i used to put this concept of happiness on a pedestal
i thought that i would be happy when i could finally get my well-deserved raise live in a
farmhouse of my dreams and finally afford to go on that vacation that i've been planning for years
as i started to check off these goals one by one i realized that i could never truly be happy
because happiness is a result of an outcome that keeps evolving once i reach my goal i
immediately set another one and i felt like i was constantly chasing a moving target
the dalai lama once described happiness as a butterfly that lands on us
then flutters away but unlike happiness the feeling of joy is cultivated from within
and it's a constant because it's not a response to any external circumstances
i see joy as a feeling of contentment a purposeful decision and a lens through which we see the world
instead of chasing happiness now i think of all the ways i could achieve
a more joyful life and i wanted to share with you some ideas and habits that have truly helped me
happiness is dependent on the destination but joy is what we feel when we embrace the journey
not seeing something as a means to an end but enjoying the process as it's happening
i notice that this is really difficult to put into practice when i have specific deadlines
or have a crazy hectic schedule so i make sure to set aside time throughout my day
slow down and appreciate the little things no matter what
to me that means taking some time to make myself a cup of afternoon tea
putting on a timer every hour or so to do some stretches
taking time off from everything tech on the weekends to reconnect with my natural surroundings
these little pauses not only give me the chance to catch my breath
and celebrate the small wins but it also helps me to think from a different perspective
and reflect and that makes me appreciate the little moments even more
i often talk about the importance of self-care and self-love on this channel but i know that my
heart cannot be truly fulfilled if i don't give back or share what i have with others
giving doesn't always have to be monetary to be valuable we can give our time love kind gestures
because sometimes these are the things that we need from each other the most
my husband and i have tools from our home renault that are put to good use all the time we help our
neighbors pick their fruit trees or help our family with their home projects it doesn't take
much effort from us but i know that it means a lot to them overall i've been making a conscious
decision to think of all the ways that i can give to others because i've been so blessed in my life
and have more than i could ever need and knowing that i can make even the tiniest difference in
someone's life by my small gesture is so rewarding and adds so much more value to my own life
i always wanted to create a space that was calming and peaceful because that's how i wanted to feel
when i walked into my home this is one of my daily simple joys and one of my favorite ways
to create that atmosphere is with my vitruvi diffuser who is the sponsor of today's video
unlike many traditional home sending products that mask odors using chemicals and synthetic
fragrances which can be harmful to breathe in on a daily basis vitruvi designs beautiful
non-toxic products to help you scent your space naturally and effectively
i've always loved their stone diffuser this one in the color terracotta because it doubles as a
beautiful decor piece in my living room scent is one of the best ways that we can personalize our
space and i love the mix of their essential oils for when i want to create different moods in my
rooms my house currently smells like retreat which is a blend of grapefruit palmarosa and eucalyptus
retruvi was generous enough to offer my community with 20 discount when you use the code malama life
of course i'll leave all of the information in the description box below
thank you vetruvi for sponsoring today's video
from time to time i love to sit down with a cup of coffee and go through my old photo
albums i can spend hours trying to spot the little details that i've never seen before
observe how my face or expressions have changed over the years and ruminate on how far i've come
since that moment in time i can get so wrapped up in what's happening now or planning for the future
that i forget about all the stories that led me up to this point in my life
but i need those reminders and when i take the time to reflect it expands my world and
my perspective and it always leaves me feeling grateful for the journey i've been on you like to
reflect by having conversations with an old friend or by reading through your old diaries or letters
but i truly believe that when we zoom out from the context of our daily lives
life can feel more meaningful and the feeling of gratitude always follows
i've always been quite practical so when i was young i never really
understood why people took their time to set the dinner table with nice linen
buy fresh flowers every week or decorate the house with the change of seasons
as i get older i appreciate these little details more and more
and admire those who take the time and effort to live their lives beautifully
i could quickly heat up my food on the stove and eat it while watching some videos
but i can't quite put into words how different it feels when i turn on some good music light
the candles and admire the food that i'm cooking even if it's the same activity when i elevate the
simple daily routines feels like i'm squeezing every last bit of pleasure from that moment
so next time you go on about your day try to put in that extra effort
to create a mood and enjoy the beautiful scene from a movie that is your life ultimately
we are the ones responsible for giving ourselves the beautiful life that we deserve
i once read a quote that said pain is inevitable but suffering is optional
life comes with many challenges that are sometimes out of our control
but what's in our control is the narrative that we choose
and when we develop the right tools to process our conflicting thoughts and life's messy
situations we can handle anything that comes our way and not let our suffering define us
i'm learning that it takes an incredible amount of work
and introspection to figure out how i deal with specific challenges
but i think it's a skill worth developing because it can be an invaluable tool as we go through life
i think the only way that we can feel the lightness and pleasurable feeling of joy
is to work hard to sort out all the messy and uncertain feelings when they come
i hope that you guys enjoyed today's video let me know in the comments how you add more joy into
your life once again thank you to vitruvi for sponsoring today's video don't forget to check
out all of the link in the description box below thank you guys again so much for your support and
love i always appreciate you until next tuesday take care guys and i'll talk to you soon bye