1 year offline: 7 lessons for happiness, peace and personal growth

The time flew by…

Hi Friends,

I have been offline for 1 year. It has been… private, beautiful, calm, boring (at times), blissful, and very healthy. I hope you find a golden nugget from reading these 7 lessons for happiness, peace, and personal growth ♥️ 
 Please share with any friends who you feel would need this.

1.  It is through offline experiences that we truly internalize peace.

On my journey to find more peace in my life, I made a conscious decision to step back from social media. Initially, I would share posts on Instagram, attempting to portray a sense of presence and calm through captivating ocean views and aesthetically pleasing images. However, I soon realized that despite my efforts, I was still tethered to my phone, interrupting the very moments I was trying to capture. It became clear that true peace required more than just the appearance of serenity. It meant putting down the phone and embracing life around me without any digital distractions.

2. It is natural to occasionally disappoint people.

My sister-in-law helped me understand this concept 2 years ago. Relationships can be visualized as concentric circles (think of a bullseye), with each circle representing a different level of closeness and connection. At the center is your spouse, children, and closest friends—those who hold the deepest significance in your life. Moving outwards, you encounter extended family, good friends, colleagues, and acquaintances, until reaching the outermost ring that includes social media followers and people who you have limited interaction with. Prioritize minimizing disappointment for those in your inner circle, while recognizing that it's natural to occasionally disappoint those at the outer edges who don't require your constant dedication.

3. It is more important to be happy than to be rich.

It's a common misconception that wealth equates to happiness when in reality, true fulfillment lies in prioritizing happiness over riches. While money can contribute to achieving goals and enhancing certain aspects of life, it alone does not guarantee happiness. Many of us, myself included, often become fixated on the importance of money, mistakenly believing that more wealth will lead to a better life. You may just find increased happiness through creating meaningful routines, expressing gratitude, setting goals, leveraging your strengths, and simplifying life.

4. Pretending to be perfect all the time is exhausting.

Embracing humility, and the fact that I don't have all the answers, allowed me to take a deep breath and find some ease. I went from always being the teacher to finding joy in being taught. There is beauty in the mess and hustling for the perfect life/career/body didn’t give me what I it would. The more I let go of the higher I ended up rising.

5. Some things you'll never see unless you believe them first.

Read that title again. Discovering the power of faith and trusting in what cannot be seen has been the biggest transformation for me. For the longest time, I lived without believing in something greater than myself. When I finally surrender to God’s plan and accepted His love into my life I found a genuine peace that is unwavering. I could rest that there is a bigger plan for me and it wasn’t only up to me to design it. I think Rick Warren says it best, “You didn't create yourself, so there is no way you can tell yourself what you were created for.”

6. Recognizing the love that comes our way from those who genuinely care.

It's not uncommon to find ourselves in situations where we invest love and affection in people who may not reciprocate those feelings. Jay Shetty, says “Too often we love people who don’t love us, but we fail to return the love of others who do.” We can get caught up in seeking validation or attention from individuals who may not have the capacity to reciprocate our love. Meanwhile, we unintentionally neglect those who are genuinely supportive and caring. This lesson encourages me to be mindful of the people who genuinely love and care for me, and to reciprocate their love in return. We all have a few people that consistently show up for us, support us, and prioritize our well-being. By recognizing the love that comes our way from those who genuinely care, we can cultivate stronger connections and foster healthier relationships.


7. I’d rather be known for my kindness than my achievements.

I’ll never forget the day I talked to a stranger on the sidewalk in Nanaimo BC. I was struggling to understand the purpose of life. She simply said back. “I used to be that way too… thinking I need to have the perfect job, or family, or income, now I think my purpose is to simply spread love every day” In an instant, worry washed away. That made sense to me. At the end of the day I would rather be remembered for my kindness than my achievements.

So that’s that… I hope you found something in here that was helpful. Always remember… follow your heart, it will never leave you astray.


- Morgs