Finding Joy in the Little Things

Helloooo my friends. How's everyone doing? We just finished the holiday season, we got through it people. Holidays can be hard, comparing yourself to what others have, compared to what you are missing. I find the holidays to hold extreme pressure most of the time (yes they also hold tons and tons of goodness, I am not the grinch…). Pressure to make sure everyones happy. One Christmas my brother broke his big present and he started crying (he was little, give him a break). A couple hours later I literally had to go to the bathroom and I just cried, and I looked at myself thinking “why am I crying?” And I just felt so bad for my brother and knowing he was unhappy. But you can not make everyone happy. Your first priority is to make sure you are okay. The only person you can control is yourself. I think that is something lots of people tend to struggle with. But it is out of our control, usually. Holidays were good this year though, I felt the love all around. And New Years in Costa Rica ooooo baby can not complain one bit. I am actually currently writing this on the beach, waiting for the sunset. It feels so good to do literally nothing and chill. Everyone needs a break. I hope you all had an amazing holiday and felt all the love you are surrounded by.

Today I want to talk about finding joy in the little things.

I will start with a scene in Costa Rica, okay, setting and mood: on the beach just having travel anxiety and wondering why I can not be in the moment happy on a damn sunny beach. Ok I wrote this in the moment a couple days ago…

“Sometimes I wonder what the hell am I doing? Like just be happy or just be calm, chill. Then one day I was sitting on the beach and two little boys were playing frisbee. A doggie ran up and grabbed it out of the air. The doggie wouldn’t stop playing and it was the cutest thing. Just so pure. What’s the only worry in those littles lives… getting that frisbee, what’s the only worry in the doggos life? Get the damn frisbee and RUN”

So basically life is good right? Kidding. But when I catch myself in tough moments I always get these signs. Whether it is God, spirits, who knows. But I just sit and stay still and look for doggies because they never fail me. So when I see them I can not help but smile. When I am stressed or feel like something is the end of the world, I sit back and just take a moment. You will see how much good you are surrounded by.

Here are some moments I have caught (sometimes I feel like a stalker taking pics of happy moments but oh well) of people just living.

love some of these pics of people just caught in the good

Everyday of your life is not gonna be the most amazing, productive, happy day of your existence. And that is just reality. But during those times look for the little things that bring you joy. Little wins everyday lead to bigger victories. And I am not saying you have to complete something everyday. Some days I am just tired, exhausted, and want to lay in bed all day. And maybe on those days I will look for doggies, babies, the sun. We really are surrounded by joy everywhere we go, it might just come down to what you want to prioritize. Being down on yourself, just filled with negativity, or you can accept you are in a shit mood. Just acknowledge it, okay you are in a shit mood. Find the joy in the little things. Could be that morning coffee, journaling, screaming your fav song in the car, making your bed, finishing that book, seeing a good friend, going through old pictures, planning a trip, making a pinterest board, laughing, hugs, birdies singing, runners high, long walks, cleaning. Anything that brings good to you.

I do not think being happy is about having everything work out, because let's face it, things usually do not go the way we plan. (But it always works out righttttt)

It is about seeing the good, focusing on the good. The joy of little things.

That is what makes me happiest. And wouldn't it be so easy to say… “wanna be happy? Just stay positive!” No

Everyone is different, you just have to find your little joys in the day that bring you light.

One thing I looked at recently was screen time. And god damn were some of mine high some days. I would look and it would literally be six or seven hours. Like what! Then I looked recently and it was down to two hours. What a difference. Then I looked back on what I was doing. I realized when I go to eat, or go downstairs I will now leave my phone in my room, or on the counter somewhere where I cannot just grab it immediately. And not being on my phone helps my mental so much. Every night for a couple of weeks now I read right before I go to sleep. Basically my advice, especially if you are mentally struggling is to unplug, be present, enjoy where you are. Maybe delete an app for let's say a day, then maybe a week. Or find other activities to fill your time like instead of watching tv and going on your phone, color. It’s what I do.

As some of you might know, I am headed to Rome in a couple of days. A new adventure, incredibly exciting yet utterly terrifying at the same time. But I keep telling myself Kayla, little 10 year old you DREAMED of this day. So enjoy where you are. Trying to live in the moment is something I have really been working on, time fliessssss. I feel like yesterday I was graduating 8th grade and now I am almost a senior in college. In third grade I would see the 8th graders and think woahhh they are so tall and I worship them. Now I am one of the big kids!! But, tomorrow maybe just look for one happy thing, could be literally anything, you will begin to appreciate these things more and more. And if you read all this and think okay this bull shit then here are some pretty pictures from Costa Rica to lighten your load for the day.

XXX

Kay