About - Small Steps, Big Joy

Why Small Steps, Big Joy?

Hi, everyone! I’m Amy, a writer, educator, and certified Hatha yoga instructor passionate about creativity in all areas of life.

A few months before creating this website, I hit a wall. At mid-life, my mind was full of “shoulds”, my workdays were multi-tasking marathons, but I felt like I was running in place.

I decided to invest more in my health and creative endeavors. In the process, I listened to a calling that had been speaking to me for years, but I was too busy to hear it.

Now, my goal is to inspire more women to accept the gift of aging. Now is the perfect time to find and strengthen your purpose in life.

At midlife, women have a unique opportunity to step into wisdom and personal power.

Join me on a holistic journey where we explore the power of mindful practices to infuse your life with peace, wisdom, gratitude, creativity, and meaningful connections.

Mindfulness isn’t difficult. We just have to remember to do it.
Sharon Salzberg

Focus on mindfulness by looking at a white flower with nine petals.

Curious About Mindful Practices for Midlife?

What is the difference between mindfulness and meditation?

Mindfulness is best described as awareness. Meditation is an act that can bring greater awareness, but it requires a quiet environment where you can sit for long time periods. Mindfulness practices can be done anywhere and are relatively easy to integrate into your day.

The practices on this website incorporate active practices such as meditative walking or mindful eating, which will help you find a state of deeper awareness and appreciation for your everyday life.

Mindfulness, in the context of this website, means any activity you do that brings greater awareness to being in your body in the present moment.

I don’t have a lot of extra time. Will I be able to do the practices on this site?

The beauty of mindful practices is that you can do them during the day, in the presence of other people, without others even knowing! You can also carve out 5 to 10 minutes for consciously doing mindful activities.

I’m great at starting but not great at sticking with new habits. How do I stay motivated?

Let a friend or family member know that you’re trying out some mindful techniques to build more presence into your day. Just by telling someone else, you’ll imprint in your mind that you’re starting a new habit.

Do you already have a journal? Write your intentions down every evening, if that’s a good time to debrief with yourself. When you explore how you feel about some of the practices, you’ll feel more invested in your experiences.

New to journaling? The Small Steps, Big Joy blog will help! I’ll be adding journal resources to the Resources page as well.

What resources do I need? Is there anything I should buy?

This is entirely up to you. I find that having a few tools or beloved items can help with some of the practices. For example, art supplies, a soft blanket, a yoga bolster (pillow), a special stone, a handmade wooden cup, etc. This is very personal and will evolve.

I put together a few resources that I enjoy using. I encourage you to use these ideas as a starting point for your personal practice.

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