WHAT ARE THE SMALL MOMENTS THAT FILL YOUR HEART WITH DELIGHT?

When we start noticing the small joys in our everyday life, we find happiness creeping quietly into our world.

DOES HAPPINESS DEPEND ON THE BIG MOMENTS?

I used to think that happiness was about something wonderful happening that made me happy. The day to day stuff was just me doing life as best as I could. What I didn't realize is that happiness isn't just about those big moments - falling in love, new babies, puppies, kittens, birthdays, or holidays. Happiness can also be found in all the little joys that slide unnoticed into our day - even the not-so-great days can hold moments of joy.

We think it's the big moments that define our lives—the wedding, the baby, the new house, the dream job. But really, these big moments of happiness are just the punctuation marks of our personal sagas. The narrative is written every day in the small and simple.
Sarah Ban Breathnach

LIFE IS FULL OF SEASONS - GOOD AND BAD

I also thought that happiness was tied to the good seasons of life - the seasons where things were going well and everything was moving smoothly along. My life had some of those seasons, but there were also a lot of seasons of struggle, of stress, of tough financial times, thankless days at work, ups and downs with the kids, and so many other small hurdles that came my way.

I think I missed a lot of happy moments because I got too caught up in the difficulties and forgot to be grateful for the normal days in-between when life was just happening in its usual ways. An ordinary "boring" day can be a good day if we take a moment to remind ourselves of all the little pleasant things that we take for granted in our day to day life.

SEASONS IN THE SECOND HALF OF LIFE

I think the second half of life has a different feel for me. The seasons don't swing so far into the good and the bad. Life feels more settled and stable. I feel like a lot of the hard work we did in the first half of life has paid off and made this second half simpler and lighter.

That being said, simple, unbusy, quiet living can feel tedious for some people. They can feel flat because life isn't giving them all the high moments that they need to feel happy. If you can find your sweet spot in the second half of life - balance things out so life feels good - then happiness just seems to creep in and becomes easier to find each day. The little things seem bigger when life gets smaller.

SOME OF MY SMALL MOMENTS

Here's a few of the small moments in my week that always bring a smile to my face and a lift to my heart:

  • A good night's sleep
  • A morning walk - especially when the sun is shining
  • Coffee with a friend
  • A chat with my Mum or my daughter 
  • A photo from my DIL of the grandgirls or their new kitten
  • A stroll with my husband as we chat about our day
  • Reminding myself that I'm not at work and the day's all mine
  • A clean house
  • A purring cat on my lap
  • Being healthy and pain-free (especially after my hip issues)
  • A ride on my scooter on a fine day
  • Reading a good book (or two, or three!)

WHAT ARE YOUR SMALL MOMENTS?

Another lovely quote I read the other day said:

And one day, you realise it was never about the big things. You realise it's actually about the little moments that feel like magic. It's about the simplest of seconds that make you smile. It's about the genuine experiences that fill your heart with joy.
It's about the conversations that make you believe in kindness and compassion. It's about the hugs you want to hold for that little bit longer. It's about surrounding yourself with people that feel like sunshine. It's about the moments of peace and stillness that prove how beautiful the world can be. It was never about the big things.      
Allyislia

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

If you have any small joys to add to mine, I'd love you to share a few in the comments. Happiness comes from different sources for each of us, but when we stop looking for it only in the big events, and start noticing it in our small, everyday activities...then it hits us how blessed we truly are.

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Cresting the Hill - a blog for Midlife (Middle Aged / 50+) women who want to thrive
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10 comments

  1. Jo Tracey14 July 2025 at 08:45

    The sun on your face after a cold morning.

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    Replies
    1. Leanne14 July 2025 at 16:14

      Yes! I love that little tinge of warmth on cold cheeks too :)

      Delete
  2. Anonymous14 July 2025 at 11:54


    The sound of rain when I'm cozy indoors
    Bare feet on grass
    Watching night stars appear
    Sleeping in fresh sheets
    The first sip of morning coffee
    A hot shower
    Laughing with a friend
    A wonderful conversation.

    Now that you got me started I could go on (and on)! <3

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    Replies
    1. Leanne14 July 2025 at 16:15

      Hi Donna - I love all of these - clean sheets are always such a small and simple delight that I'd forgotten about. And nothing beats good conversation and laughter. Thanks so much for adding to my list. I think when you come up with that many off the cuff, it shows what a positive person you are. x

      Delete
  3. Sally14 July 2025 at 14:28

    Soaking in a hot bath on a cold winter's night, enjoying my current library book with scented candle softly glowing;
    Sitting by the fire, watching reruns of The IT Crowd and the Vicar of Dibley - very silly :)
    Hot soups and fruit crumble and ice cream
    Bird song outside in the garden
    Op shop discoveries!
    Line dancing sessions on Tuesday evenings, my favourite happy place for the week!

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    Replies
    1. Leanne14 July 2025 at 16:17

      Hi Sally - I love a good op shop discovery too - including the top I'm wearing in my profile picture! And I had to smile at your IT Crowd and Vicar of Dibley - they both pop up in my Youtube shorts regularly and I still laugh - the closing jokes on The Vicar Of Dibley were always a hoot.

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  4. Sally14 July 2025 at 16:33

    Yes aren't they great, need more light heartedness in the world. One of the positives of today's technology, being able to suss out those old comedies.
    Thanks for another thoughtful reflective post. :)

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  5. Joanne 14 July 2025 at 18:09

    Oh I really miss a good night's sleep but when I do get a night (or even a string of nights) where I do sleep well it makes me so happy!

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  6. Sue14 July 2025 at 19:15

    This is a beautiful post, Leanne.

    I absolutely agree with your perspective, and I love your list of small moments of joy. The process of making such a list is a joy in itself.

    Some small moments for me include many of the things on your list. Some others I’d add are: being greeted by my dog when I get home; hugs; oranges (especially at this time of year)—I enjoy eating them and also like the look of them; getting into a warm bed at night (I have an electric blanket); hearing a favourite song;… oh I could go on and on and am enjoying just thinking of these things.

    Thanks for an another lovely post.

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  7. Mona McGinnis14 July 2025 at 21:31

    Thanks for the Ban Breathnach quote; it brought back memories from a few decades ago. So many small moments:
    watching a finch drinking from the rain barrel
    seeing a deer run across the yard
    eating ice cream on the porch with the neighbor little
    hanging wash on the clothes line
    the smell of line-hung laundry
    homemade yogurt that turned out perfectly
    sitting on the porch listening to & smelling the rain
    I could go on & on. I've always believed that life is made up mostly of the little day-to-day things.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for your comment - it's where the connection begins.

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