hey, thai limeade sorbet.

i get it…

joy can feel a little unattainable, especially in times like these

when you’re struggling to stay afloat, the idea of claiming joy can feel so damn BIG

too big to go after, too much to handle

too high stakes

and at the same time, not big enough to justify investing energy into

not packed with enough ROI to prioritize

too freaking cute to take seriously

and while i can talk all day about why all that’s just not true —

today i want to talk a little bit about what joy even IS. for YOU

because part of the problem is when you put it on a pedestal + equate it with only things like good china dinners + bigass fancy trips + moments that overflow with the kind of bliss that can’t be planned for or sustained

that’s not what joy claims for itself, but it’s what you might put ON it

when it comes to joy + feeling removed from it, sometimes the problem is YOU

NO shade, bloom. you’re human after all

but let’s clear this up so you can start allowing MORE JOY into your life, in ways that uplift, not overwhelm

if the word JOY feels too big, you’re welcome to use a different one…

happiness, pleasure, delight

or you could forget naming it at all + simply notice what happens in your body when lovely things happen —

your face lights up in a smile you can’t contain if you try…

you feel that good kinda giddy in your belly…

a quiet comfortable peace washes over you…

time stops, obligations fall away, it’s just you + the moment in all its sensory bounty

you are PRESENT

you are CONNECTED

you are ALIVE

and when you’re full like that, there’s just no room for nonsense or heft

in that moment, all is well

you have joyed yourself back to life

you have made the tough parts just a little bit easier to bear

that’s why i’m always going on about my presence practices —

they keep me in a fairly perpetual state of peaceful receptivity + joyful delight

and i just love helping folks find the ones that work that way for them

now, i know i started off with the intention of making joy feel MORE attainable, not less

but the idea of feeling present, connected + alive may not have done that for you

so here are a few times in the last week or two where i felt utterly present, connected + alive

they might not all sound like the kind of joy that changes your life —

but cultivating the ability to notice + fully experience them will absolutely change the texture + tenor of your days

which is what your life is made of, bloom

here we go…

🐣 being hot, sweaty + happy at an outdoor concert on the local green, feeling great music coursing through my veins, sharing it with the date next to me + the crowd around me

🐣running into big y for a doordash shop, taking a super quick moment to enjoy the beautiful flowers in the parking lot island (and post em on IG, obvi lol)

🐣 tasting the flavor pop of the most incredible vegan thai limeade sorbet that i decided to treat myself to at the end of a very busy weekend

🐣 cracking up at how someone makes the exact face of an emoji they often use

🐣 having a cute moment with a sweet kiddo in line during a DIFFERENT supermarket doordash shop

🐣 catching up with a friend + the shorthand that comes from well-shared history

🐣 being offered a free hand fan at CVS on a ridiculously hot day

🐣 knocking back my surprising fave new drink when soooooooo freaking thirsty for it (yeah i mean you, ultra wild passion monster)

🐣 being thought of, always

🐣 i’ll stop, but could absolutely go on lol…

not only are these not all necessarily the kind of answers you might’ve expected...

but they didn’t happen in a vacuum

most of them were in the midst of some pretty tough shit, actually — either happening at the same time, or small pockets within a larger tough time

so if you’re thinking you have to wait for some magical moment to claim joy, i’m here to tell you that you don’t

and to invite you to have the audacity to claim your joy NOW

whatever it looks like

however different it is from what everyone else might call joy

whatever UNJOYFUL thing may also be happening for you

get out of your own damn way + let yourself have some joy now, babe

and then come tell me about it!

because hearing about YOUR joy is DEFINITELY one of mine

xxoo, cc

ps: if you’re ready to change your story around the joy you’re allowed to experience (and what it can do for your life + biz) —

please check out the ways we can work together here

and let’s talk about it!

you are receiving this email because you opted in through social media, directly at thriveandbloom.com, or you attended an event or purchased a product or service from crecia cipriano - thriveandbloom. thank you so much for allowing me into your inbox + life!