out now!

Joy Is in the Simple Moments,
A Mediterranean Island Gathering
of Poems and Reflections
That Celebrate the Ordinary
is a gentle reminder that when we want less, we naturally create space for a whole universe of freedom, presence, and life. Open the book, sit at the table, and let yourself just be.

order your copy

an inspirational guide on the heart's magical journey

This was not a planned book at all. I simply gathered the literal fragments of my adventures and the lessons I learned on the road, because I felt they could come in handy to others. These pages are the raw essence of my life approach. They show what happens when you stop living by the rules of the world and start being guided entirely by your heart.

order your copy

extraordinary things happen if you follow your heart and intuition

Random Roman Holiday began with a lifelong love affair with Rome, sparked by the classic film. But it grew into something much deeper—a personal quest for space and time to reflect on life. This book is the story of how that old dream materialized into a real journey. It is an invitation to wander hidden alleys, embrace the magic of traveling alone, and trust the intuition that leads us exactly where we need to be.

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it's never too late to pursue your dreams

Ten Wishes follows a woman on the eve of her thirtieth birthday who risks everything to chase a list of long-ignored dreams. To bring Alice’s world to life, I drew directly from my own past, loosely inspiring the narrative with one of my own great life adventures in the field of fashion. This novel is a celebration of starting over with nothing but a glimmer of hope, woven from real-world memories of creativity, deep friendships, and the magic that happens when you refuse to settle.

order your copy

current inspiration

I am sharing this thought today as I am reminding myself to do exactly so. I started preparing a proposal for my memoir about life on this little island, about which I feel truly excited.

But at the same time, I caught myself classically overthinking it. I was thinking about it even during lunch—which today was a typical pasta e fagioli, although in our own much lighter version, but just as delicious and very autumnal.

I don't want to be unnecessarily thinking about anything. Instead, I want to always enjoy what I am doing at the moment, focusing and giving my full attention to what matters most at any given time. I don't want to miss a single tasteful bite or spoonful of a delicious dish, or any other ordinary moment in everyday life.

Yes, I am excited. I finally opened the file and started putting together this project, which can help me materialize one of my wildest dreams. But that doesn't mean that from now on I will think only about that and stop everything else.

If I did, I would stop life itself. And then, when my dream finally materialized, I would realize that the joy is only half-lived because I missed the whole journey. And I wouldn't want that.

So, I am just sharing this in case you needed to read these words today, too.

(This photo was taken during our recent return to Ischia, near Orbetello in the beautiful and wild Tuscan Maremma region, which completely captured my heart.)
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#Mindfulness #InspirationalQuotes #SlowLiving #WritersLife #KatyYaksha

I just published a new article, inspired by this morning's baking experimentation, officially opening the new chapter of Lighter Way—my inspirational space on Substack. This piece launches one of the main themes I will be writing about there: On a Lighter Body and Mind.

You can find inspiration for your own kitchen experiments by reading the article in a spare moment of calm through the link in my bio.

And although you can easily read it on your phone, if you have the option to read it on a laptop or any other larger screen, I truly recommend it. It still won't be a paper book, yet it is a much better and healtier option than a tiny screen.
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#LighterWayByKatyYaksha #HappyHealthyLifestyle #HealthyBody #Inspiration #SlowLiving

This afternoon is exactly that time for me. "Sometimes, to just be is enough." Although I am spending these few minutes to share this thought, right after this I will disconnect and continue just being.

It is quite cold outside, even here on the island. Autumn is officially here, bringing more space for this kind of being—for absorbing the liberating space and quietness that settles in here out of season.

This is the time when I feel truly grateful to be here, and to have the opportunity to feel the magic of living in a small place where nothing much is happening, yet so much is at the same time. Even in the moments when you are seemingly doing nothing at all.

The thought is from my new book, Joy Is in the Simple Moments, which was created exactly from moments like these.
Order your copy through the link in my bio, and be inspired to slow down and enjoy even the most ordinary moments to the fullest, wherever you are.
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#JoyIsInTheSimpleMoments #InspirationalBook #SlowLiving #Mindfulness #BalancedLiving

In one of my last posts, I shared the recent changes to my Substack space. Yesterday, I wrote a new article introducing this transition, and what Lighter Way will inspire you with from now on. I would love to welcome you to our virtual table!  

Read A New Chapter for Lighter Way: Why I paused our Sunday letters to build an oasis for a life lived well, through the link in my bio.  

Have a great weekend, and I hope to see you at our Substack table.

  #LighterWay #ALifeLivedWell #SimpleLiving #SlowLiving #KatyYaksha

"Every moment can be perceived as extraordinary if we allow ourselves to see the world through the eyes of a child—as a wonderful adventure, a magical game where we marvel at the most ordinary things. Helping to reawaken this part of the human soul was one of the deepest wishes I held in my heart while writing this book."

This is a little excerpt from the first pages of my new book, Joy Is in the Simple Moments: A Mediterranean Gathering of Poems and Reflections That Celebrate the Ordinary.

If you are searching for a new paper friend to help you see and perceive the joy that is all around you right now, this book—a little talisman you can take anywhere and return to whenever you need it—might be for you, too.

Click the link in my bio to learn more about the book or order your copy today.

#JoyIsInTheSimpleMoments #InspirationalBook #SlowLivingBook #Mindfulness #MotivationalQuoteOfTheDay

There is one more thing new. My Substack, Lighter Way, has undergone a makeover.

