Finding Joy in the Journey
treasure hunting
I've been feeling a bit uninspired lately. Moving takes a tremendous amount of energy, both physically and emotionally. However, I'm deliberately encouraging myself to have fun with styling and the clothes I already own—finding small sparks of creativity in the everyday.
Throughout this life journey, I've discovered that joy can sometimes feel elusive or even irrelevant during challenging periods. I'm not suggesting joy needs to be constant—life happens, and not everything will make you feel good. Life is meant for full-spectrum living with all its colours and textures.
When I reached my 50s, I found myself asking, "What is this all about?" I've experienced success and failure, been up, down, and everywhere in between. But what I truly desire at this stage of my life is to tap into my creativity and joy. I'm on a deliberate mission to reconnect with these essential parts of myself.
My Joy Journey: Starting Small
My approach at the moment begins with mindfulness. Each morning, I check in with my body and ask, "What do I need today?" Then I ask this powerful question: "What is one creative, playful, or fun thing I can do today that will bring me joy?" This practice is literally rewiring my brain to focus on discovering moments of delight. Some days I find them, some days I don't—but the intention to look for joy is transforming my perspective.
I'm also paying close attention to my physical wellbeing. For weeks, I've experienced ringing in my ears—a signal that my nervous system is dysregulated. I'm responding by tenderly caring for myself through various practices:
Gentle shaking
Spontaneous dancing
Somatic exercises
Meditation
Nature walks
Deep breathing
Restful sleep
Embracing moments of delicious nothing
I don't attempt all of these at once! Instead, I listen to my body and choose what feels most nurturing in each moment.
The Importance of Joy in Healing
It's tempting to listen to the negative voice that dismisses joy and creativity as frivolous when the world feels heavy. But I encourage you to shift your focus away from that perspective and lean into what truly nourishes you. I've learned that joy isn't just a luxury—it's vital for healing and moving forward. Joy is like a nourishing meal for your spirit.
Joy is wonderfully contagious, which is why I'm making it a central part of my daily life. This is exactly why I created this book: to help you reconnect with joy in simple, accessible ways. This isn't a resource for your inner disciplinarian—it's designed to enhance your connection to joy with absolutely no pressure, just ease. It’s deliberately simple and accessible so you don’t feel overwhelmed but it adds just a bit to remind you of the things you can do.
Your Invitation to Joy
This guide offers small, simple practices to gently rewire your nervous system and welcome moments of joy and ease back into your life. Though healing can sometimes feel heavy and serious, weaving in elements of play, curiosity, and tender care can open doorways to deeper restoration.
Take what resonates with you, honour your own pace, and remember: even the smallest steps lead to powerful, lasting change.
Today's Joy
What's the one fun thing you're going to do for yourself today? I've just eaten some spelt sourdough with butter and marmite—a combination I used to love but haven't enjoyed for years. Now is the perfect time to bring it back into my life! It was absolutely delicious. The bread has to be at just the right temperature so the butter melts into it, as does the marmite, creating that perfect savoury blend.
Often, joy and delight are in the seemingly small things, don’t you agree? Let me know what you’re doing to add some more joy, creativity and delight into your day.
Love
Kirsty x