Joy is a rebellious act in a society built on scarcity and fear.
Be a rebel. Choose joy.
Scarcity hums beneath everything in our culture these days—there isn’t enough time, space, love, success, or worth to go around. If we’re not producing, we’re replaceable. If we’re not striving, we’re falling behind. In systems where people are just parts, we are far easier to control if we are afraid, burnt out, and half-alive.
We’re taught that everything—even our worth—must be earned, so we hustle.
But joy is free.
We’re taught there isn’t enough to go around, so we hoard to quiet our fear.
But joy is abundant.
We’re taught we must always be producing to prove our value, keeping us too busy to notice the world around us.
But joy lives in unexpected moments, the unhurried breaths.
We’re taught that joy belongs only to some, and only in acceptable forms.
But joy has no such limits.
We’re taught to mute it, to shrink it, to hide it.
But joy rises anyway.
This is precisely why joy is powerful: because it is ours. That we’ve been taught to stifle our joy is a testament to its power. Joy doesn’t abide by the rules of scarcity or conformity — and that makes it threatening to dominant systems like capitalism, patriarchy, and white supremacy. These systems thrive on fear, productivity, and compliance. But when we claim our joy, we refuse to be flattened. In honoring joy, we begin to set ourselves free.
By remembering that our own joy is part of something much bigger, we reclaim our agency and power. The way joy moves us towards things – potentials, or yet unknown outcomes, that benefit ourselves and the collective.
Joy is the source of our capacity to find more expansive solutions to the problems we face. It creates space for creativity and clarity. When we choose joy, we challenge the forces that tell us there isn’t enough, that we’re not enough, or that we don’t deserve the fullness of life. We begin to act from a place of abundance, not scarcity, and we make choices that align with our deepest values.
In every act of joy, we carve out the possibility for something new. And we refuse to accept anything less than wholeness.
So when the choice comes, be it in small moments or great ones, I hope you will be a rebel…and choose joy.
A Note on Joy as Resistance
The power of joy has deep roots within marginalized communities, who have practiced joy as both refuge and resistance. Those communities have embraced joy as a radical, defiant act in the face of systemic racism, violence, and oppression — each drawing from their own cultural roots and histories. I share this not to claim any authority, but simply to honor and amplify the wisdom these communities hold. I encourage you to learn directly from their voices, histories, and movements — and to let their experiences expand your understanding of joy’s power.
Cruz, Kleaver. “The Black Joy Project.” https://www.theblackjoyproject.com
Plus more voices celebrating the Black Joy Movement
Lora, Mino. Joy is Resistance | Mino Lora | TEDxSUNYPotsdam. TEDx Talks, 8 Jan. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5OXLwYzePo. Accessed 19 June 2025.
Queer joy is our resistance. Her Campus CU Boulder. Retrieved May 26, 2025, from https://www.hercampus.com/school/cu-boulder/queer-joy-our-resistance/
Plus more voices from the LGBTQIA & neurodiverse communities
The ask.
An easy-peasy way to make a difference now?
Click on the ❤️ if you like it
Leave a 💬 comment to tell me more
🔄 to share with your pals on Substack
If you’ve been thinking about becoming a paid subscriber, this series is a meaningful place to begin. Your support makes it possible for me to keep creating work that’s thoughtful and rooted in something deeper than the noise. You can cancel any time.
Equally powerful? Sharing this with others. If five friends join Slow Fox Life through your referral link, I’ll gift you two free months as a thank you.