Joy is Back From Vacation

I’m not sure what happened but somewhere in the last year Joy left me. Here I am writing about how to bring more joy into our lives and my own joy just quit on me.

Adios, she said, I’m out of here. 

Except she didn’t tell me to my face. She took the back door, that sneaky bitch. By the time I noticed, she was long gone, lying on a beach somewhere, I’m sure. Hiking the hills, taking pictures of beautiful sunsets, leaving me to fend for myself. 

I made it through, sure, but without Joy the part that tries to run the show is a passionate goody two shoes who thinks it’s her job to hold all the shit of the world. She’s compassionate. She’s not afraid to get her hands dirty (obviously!). She’s tireless. Yada, yada. 

Don’t get me wrong, I love Goody. And yes, she’s learned how to cope with life and it’s transformed me. It’s opened up the door to peace, acceptance, confidence, clarity - all that good stuff. I’m so grateful to her. 

But she’s sooo serious. 

Peace in reliable doses is great, but it’s not enough to keep Joy around.

Joy is more fickle. 

Some might say she’s a little selfish.

Joy wants fun, and play, and new experiences, and leaps of faith. And absolutely NO pressure. 

So, I’ve been working on luring Joy back to town. And clearly, Goody isn’t up to the task. 

Comfort and reliability aren’t going to bring Joy back. 

Joy is interested in WHAT ELSE is there. The juicy stuff. The outrageously over the top stuff. The embarrassing stuff. Even the sad stuff.

As long as it’s not what’s deemed “acceptable.”

Joy wants the unofficial story. The BEHIND THE SCENES look.

Joy wants the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. And she has a very sophisticated bullshit radar. 

So here’s the thing: the minute I wrote about menopause kicking my butt, Joy came back.

Now we’re talking, she said. Let me get the popcorn. 

Sometimes all it takes is to shout from the rooftops, LIFE IS FUCKING HARD! And Joy comes swooping back, squealing with delight. 

She’ll put a paintbrush in my hand and ask, WHAT ELSE? 

What about you? Who are you when Joy is out of town? How do you express your unofficial story, the stuff that doesn’t get shown or talked about? How do you make room for what else? 

Drop me a line to let me know. It truly makes my day to hear back from you. So please, keep it coming. Also, if you know anyone who would find my newsletters supportive, please forward this email on to them. I want to inspire more people to live a more joyful, creative life. 

With love and support,

Mary B. 

(This writing was inspired by Jill Myer. She’s an accomplished local artist who writes an insightful, joyful, and absolutely hilarious newsletter called The Nibbler. I highly recommend you check out her art and her writing at https://jillmyerartist.com)

P.S. Our next Journal Doodle Circle is this Wednesday. It’s an intentional space for practicing the life-giving skill of noticing and being open to WHAT ELSE is wanting our attention. To sign up or be kept informed of gathering dates, click here. 

P.P.S. Work with me 1:1 to Reignite Your Art and Your Life. If you want to turn your anxiety and insecurity into powerful art or a creative project, I’m here to guide you through. Read more here. 

P.P.P.S. If you’re local, stop by my office at the Benton Plaza and share your thoughts the slow, old-fashioned way on my community wall.