Joy does not have to wait
Ask somebody what needs doing and they can usually give you a list immediately.
Joy in everyday life is usually much smaller and more ordinary than the big milestones we wait for.
Ask what brings them joy and the answer can take a little longer.
Somewhere along the way, many of us become very good at being responsible and very poor at making room for things that simply feel good.
I do not think joy has to be enormous.
It can be fresh coffee, walking in the woods, a ridiculous laugh with a friend, clean sheets, birdsong, a good book or noticing the sky.
Those moments do not fix difficult circumstances. Joy and difficulty can exist in the same week, and sometimes in the same day.
What helps me is noticing deliberately.
Try making a joy list: fifty tiny things that make you smile.
Not a bucket list. Nothing has to be impressive.
Then choose one and put it in the diary.
At the end of the day, ask yourself, ‘What brought me joy today?’
That question helps you notice moments you might otherwise rush straight past.
You do not need to wait until the house is finished, work is quiet or the holiday starts.
Making room for joy often starts with how to slow down life; understanding negativity bias also explains why the difficult moments can dominate our attention.
Life is happening on ordinary Tuesdays too.
Fancy getting out of your own head for a bit?
Sometimes the easiest way to start is simply to have somewhere to go. Come and join Linnie for a walk.