How to Build a Life You Love—Not Just Chase the Highlights

The Beauty of the In-Between Days

There was a time when every weekend was an event, every whim indulged on demand. It felt like I was living, but in truth, I was blurring the lines between celebration and routine. It was like riding a bike too fast—I never got to truly feel grounded and present.

When everything is a highlight, nothing truly shines.

Now, I live differently. I don’t just live for special occasions—I create a life where every day holds magic. Because magic isn’t just in the grand adventures; it’s in the moments we craft between them.

I love going away—whether it’s a quick trip to Wellington to see my boys, a long weekend escape, or a long-haul adventure to visit family and explore the world. These moments are my soul’s fuel. They take money, time, and energy, but in return, they give me something priceless: the kind of memories that capture everything I love about life.

But to truly embrace and afford these experiences, I need what I call the in-between days—the ones that build the foundation beneath the magic. These are the days where I earn and save, restore and prepare, nourish and ground myself. They’re when I take extra care of my body, my mind, my home, my pugs, my relationships.

They are the deep inhale before the exhilarating exhale of adventure.

When I returned from my latest trip—watching my eldest son, Dan, graduate as a firefighter—it was hard to leave. We had created a perfect pocket of time, surrounded by both my boys, Nashin, and their loved ones, a moment that felt like life at its fullest. But I reminded myself: this is possible because of the in-between days. Like seasons, life thrives on rhythm—expansion and contraction, celebration and restoration.

We often think magic happens in the extraordinary, but true magic is in how we set ourselves up to experience it. It’s in making space for moments of deep presence, whether they come in a grand milestone or in the simplest of joys—a walk in the forest, a quiet evening with Craig, cuddles with the pugs, watching TV with Roger, my father in law, making dried flower arrangements, caring for my many plants, cooking, reading, or catching up with friends and neighbours.

I live for the big moments, yes. But I also live for the rhythm, the flow, the balance.

Because when you honour the in-between, the highs become higher, the memories richer, and life—all of it—becomes something truly extraordinary.

Your Invitation: What are your in-between days?

How do you create space for the magic, both in the everyday and in the grand adventures?

Take a moment to reflect on how you can nurture your foundation—whether it’s through self-care, financial stability, or simply slowing down to savour the present.

Share one small habit you can introduce today to make your in-between days more meaningful. Let’s build lives where every moment counts.

Love and balance, Caron xox