Finding Joy in Simplicity

Sunday, I was in my pyjamas until 3 p.m. We watched Jorge’s favourite sport, F1 qualifying, curled up on the floor with blankets, enjoying coffee and the sound of cars racing around the track. After a great finish, we had to release all that built-up energy, so we danced. We danced to theme tunes from Trolls, Frozen, Shrek, and everything in between.

Then, out of nowhere, Jorge said, “Get dressed, ladies, we’re going out.” We jumped in the car, drove just 30 minutes along the motorway, and arrived at a tiny gelato shop in a small village. “They say it’s farm-to-cone,” Jorge grinned. “Let’s give it a try.”

Amelia lit up the moment she saw the ice cream mural on the wall. We picked our flavours, found a new playground, and just soaked up the moment.

My favourite part? It was simple.

But here’s the lesson. Before we left, we were both overthinking, “It’s getting late, we should do something”, and in all that overcomplication, we ended up doing… nothing. Until Jorge simply decided to drive. No plan, no fancy destination, no perfect Instagram moment. And truthfully, I think Amelia and I loved ‘dressing up’ most of all, just getting out of our pyjamas without knowing where we were headed.

It reminded me of our 14 months living in a tent and caravan, when the simplest joys were abundant. Back then, the remoteness made a waterfall feel like Disneyland. Now that we’re back in “normal” life, I see how easy it is to forget that precious lesson.

So, on Sunday, I sat back and remembered the true joy we felt off-grid: dancing in our tiny space, playing games, watching the stars (and trying not to be eaten by mosquitoes or attacked by flies! – just keeping it real)

I’m so grateful for this Sunday, for the reminder it gave me, and for the chance to share it with you this week. Because in a world that demands complication, we can choose to break away and lean into simplicity.

What are my lessons?

Connection over Consumption

Amelia laughs loudest not when we’re watching cartoons or buying something, but when we dance in the lounge, showing off our moves. Or when we make Sunday pancakes, turning breakfast into a mini art project with toppings.

These are the moments that stick, the ones that cost nothing, that never feel fake. Maybe we forget them because they don’t seem “photo-worthy.” But we can reclaim that simple joy.

How? I’ve learned to recognise what simple joy feels like in my body. And when I notice it, I pause and absorb the moment.

So this week, ask yourself: What does simple joy feel, sound, and look like to me? Where do I feel it in my body? Each time you laugh or smile and check in. That’s your personal blueprint for joy.

Because when we replace stuff (more) with human connection, we tap into an abundant source of happiness.

Letting Go of Perfection

As I’ve been practising finding joy in simplicity, I’ve discovered the golden truth: it’s never perfect, never shiny, never a grand realisation.

Case in point, the other day I walked into my local fruit and veg shop and found perfectly fresh strawberries on sale for $1.42. Jackpot! That little thrill reminded me that joy doesn’t need a big stage. And honestly, what’s ever truly perfect? I’m 43, and I’m still searching for that unicorn.

Perfectionism often sneaks in as a voice from the past. A client once told me they tied perfection to work, especially performance reviews, always aiming to “exceed expectations.” When we unpacked it, I asked, “Whose voice is pushing you to exceed?” That hit home. They realised it wasn’t even their voice, but someone else’s measure of worth.

So here’s the question: If happiness didn’t require praise, perfection, or someone else’s approval, what would you do purely because it makes you happy?

Simplicity in Nature

You know I love walking. There’s nothing like getting up early, watching the sun rise, feeling the morning light on my face, and hearing the birds wake up. It fills me with pure joy.

A dear friend in England, no matter the weather, walks daily,  she calls it her “soul food.” I think she’s right. It’s where we both find simple joy and reconnect to what’s real.

Even when we lived in the caravan, I realised you can become blind to beauty if you stop noticing it. Yes, we were surrounded by white sands and turquoise water, but unless you pause to appreciate it, even paradise fades into the background.

It’s like when you return from the big holiday. For the first few days, maybe even a week, you still carry that internal glow of room service, swim-up bars, and no emails bouncing off you. Everyone you meet asks how it was, you show the photos, and you relive the wonderful moments. But then something shifts… the questions stop, the photo sharing slows, the glow begins to fade and the tan? Gone.

And just like that, we find ourselves back in the rhythm of the daily grind.

The holiday blues can feel so real. But when you think about the three main lessons in simple joy, they don’t require a ticket to somewhere exotic. It can be as simple as enjoying a cuppa in the morning, looking out the window (to those who know me, it’s my favourite part of the day).  I think this is where we have a chance to shift things to change how we consume joy, and to awaken to the power of noticing and the gift of simplicity.

So, as I sit here reflecting on that Sunday, I realise the heart of it all came down to this: connection over consumption, letting go of perfection, and finding simplicity in nature. It wasn’t about where we went or what we bought, but about dancing in the lounge, laughing over pancakes, and watching Amelia light up over an unexpected adventure. It reminded me of our caravan days, where the smallest moments carried the greatest joy. And maybe that’s the invitation for all of us this week, to pause, to notice, to feel where joy lives in our bodies, and to remember that in a world that pulls us towards more, we can always choose simple.

Here’s to dancing in your lounge, finding your own $1.42 strawberries, and soaking up the beauty right where you are.

Love Vikki

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