I think the older I get, the more I realize that what truly matters in my life really isn’t the big things.

In fact, for me, it’s the little things.

I can sit here in my 44th year and reflect back on all of those "mountaintop" moments.  The moments where your success or recognition comes from something or someone outside of yourself.

You get the better job.  The private office with your name on the door.  The scholarship.  The promotion.  The success story.  The VIP treatment.  The invite to fancy events.  The better title.  The front row seating.  The applause.  The accolades.  The awards.  The photoshoot.  The pay increase.  The medals.  The recognition.  The achievements.  

You know what I'm talking about..  

Those highs in our lives that really only last for a few short moments, but that we think are going to bring us so much happiness.  And don’t get me wrong those mountaintop moments are truly magical when they are happening.  It’s like you’re standing in your own little dream world asking yourself, “Is this real life?”

But then something usually happens... Or at least for me it did.

What you thought would make you truly happy doesn’t last very long, and that’s when you come to realize that what you were really after is something so much deeper.

I can sit here today and reflect on the many times in my life when I thought something would make me happier, and through that pain and suffering, I realized something so profound.

Each peak of the mountaintop only kept me longing for the next climb and disconnected from love, and for a lot of the times I was motivated for the wrong reasons.

And while there is absolutely nothing wrong with high achievement or being a performer, I’ve also come to realize that you can only stay on top of the mountain for so long before it’s time to make the descent again.

To come back down to the very bottom time and time again and start all over. Making a new climb. Setting a new goal. Reaching another high. Setting a higher standard.  And yes, that’s all part of growing, and it’s all part of life and it's a journey that never ends. 

But real life?  

I mean the truly good stuff?

Most of it is very mundane. It's the everyday life that doesn’t look so glamorous, sexy, or glorious while you're in it. 

It’s the boring "in-between stages" that can sometimes make life so very painful for some as they are longing for something outside of themselves to make them feel any ounce of joy.

But is that the way life was meant to be?

Striving to reach another peak, only to get there, enjoy it for a few seconds, and then come back down and start something new?

Well… yeah.  I guess so if you're someone who constantly wants more, and I think we all have that within us.  That deep desire to express ourselves more fully and make the most of this life we have.

This journey is full of ups and downs, in-between moments, challenges, heart breaks, happy tears, sad tears, moments of doubt, fear and frustration and everything that happens along the way. And while we are in the "valley", we can sometimes think that we are lost, alone, or that life is just pointless.

Or that we've failed or that something is deeply wrong, when in fact, you're simply still on the right track.  

We might find ourselves crying tears, longing for something new and better, feeling depressed, or trying harder to change something on the outside, but what I’ve also discovered is that this can keep the cycle of pain, suffering, and longing alive even more and that's not how manifesting and true success or achievement actually works.  Not on a spiritual level anyway.

It’s the journey, not the destination, that we need to enjoy.

It's making peace with what is and the shadow of our life that is slowly passing away so that we can find true peace and love within.

Does that mean every journey is easy?  No. 

I think every mountaintop is always an uphill climb especially if you have a vision for your life and you are on a constant journey of making the most of yourself.  That's a journey that never ends and the more we get used to that, the easier life actually becomes.

So I sat here thinking about all of the accomplishments.

All of the mountain peaks. All the times in my life I thought some achievement would make me happy.  All of the times I finally reached the goal. And here I sit thinking about all of the little things that bring me the most joy, and it’s not what you might expect for it has nothing to do with a title, personal achievement, or a profession.  

In fact, it’s pretty basic and boring most of the time because what fills my heart the most are really the simple things in life.

The simple things like…

Waking up alive.

It’s my morning cup of coffee with cream and sugar that I usually have to reheat at least once.

It’s sitting alone in meditation, spending time with God, and listening to the whispers of my own heart.

It’s looking at my children and just being so thankful that I’m their mom and wondering how God could have made such perfect little humans.

It's being married to my very best friend, my biggest supporter, and someone who puts up with all of my bullshit and big dreams and who would literally do anything for me and our children.

It’s having the time to putter around in the morning and not have to rush off to go and do something.

It’s taking my daughter shopping and seeing the excitement on her face when I tell her to pick out four boxes of crackers instead of two.

It’s seeing how much dirt my Dyson picks up even though I just vacuumed yesterday.

It’s wearing jogging pants and sneakers instead of a suit jacket, dress pants, an uncomfortable bra and heels.

It's taking a nap when I feel like I need one. 

It’s washing my face at nighttime and crawling into my nice, clean white bedsheets.

It’s stocking up my cupboards with body wash, hand soaps, or going to the mall to pick a new scent of a candle as the season changes.

It's swapping out my dish towels for fresh new ones.

It's having fresh roses on my countertop. 

It's organizing my spice cupboard and making the inside of my fridge look all pretty.

It's just writing whatever is on my heart and putting it out there into the world for someone to read.

It's being kind and loving to people you meet and seeing what new adventures come my way each day.

It's having the laundry all caught up and put away.

It's doing my daughters hair or walking around the track with my son.

It's replacing my kids socks with fresh new ones.

It's finding a few extra french fries at the bottom of the bag.

It's buying fresh new loofas for everyone in the house and replacing them. 

It’s a pressure washer and a clean, empty garage with absolutely no clutter lying around.

It's using my swiffer power mop.  (I know, lame) lol.

It’s a freshly cleaned vehicle and driving down a country road with my music blasting as I sing my little heart out.

It's an afternoon Alani. 

It’s a glass of red wine and some chocolate mini eggs on occasion.

It's a kid-free date night with my husband where I enjoy a margarita and we share our favourite buffalo cauliflower bites.

It’s getting caught up in a good reality TV show or a book that I don't ever want to put down.

It’s sitting poolside with the sunshine on your face.

It’s Disney vacations and the excitement of just getting ready for a new adventure.

It’s being home. Making a home. With the people I love the most.

It's being a great Mom.  A great wife.  A great business owner.

It’s life. 

My life.

On my own terms.

My own pace.

My own schedule. 

It’s those little things in life that I absolutely love the most that make me the happiest and healthiest and make me feel like I'm the richest woman alive. 

You see...

There have been so many times when I didn’t think that was good enough.

Where I thought it needed to be bigger, better, or more exciting. Where I thought a higher level on the ladder or a bigger office or a better sounding job title, or more money would make me actually feel something.

It never actually did. Instead it only kept me stuck living in a little hellhole of misery and truly disconnected from the loves of my life.

So where am I going with this today?

I guess, perhaps, it's a reminder. 

A reminder that the little things so many people take for granted each and every single day are actually someone else’s perfect dream life. 

I guess we each just need to determine what dream is ours to truly live, and then spend every single day making the most of it. 

Eventually we all come to realize that there is no place like home and that it doesn't get much better than living and resting peacefully in the present moment doing what you love with the people you love the most.

Ready for more JOY in your life?

I'm excited to invite you to the 21-Day Joy Journey, a simple daily gratitude challenge designed to help you shift your mindset, strengthen your faith, and create more joy and abundance from the inside out.

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• Ends: August 31
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