Ai Sayama -

I think we spend so much time chasing big happiness—the big trip, the big success, the big moment. But lately, I’ve realized that happiness is actually very small. It’s the texture of a fresh peach. It’s a text from a friend you weren’t expecting. It’s finishing something you were scared to start.

I used to be the person who would grab my phone immediately after waking up. But lately, I’ve been trying to just sit by the window for five minutes with a warm cup of lemon water. No script. No schedule. Just the warmth in my hands and the quiet of the morning. It feels like giving my heart a hug before the day starts.

Hello everyone! 🌸

With love, Ai Sayama 🌷 Photo: A quick snapshot of my lemon water and the morning light. Sorry it’s a little blurry—I was smiling too much. ai sayama

It’s Ai. How have you been?

And I’m glad you are. 💛

The Little Joys I Keep Close to My Heart I think we spend so much time chasing

You might know me as someone who likes things neat and planned, but recently I tried making soup with just the vegetables I had left in the fridge. It was a little too salty (sorry!), but it was mine . There’s something so freeing about not following rules in the kitchen. It reminds me that being imperfect is actually really delicious.

Let’s find the little joys together again soon.

When I feel stuck or a little heavy, I put on my softest sneakers and just walk. No music. No podcast. Just the sound of my footsteps and the city (or the wind, if I’m lucky enough to be near nature). By the time I come home, the thing that felt so big earlier? It usually feels smaller. More manageable. It’s a text from a friend you weren’t expecting

Thank you for always being by my side, even from far away.

Ai Sayama

I was looking out the window this morning, watching the light shift through the leaves, and I realized how long it’s been since I just sat down and wrote to you like this. Life gets so busy, doesn’t it? Between work, keeping up with friends, and trying to stay healthy, sometimes we forget to just breathe .

So if you’re reading this and you’re feeling tired or lost or just meh … please don’t be hard on yourself. You don’t have to be amazing every day. You just have to be here.