With finishing and publishing my new book, Joy Is in the Simple Moments, I felt I wanted to use this space a little differently. Instead of writing weekly essays—little stories about what inspired me and could inspire others, whether while being on the island or somewhere else—my original vision about creating a space dedicated to well-being, to taking care of our bodies and minds, to inspiration on simply living and even doing what we love, and also on becoming who we are, has started to come into focus.

That was, besides writing books, my deepest wish: to create a space dedicated mostly to well-being, to inspiration and motivation on all the above-mentioned themes. I took some time to adjust the layout, and now everything is ready. Now it is up to me to start creating and bringing to light the ideas that are right now living only in my heart and my visions.

But already now, I invite you to check it out. In the About section, you can read what you can expect there and if that is a place that you would like to join. I would be happy to welcome you to my virtual table :)

Please, find the link in my bio and enjoy exploring Lighter Way: Happy and healthy made easy. Uplifting lifestyle inspiration by the author Katy Yaksha, anchored in—often Mediterranean—simplicity, to step into a world of lightness, experiment with slow living, and focus on what matters most.

#LighterWay #InspirationMotivation #SimplyLiving #Wellbeing #KatyYaksha

As I wrote recently, more quotes, thoughts, and reflections will start to appear here—pieces to inspire your own pondering on the questions and things that matter most to you. That was, indeed, my main motivation and inspiration for ever writing publicly: to share what could help others simply become who they already are, deep down in their heart, deep down in their soul.

I captured this thought during our return trip to the island. I promised myself that I would write a few quotes or short poems each day, capturing a moment from each place we visit—the mood, the feeling—in the same vein as my new book, Joy Is in the Simple Moments.

This quote, and even the photograph, were captured at night during our walk through the empty and beautiful streets of Verona. The silence and the emptiness were truly magical.

Even in the city, it is possible to come closer to your true self and hear your soul. It is possible anywhere; you just need to offer it a little bit of calmness, and it will definitely find you.

#LighterWay #JoyIsInTheSimpleMoments #SlowLivingPhilosophy #MindfulPoetry #KatyYaksha

So, my new book, Joy Is in the Simple Moments, is out—you can explore it through the link in my bio (read the sample, order your copy...).

I feel so excited about the new things I will put my creative energy into now. I already have a work in progress: a memoir about life here on this little island all year long, about how limitations can actually turn out to be the opposite... Then there is this idea for a cozy, warm Christmas book that I have been thinking about for years and which now seems to be taking shape. I don't want to say too much though, as I am not yet sure I will be able to finish it in time for this Christmas...

And then, my Substack space is going through a makeover. I felt, with publishing my new book, that I wanted to use that space a little differently. In a few days, the layout should be ready. And as for here, there will be more quotes and more inspiration for following your heart and living for what matters most.

OK, time to close the notebook, take a book, and just relax, or just be. Watch the candle that is burning on the little table in front of me, listen to the music—currently the soundtrack from Woody Allen's A Rainy Day in New York, as there is a rainy night in Forio outside the door and this music just beautifully fits the mood... just breathe out and simply be. And that's not difficult here on the island :)

Bye for now, and... don't forget to check out my new book—I’d be so happy if it brought a little bit of the calmness of the island to you, wherever you are.

#WritersLife #SlowLiving #IslandLiving #JoyIsInTheSimpleMoments #CozyReading

Without further ado... here it is: my new book, Joy Is in the Simple Moments. It was a true joy to write, to piece together, and now, to share with you. I believe its pages will breathe a sense of calm and peace whenever you open it—and serve as a gentle reminder that joy is always waiting for you, hidden in the most ordinary moments.

You can now order your copy through the link in my bio.

#JoyIsInTheSimpleMoments #NewBook #KatyYaksha #MindfulLiving #Happiness

After a long break, hello again! I’ve been living by the words in this photo—simplifying my life and my schedule to make room for finishing my new book (and for life itself). With this quote from the new book, Joy Is in the Simple Moments, I’m happy to be back in this space. I have some exciting ideas for what's next, and I want to make sure the time we spend here is truly worth it for both of us.

My new book is officially live! It will take a few more days to become available for purchase on every Amazon marketplace worldwide, but in the meantime, you can click the link in my bio to see the cover and read a sample. I am truly so happy to see it out in the world after all this time, and I hope it brings you so much joy when you read it. I’ll be introducing it properly over the next few days!

#JoyIsInTheSimpleMoments #KatyYaksha #BookLaunch #MindfulLiving #Happiness

Anytime I open this book, it always knows what to show me. And that is the beauty of real books—even those you wrote yourself :) Although AI can give you all kinds of answers in no time, there is nothing simpler than opening your favorite book randomly, with a question on your mind or heart, and reading the first thing your eyes land on. The answer is there. Always. You just have to want to see it.
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#YouCanDoAnythingYouWant #UpliftingBook #InspirationalGuide #RealLife #KatyYaksha

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out now!

Joy Is in the Simple Moments, A Mediterranean Island Gathering of Poems and Reflections That Celebrate the Ordinary is a gentle reminder that when we want less, we naturally create space for a whole universe of freedom, presence, and life. Open the book, sit at the table, and let yourself just be.

an inspirational guide on the heart's magical journey

extraordinary things happen if you follow your heart and intuition

it's never too late to pursue your dreams

current inspiration

​

Joy Is in the Simple Moments,
A Mediterranean Island Gathering
of Poems and Reflections
That Celebrate the Ordinary
is a gentle reminder that when we want less, we naturally create space for a whole universe of freedom, presence, and life. Open the book, sit at the table, and let yourself just be.