hey, honey vanilla latte.

what does joy feel like FOR YOU — do you know?

because if you don’t know what it feels like, it can be awfully hard to recognize it, never mind to claim it like it’s your job

today, i’m thoroughly steeped in joy

i’m working away, at one a my fave spots — twelve percent beer project

i love the vibe here. it’s spacious + bathed in clear bright light. there’s always great music playing at just the right volume. the owners + staff are SUCH GOOD PEOPLE, and they always make me feel welcome. i love what they serve, being around innovative minds + makers, and they have good parking lol

that might seem like a lotta unnecessary detail, but the detail is the point. this isn’t just any old place. it’s a place i thoroughly appreciate, for many reasons —

and WE GET TO GO PLACES WE ADORE rather than just making do with anyplace that fits the basic bill

you’ll need to settle for whatever whenever often enough, so when you don’t, please don’t

being intentional about where you go for your day to day needs is a simple subtle way to weave a little more joy into regular activities

(driving a little out of the way to shop at the market you love with the big beautiful flower shop inside, getting gas at the place with the kind clerk with the big smile, etc)

and you know what? you don’t have to stop there. here are a few more elements of my joystory today that made the experience even richer + more bright

i was able to block a whole chunk of time free from calls so i could dive deep into creative work here, and little brings me more joy than that

(have you ever explored the joybringing potential in protecting some space in your day from time to time for the work you love to do most?)

i wore plenty of jewelry i love (lots of @katestephenjewelry as yoojh)

(with every tap of the keyboard i get to see pretty things sparkling + expressions of creative inspiration)

being in that space, doing something i love, surrounded by sensory cues that connect me to my joy when i pay the eff attention (and even when i don’t)

joy doesn’t have to be jumbotron holiday fireworks + shouts

it gets to be quiet. it gets to be intimate. it gets to flow gently or course energetically through your insides, without being broadcast for others to see

and it gets to be deep, real + true. that’s the kind of joy that powers you through days + challenges + big work + tests

it often takes very small tweaks + pivots to choose joy over just getting by

it’s deciding to value joy over just getting by that can be tough

this is joyful. this is self-care. this is revolutionary in a world that would rather keep you meeting needs than feeding fires

xxoo, cc

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