When times feel tough I remember the little things. And, that the little things are the big things.

I have found many points in the last few days challenging.

I haven't slept well the last three nights and it's catching up with me.

My period is due any day now, so I know I'm more sensitive than at other times.

I've felt run down, in the edge of getting a cold all long weekend.

And we've been travelling long distances in the car, always something I find challenging.

Extra stress means relationships feel harder than usual. Strained. Tiring. Difficult.

I have to keep remembering to come back to now, now and now.

To be here and now with that is.

To notice the little things that make my days feel worthwhile or wonderful, even for just a moment.

• Hugging my sister, whom I rarely get to see in person

• Carrying my young niece on my back with my bare feet on thick wet grass

• Hearing my mum laugh when I give her a present that's just a bit too pink for her

There were more, many more, even just today in fact:

• Making playful small talk with locals at the parkrun we visited for the first time

• Getting a passing hug from my Mister when I wasn't expecting it, and

• Hearing and then seeing a small flock of Yellow-Tailed Black Cockatoos high amongst the trees

The latter are what you can see in the photos scattered throughout this post. These beauties light up my heart when I hear them cry out to one another. They are a powerful, positive trigger from my childhood that almost nothing else beats for the joy it makes me feel.

And it's when I reflect on these tiny moments, scattered throughout the last few days that I realise despite feeling pretty stressed about things I don't seem to be able to shake, I do have these little things.

And these little things are the big things. Because what is life if not a series of moments, full of feeling and meaning and... well, life?

{All photos above, taken by me. But I just remembered Brad sent me some he took and they're even better - as they usually are 😉 I've popped them below for you to appreciate as I am now!}

Here's to remembering to appreciate the little things in 2024. 🙏♥️🎉