There is nothing quite like the smell of coffee in the morning. That first sip goes down smooth, filling all those sleepy cells in your body with something I’m convinced comes straight from the fifth dimension. One minute you exist in that place between sleep and awake and the next you’re bright-eyed, coherent, and ready to take on the day at hand.

That’s the magic of an exceptional cup of joe. 

But what does coffee have to do with life? Well, a lot actually.

In my daily espresso bean grinding, latte crafting, and milk steaming coffee practice, I’ve drawn a few parallels between the art of a good cup of coffee and our daily life.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

Patience Pays Off

 Just like brewing the perfect cup of coffee takes time and attention, life’s best moments often require patience and careful preparation. When we let things unfold at their own pace, no matter how hard that is, we are often rewarded with results beyond what we could have imagined. 

I see this a lot in our romantic relationships. Imagine if you had stuck with your first boyfriend/girlfriend. For those of us who didn’t, we are probably glad that we were patient, met new people, and allowed our love to expand, grow, and ultimately lead us to the right person. If we hadn’t been patient, who knows where we might have ended up. 

So be patient and trust that something amazing is always coming for you.

Appreciate the Little Things

When it comes to the perfect cup of coffee, the little things matter. Whether it’s the right type of beans, the water temperature, the right milk, or the best flavorings – details matter to achieve the desired outcome.

Same in life. 

It’s important to appreciate all the little things in our lives that bring us happiness, fulfillment, and peace. Chasing big things is easy, but simmering in gratitude for the little things requires more discipline. Trust me, it’s well worth it.

Embrace Change

Sometimes we run into hiccups in the coffee-making process. Maybe we are traveling and don’t have access to our normal equipment or ingredients. Perhaps, we have to substitute some of our favorites or ran out of beans. Whatever it is, we learn to adapt. We learn tricks of the trade to still make a good cup of coffee, even if it isn’t our usual.

In life, just like coffee making, this is an essential skill. The one thing we are guaranteed in this life is that things will constantly change and there will always be plenty of things out of our control. When we resist and play this game of tug-a-war with life – we end up stressed, miserable, and full of anxiety. It’s when we can let go and ride the waves of change, we come out on top so much faster and a lot happier.

So adjust, change course, and do whatever you have to do to embrace the unexpected in your life.

Find Balance

A good latte requires the perfect balance between espresso, milk, and sometimes a sweetener. If the ratio is off, the drink is off and it won’t taste compatible with your palette.

It’s a lot like life. If we work too much, lay around too much, become too isolated, etc – we become depressed, sick, unsettled, and anxious. True balance in life is often hard to find but I think the secret is just pursuing joy. When we are joyous, we feel balanced. We feel fulfilled. 

Balance is not about equal hours delegated perfectly over the course of a day, it’s about seeking peace and happiness and finding ways to get more of that in the 24 hours allotted to us. Once you find your perfect blend you’ll feel so much better. 

Find Joy in the Process

The journey of making coffee—from grinding beans to brewing—can be as satisfying as the end result. We get so focused on getting to the end and reaping the rewards we forget to enjoy the journey of our lives. The journey is often the best part and if we try to skip over it we miss not just the lessons but the happiness that comes with it. So savor the good, the bad, and the ugly, and life will be much more palatable for you.

May your coffee and your life continue to bring you peace.