Category Archives: Serving happiness

Family life, Serving happiness

Walking Myself Back Into Life

I’m pacing down the footpath, a dog lead in one hand and tissues in the other — because yes, spring hayfever does not care about life choices. My eyes are watering… partly allergies, partly gratitude.

For the first time in what feels like forever, I’m walking the dog.

Not rushing out the door for a 7am meeting.
Not glued to a screen answering urgent emails.
Not living life in the small cracks between stress and exhaustion.

Just walking. Just breathing. Just… being here.

Minnie trots ahead, proudly showing off her summer coat, shiny, soft, and completely unaware she’s become the mascot of my comeback to living. Three years have slipped by since I’ve done something as simple and sacred as this daily ritual of movement.

And as I watch the kids run ahead, laughing over who gets to hold the ball next, something hits me:
I feel like I am part of my own life again.

I’m seeing moments I used to scroll past.
I’m hearing the conversations I used to tune out.
I’m rediscovering the man walking beside me, my husband, not as a co-parent in survival mode, but as my person.

This isn’t about slowing down. It’s about finally moving forward.

Leaving that high-stress job wasn’t a loss, it was a homecoming. A return to the parts of me that were buried under deadlines, performance reviews, and the constant pressure to be “on.”

Now, the most important thing I show up for is right here on this evening walk:

✨ My family.
✨ My health.
✨ The little joyful things.
✨ The dog with the gorgeous summer coat who reminds me to enjoy the sun too.

Spring may set off my allergies, but it’s also giving me a season of renewal.

And as the breeze carries a mix of pollen and possibility, I can finally say:

I’m back.
I’m here.
I’m living my own life again, one dog walk at a time.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DR3_rfeAbMX/?igsh=cTVwem1rN2JxaHI3
Pokemon cards, Serving happiness

Why $660 on Pokémon cards wasn’t really about the cards at all

On paper, spending $660 on Pokémon cards doesn’t make sense.

It’s not the “logical” thing to do. It’s not an investment strategy. It’s not a necessity.

And it definitely isn’t something any financial advisor would celebrate.

But here’s the quiet truth underneath the noise:

I’m not really collecting Pokémon cards. I’m collecting moments with my kids.

In a world obsessed with optimisation, efficiency, and “making smart choices,” we forget something important: Not everything that matters can be measured.

And not every meaningful moment comes wrapped in logic.

Sometimes the things that nourish us most make zero financial sense — and infinite emotional sense.

The Real Beauty Behind the Packs

Every pack we open together is a ritual.

The excitement.

The predictions.

The loud “NO WAY!” when we land a hit.

The laughter when we pull yet another duplicate.

The way my kids’ eyes light up like they’ve just found treasure.

In those moments, I’m not a manager, a leader, or an adult juggling responsibilities.

I’m just Mum.

Fully present.

Fully theirs.

And that is the real value — one that no PSA rating or market price can ever match.

Why Serving Happiness Matters

We spend so much of our lives being logical: Make the practical choice. Save the sensible amount. Choose stability. Follow the rules. Do the “right” thing.

But what about joy?

What about connection?

What about the memories we’ll hold onto long after the logic fades into dust?

Serving happiness isn’t reckless.

It’s intentional.

It’s choosing what matters most even when it doesn’t add up on a spreadsheet.

Because the one thing life keeps teaching me is this:

Presence is the real currency.

And joy is the real return.

A Reminder I Keep Coming Back To

When my kids grow up, they won’t remember how much I earned.

They won’t remember what was “logical.”

They won’t remember the sensible decisions I made in boardrooms.

But they will remember:

Sitting next to me tearing open packs The sound of our collective gasp when we hit something big The inside jokes The energy The softness The time The love

That’s the legacy I’m building.

Not a binder full of cards, but a childhood full of memories.

So yes, I spent $660 on Pokémon cards.

But what I really bought was joy, connection, presence, and moments I’ll never get back.

Happiness over logic. Every single time.

Pokemon cards, Serving happiness, Videos

When You Limit Yourself to 4 Packs a Day 😅 — Mega Symphonia Unwraps

Video

There’s a special kind of self-control that comes with being a Pokémon card collector… and then there’s pretending to have self-control.

The Japanese Mega Symphonia set has been sitting there whispering our name all week — that glossy artwork, the texture, the shimmer that hits differently under sunlight. And honestly, who can resist the suspense of wondering what’s hiding behind that next tear of foil?