Happy Extraordinary Life

01/21/2026

SPECIAL INVITATION!
After 24 years of devoting myself to raising my family and nurturing our home, I stepped into a new season today and returned to school to begin my Master's Degree in Happiness Studies. I'm already trained as an online group facilitator and also a transformation and happiness coach. This next step feels like a beautiful doorway into everything God is still growing in me - and everything I hope to pour into others.

My journey has sparked a passion in me to help other women - especially moms - live with more joy, intention and freedom from mom guilt. As I step into this new season I'm celebrating fresh beginnings and the beautiful things that are taking shape... And because so many have asked how they can be part of this work, I'm launching a new online membership for women who want to live with more joy, intention, and encouragement. It will be a small, paid space that also supports my studies, but most of all it will be a welcoming community for real growth and transformation as we walk forward in faith, becoming who God intended us to be. If you're interested, please send me a direct message (Or comment below).

Here's to living with more joy and intention!

06/10/2025

"Happiness isn't accidental, it's a plan. And yes, there's a manual."

This summer I've been enjoying "The Happiness Experiment" by Carl Barney. It's a book that explores the profound idea of intentionally expressing appreciation and blessing the people you love while you’re still alive rather than waiting to give them an inheritance after you pass away. Packed with thoughtful anecdotes, it’s an easy, delightful read that makes you rethink what true generosity means.

If you’re looking for a book that challenges conventional wisdom and inspires a more intentional approach to happiness, this might be it. 📖✨

You can pre-order your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Experiment-Revolutionary-Way-Increase/dp/B0DQ9MTKKD/ref=sr_1_1

05/19/2025

Blogging & Business friends - Last year I took Stu McLaren's training about how to run a membership. I launched a Bible Study membership and it has been AMAZING to watch these women connect in ways I never expected. It’s been such a joy to see friendships blossom and faith deepen! (Some of us have even travelled across the country to visit each other!)

And now, with everything I’ve learned, I’m finally stepping into my dream of launching a second membership—one all about happiness. 💛

If you’ve ever thought about building a community around something you love—whether it’s business, blogging, or a passion you just can’t shake—I can’t recommend Stu’s course enough. It gave me the roadmap I needed to bring my ideas to life, and I know it can do the same for you. He opens it once a year - and this is the week!! If this speaks to you, go for it! I’d love to cheer you on. 💫

Free Live Workshop Series. Turn What You Know, Love and Do Into A Successful Membership Business with Stu McLaren.

05/16/2025

After an incredible year and a half of learning, growing, and being mentored by The xChange Approach, today I'm celebrating officially becoming a certified xChange guide!

Let’s be honest—most Zoom calls feel like they drain the life out of us. But through xChange and something called Appreciative Inquiry, I’ve discovered a way to create uplifting, deeply personal online experiences that bring people together in unforgettable ways.

This journey has challenged me, affirmed me, and introduced me to some of the best people I know. I can’t wait to bring these skills to Happy Extraordinary Life and help create truly meaningful connections.

So excited for what’s ahead!!! 🦋

05/14/2025

I have a quick favor to ask! I’m creating a happiness course for working moms and need their input! Their feedback will help shape the course so it truly supports them. Here’s a link to the survey. Would you mind filling this out if you're a mom or sharing this with any working moms you know who might be interested?

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdEgMh1_ubdtKrdYACG6HJkIAAVyTAUQhLo95nDPEwB7lUBNg/viewform?usp=sharing

As a Thank You, there's a free pdf guide to some favorite apps that make mom life simple after you click submit. 🙂

Thanks so much—I appreciate you all! 💛

05/07/2025

🚨 FREE Workshop from my Mentor! 🚨

A few years ago, my friend Lillian sent me a text that changed everything:

"I just went to a workshop by this guy named Stu and YOU NEED THIS!"

She was right. I took his trainings, and I can confidently say it’s one of the top 2 business trainings I have ever taken—and now, you can take it too!

Stu has spent years teaching people how to build thriving memberships, and his strategies have helped me create an online community where women are making deep connections, studying the Bible together, and transforming their lives. Some of these friendships have grown so deep that we’ve traveled across the country just to meet in person!

Now I'm working on creating a 2nd membership... I had a dream to help women live happier, more fulfilled lives—but I didn’t know how to make it happen. This training gave me the tools, the confidence, and the roadmap to success.

💡 If you’ve ever dreamed of building a community, growing a membership, or making a real impact, this FREE workshop is for you!

💲 If you want extra income but you need something legit that you can do from home - this has been a perfect fit for me. I'm earning predictable monthly income, teaching something I love to people I have come to love.

