Happiness Isn’t Out There, It’s Right Here
Slow mornings with my babies at Vieques
Life can feel like a constant rush of deadlines, responsibilities, and unexpected curveballs. Some days it feels easier to give in to the stress, let the worry spiral, or sit in that nervous energy. But I’ve come to realize that happiness isn’t something that shows up once everything is “perfect.” It’s a choice — a state of mind we get to step into every single day.
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Choosing Happiness Over Chaos
The truth is, life will always be messy. Something will always need fixing, someone will always have an opinion, and plans will rarely go exactly how we imagined. But in the middle of all that noise, we can decide to lean into joy instead of stress. It’s not about ignoring problems — it’s about not letting them own our entire day.
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My Daily Anchors
When I feel anxious or overwhelmed, I lean into little rituals that bring me back to center. For me, it’s that first sip of coffee in the morning, walking Simon by the beach, or taking a few minutes to breathe before diving into the day. They’re not groundbreaking habits, but they remind me that happiness is found in the simplest of moments when we choose to notice them.
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Letting Go of Perfection
I used to believe happiness came when I had everything together — the perfect schedule, the perfect look, the perfect outcome. But perfection is exhausting, and honestly, it’s an illusion. The most freeing thing is realizing that happiness is actually in the unplanned, the messy, the perfectly imperfect parts of our day.
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Protecting Your Energy
A gentle reminder: make time for what you love, always.
Happiness also comes from protecting what (and who) we let into our lives. For me, that means curating my environment — from the conversations I engage in to what I scroll through online. Surrounding yourself with people, places, and habits that make you feel light and inspired is one of the best investments you can make.
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Final Note
Happiness isn’t waiting at the finish line of your goals — it’s tucked into the small, ordinary moments we overlook when we’re too busy chasing “more.” The more we practice choosing it, the more natural it becomes. And little by little, it shifts from something we chase into something we are.
✨ With happiness always
Gal Off Duty
