I used to believe happiness was something just beyond my reach—something I’d find one day when I got married, became a mother, reached my business goals, when everything finally felt right.

I would think:
I’ll be happy when I meet the perfect partner.
I’ll be happy when my bank account balance includes several commas.
I’ll be happy when I live exactly the life I had imagined.

But here’s the hard truth I’m finally learning:

Happiness isn’t waiting in some perfect version of the future. It’s already here, in the middle of the life I’m already living.

And the more I have started embracing the small, imperfect, beautiful moments in my everyday life, the more I am realizing: Maybe the happy ending isn’t something we reach. Maybe it’s something we create, right now.

Savoring the Little Moments

I used to be so busy chasing the next thing that I missed the magic in what was already in front of me. But the happiest moments? They weren’t big, life-changing events. They were the simple things: My baby Laila’s bright eyed smile in the morning, a solo coffee run in silence, the warmth of the sun on my face during a quick walk. We spend so much time searching for happiness, but what if it’s been here all along, waiting for us to notice?

Choosing Yourself

For past couple years, I have put marriage and motherhood first. I thought that made me a good mom, a good wife, a good person. But I was exhausted, running on empty, wondering why I never felt like me anymore.

So I started doing little things just for me: Stealing a few quiet moments with a book, buying myself flowers for no reason, saying no to things that drained me. And you know what? The world didn’t fall apart. If anything, I felt more present, more patient, more like the woman I had been missing.

You don’t have to wait for permission to choose yourself. This is your permission.

Because maybe your happiness is not in some distant future, when everything is perfect, calm and easy.

Maybe it’s in this exact moment, messy and unpredictable and real.

Maybe it’s in learning to love the life you have while creating the life you want.

Maybe it’s in realizing that you don’t have to wait to feel joy. You can choose it today.

Micro-naps, as it turns out, are not just the stuff of corporate productivity hacks or power-nap enthusiasts. For me, they became a way to reset my mind and body, a tiny act of rebellion against the hustle culture I had internalized. These short bursts of rest—10 to 20 minutes, tops—became a lifeline during chaotic days.

Science supports what I discovered intuitively: micro-naps can boost mood, increase focus, and improve energy levels. They can even lower stress hormones. But beyond the biology, micro-naps brought me something unexpected: joy.

Little Ways to Invite More Happiness into Your Life

Happiness doesn’t have to be a grand, life-altering event. Sometimes, it’s in the simplest things. Here are a few ideas to bring more joy into your daily routine:

Buy yourself fresh flowers—because you deserve beauty in your space.
Create a 5-minute morning ritual—a quiet cup of coffee, a deep breath before the day begins.
Romanticize the small things—light a candle while you cook, put on your favorite music while folding laundry.
Step outside for a few minutes—let the sun hit your skin, breathe deeply, reset.
Treat yourself to something small but special—a cozy blanket, a good book, a luxurious body oil that makes you feel radiant.

Happiness isn’t waiting for you someday. It’s already here, woven into the fabric of your life.

You just have to slow down enough to see it.