone is so busy all the time, doing this and doing that, and I think this has given people a chance to stop and smell the roses.” (Volleyball Magazine)
Watching her work gave me an understanding of business, but also taught me to work hard, appreciate individuals, and to stop and smell the roses. (The San Antonio Business Journal)
The phrase “stop and smell the roses” is often used to tell someone to relax, take a beat and enjoy or appreciate the beauty of life. (The Sand Mountain Reporter)