HER STORY: When You Follow Your Bliss
“What would we really be doing if we were following our bliss.”
Building a Brand on Intuition and Resilience
By Samantha Dreiling, Co-Founder, Ananda Elixirs
I remember the exact moment everything began to shift. I was driving down a quiet country road at sunset, feeling completely defeated. My former business was unraveling, grief had reshaped my world, and I felt exhausted in every sense of the word. And yet, somewhere inside me, there was still a small flicker of hope.
I turned to my husband and asked, what would we be doing if we were truly following our bliss?
His answer surprised me. What if we started a mushroom company?
Functional mushrooms had supported us through one of the hardest seasons of our lives, but everything on the market felt uninspired. Instead of dismissing the idea, I leaned into it. Within minutes, what began as desperation shifted into curiosity, then excitement. The name came to me almost instantly. Ananda Elixirs. Ananda means bliss. It felt like the beginning of something entirely new.
We built the brand from our home in Arizona, brewing mushrooms in our garage and spending weekends at farmers markets, sharing our product and our story. Those early days taught me to trust myself, to listen closely, and to keep moving forward even when the path wasn’t clear.
As the business grew, life asked something unexpected of me again. My heart was pulling me back to Canada, closer to my family. It didn’t make sense on paper, but I knew it was the right decision. We sold everything and began again.
Within months of returning home, Ananda Elixirs began to grow in ways I never could have predicted. What once felt like loss became the foundation for something stronger, more aligned, and more meaningful.
Looking back, I can see that every turning point began the same way. Not with certainty, but with trust. Following your bliss doesn’t mean the path is easy. It means listening to what calls you forward, even when it asks you to begin again.
Ananda Elixirs is more than a business. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most beautiful chapters begin when you choose to follow what feels true.
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Samantha Dreiling is the co-founder of Ananda Elixirs, a functional beverage brand inspiring people to follow their bliss. After overcoming personal loss and life’s challenges, she built her business on intuition and resilience. Samantha lives in Ottawa, Canada with her husband and two daughters, sharing her passion for mindful and joyful living.
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A curated pick from The Petite Collection.
Pockets of Happiness.
Daily inspiration. 365 petite love notes to enjoy the little things.
Pockets of Happiness is a printable collection of 365 short prompts.
One for each day of the year.
Perfect for your own Joy Jar or as a gift for a friend, family, or team, this kit brings daily happiness, one charming note at a time.
Designed to be pulled at random and enjoyed at your own pace. Use it daily or only when you feel like it.
The Details, What You Receive.
A printable PDF with 365 unique prompts, designed in a soft, feminine style with nostalgic touches - divided by 4 seasons (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall).
9 slips per page (print-friendly layout).
“How to Use” instruction page.
Cover page & seasonal dividers.
Hang tags & Label.
Format: PDF | Digital Download
Size: Sized for US Letter (8.5” x 11”) paper — easy to print at home or your local print shop
How To Use.
After purchase, download the PDF file.
Print the pages you’d like on paper or cardstock of your choice.
Cut out the slips — 9 per page.
Place them in a jar, envelope, or a pretty box; whatever feels joyful to you.
Choose a slip each day, or whenever you need a little happiness or inspiration.
Please Note.
This is a digital product — no physical items will be shipped.
For personal use only. Do not resell or redistribute.
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Where to Keep Your Joy Slips.
On a desk, a bookshelf, or a bedside table.
Somewhere they can live alongside the things you already love.
Tucked into a small wooden box, a stack of envelopes, a fabric pouch, or a pretty tray.
Left out in the open or kept neatly together for later.
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There is no right place.
Just choose somewhere that feels good to reach for.
One petite note at a time.