📅 It’s happening TOMORROW—don’t miss it! Click the affiliate link below to get registered.

https://membershipworkshop.com?ref=0xz4u

05/02/2025

A fun math giveaway on the blog today!! Officially there are 5 official winners, but everyone wins a free workbook! =) (Plus a really cool math story!)
https://view.flodesk.com/emails/67eac0202c99b7c4efbb243e

11/18/2024

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!
Have you seen this spectacular Color Cube yet?! It's designed for artists - but it's even better for us non-artists in the group who need help with color! It's a collection of 500 gorgeous pictures, and the coordinating color palette is included on the card, along with other suggestions! I've used it for my online projects and also to decoarate my house. Sarah Renae Clark (the designer) has graciously offered a giveaway to a Happy Unconventional Life reader! I'm making it as easy as possible to enter. Just do one of the following (you may do each item one time, for a total of up to 3 entries):

1) Tell me your favorite color in the comments

2) Go to: https://sarahrenaeclark.com/?ref=177 (my referral link) and then come back to this post and tell me in the comments which one of her products you love most.

3) Download my Your Best Life checklist and tell me in the comments one thing you will do to make your life better. The checklist is in my free resource library: https://www.happyunconventionallife.com/free-resource-library/

NOTE: If you are seeing this post in another group, you will have to click through to the original post and leave your comment on the ORIGINAL POST so that I see it! Then I'll use a random.org to select a winner! You may enter until 11:59 pm PST Thursday, November 21, 2024 and I will select a winner on Friday.

You can see my Color Cube unboxing video here ---> https://www.facebook.com/HappyUnconventionalLife/videos/1469390780619577

This Giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed, administered or in any way affiliated with Facebook. Entrants must live in a country Sponsor ships to to receive prize. No purchase necessary.

10/10/2024

My friend Lesley Moisey is teaching this wellness class. "Transform How you think about nutrition and your body in this pilot, 4 week virtual experience. It's for women in mid-life who are struggling with changes to their body weight, shape, or size and are tired of dieting." She has taught at the university level and she's offering to let a few people in to her pilot program for 50% off. Kickoff is tomorrow night (Thursday).

05/31/2024

I need some friends to help me.
I feel like the reason I was put on this planet is to encourage other women and mothers. Through my blog I've had some interesting opportunities to do this, but now I want to kick it up a notch.

I want to create a course about happiness. A lot of the research and advice about happiness include new age practices that aren't consistent with Christianity, but there are a lot of Biblical and Scientific principles and strategies we can use (and should be using!) to increase our happiness. And I want to create a course about it.

If you are the kind of woman who would take a course like this, I need your help. I am bursting with ideas, but I haven't started writing anything yet. What I want to do is to gather a group of women who need this course to brainstorm with me and help me build it.

What's in it for you... You would get to help me build this course from the ground up. You would get personal access to ask me anything and you'd have the opportunity to influence what I include so that I create the course that YOU need. You will get free access to the course until I release it to the public and then very discounted access once it's finished. (I don't have a timeline of when it will be finished, which is why I'm offering it for free for now).

Send me a private message if you want in! =)

05/02/2024

Back in October I did something kinda scary… and it turned out to be absolutely beautiful! I created an online Bible Study membership which I lightheartedly called “Greek & Hebrew Word Studies For Sleep Deprived Moms (& Other Normal People Who Never Went to Seminary).”

The world is moving so fast. As mothers and grandmothers we have a lot of responsibility, not much time to do everything, and we’re exhausted. But God still wants to meet us where we are, and I can’t think of another season of life where I personally need the Gospel more than this season right now. Maybe you can relate?

I only included a few people in the membership. As I created the group, I leaned on those women and they gave me feedback to take my ideas and make them even better. I have been so blessed studying the Word of God with these beautiful women over the past 6 months. Together we have started building a community where Christian women come together in fellowship and really support each other in Bible Study and living out what we are studying and learning. We have built friendships across our separate denominations and we are digging into God’s word more deeply than we ever have. Studying God's Word together means we are learning more, faster, better, and more easily when we could individually.

This is NOT me teaching theology.

This IS me guiding you to study the Bible for yourself so that the Holy Spirit can be your teacher.

Here's a sneak peek at the retired lessons we've been studying. April's theme is The Power of Knowing God's Word and future topics… well, you get to help me choose what we will study next! =)

I would like to invite you to join me in our Greek and Hebrew Bible Study membership. As an early member you'll have direct access to me because I want your input and your feedback! YOU are going to help take this unique Bible Study and make it even better through your feedback. And to thank my early members for your help, I want to extend an absolutely fantastic deal for you.

If people love this idea as much as I think they will, I am expecting to charge somewhere in the $29-$39/month price range for this group. BUT for those who join early and help me create the group with your feedback, I want to show my gratitude by extending an absolutely fantastic deal. If you join as an early member now, your price will be only $23/month. As soon as I launch this group to the public I will be raising the price and will never drop it this low again, but as long as you remain part of the group, you will stay locked in at only $23/month. And of course your membership will include everything that I ever add to the membership from this point forward.

Are you ready? Just click this link to get started! (Sign up now because doors close next Wednesday!)

https://alinajoydubois.thrivecart.com/greek-hebrew-bible-study/