“Riding Life’s Waves”:

Finding Joy in the Small Things

Life moves in waves. Some days, the tide carries us forward effortlessly. Other days, we’re caught in the pull of undercurrents — anxiety, stress, or even depression. In those seasons, happiness can feel out of reach, almost like it belongs to another version of ourselves. But even when happiness seems far away, there is something gentler and more accessible: joy.

“Joy comes to us in ordinary moments. We risk missing out when we get too busy chasing extraordinary happiness.” – Brené Brown

After a traumatic event in my own life, I found myself in a place where happiness felt impossible. The big goals, the big dreams — even the idea of “thriving” — were too heavy to hold. What carried me through were not grand achievements or life-changing breakthroughs, but the tiniest, most ordinary moments of joy.

For me, joy looked like:

  • Cuddling with my kids and our dog.

  • Watching my children and the dogs play on the beach, chasing bubbles, their laughter carried on the wind.

  • Laughing at a silly joke my husband cracked at just the right time.

  • Wrapping my hands around a warm cup of tea and letting it ground me.

  • Feeling the ocean kiss my skin and remind me of my place in something bigger.

  • Receiving an unexpected message from someone who cared.

  • Sinking into the comfort of a hot bath.

  • Crawling into a warm, safe bed at the end of a long day.

These small joys weren’t a cure for my pain, but they were anchors — little reminders that life was still moving, still offering me something worth holding onto.

“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.” – Thích Nhất Hạnh

An Invitation to You

If you find yourself in a season where happiness feels out of reach, I want to gently encourage you: look for the small joys. They are already around you, waiting to be noticed.

Joy might be:

  • The warmth of the sun on your face.

  • The sound of your child’s laughter.

  • The smell of your morning coffee.

  • A song that stirs a forgotten memory.

  • The softness of your pillow when you lay your head down at night.

You don’t have to wait for “big” happiness to arrive before you can feel joy. You don’t need to have it all together. Joy is not about everything being perfect — it’s about noticing the moments that soften the edges of life, even in the midst of struggle.

Life will always move in waves. Some will lift us high, and others will pull us low. But if we can anchor ourselves in the small joys — the bubbles, the jokes, the cups of tea, the warm beds — we’ll find that even in our heaviest seasons, light still finds a way in.

“Joy is not in things; it is in us.” – Richard Wagner

So today, I invite you to pause and ask yourself:
👉 What are my anchors of joy right now?

Write them down. Notice them. Hold them close. Because even in the hardest tides, joy is still here — gentle, quiet, and waiting for you.