Joy is essential in these times—not as an escape, but as a way through.
When everything asks us to harden, choosing joy is how we stay human.
We’re living in an era of dramatic change, happening at a rapid pace. The long-term outcomes of this change — it’s effects both personally and collectively — are hard to fully predict. No matter where you fall on the spectrum of identity, we are all feeling the upheaval of structures and systems that – for better or worse – gave our world shape.
In times of tumult — like we are experiencing — we’re left to question, who are we to become? What will remain when this tsunami of purposeful destruction finally recedes?
The answers to those questions lie squarely in how we choose to meet this moment. The bravest act in a crumbling world is to stay awake and stay kind — joy is a necessary mechanism for both.
Joy is a deep resonant drum beat that lives inside of us. It is instrumental in mapping unknown terrain with no clear path because it guides us to what is true and real. It pays no mind to outside forces. It exists for no other purpose than to guide us towards lives of purpose and meaning. It never falters in bringing us closer to exactly what we need in order to move forward, even if we don’t fully understand it’s call.
Many of us know that whatever future were headed towards won’t arrive without significant heartache. We need joy’s drum beat – and the tools to hear it – so that we can meet this moment with the strength and heart necessary.
The forces at play benefit from us being overwhelmed, burnt out and exhausted. It’s hard not to be. The barrage of daily news cycles, with one tragedy and sadness after another…how do you stay afloat when surrounded by so much grief?
We must root into what we know to be true. Even if it’s one tiny act a day — a list Paul Shattuck beautifully created to keep us rooted in Stay Sane: 80 Tiny Moves to Resist Digital Despair.
We must hold fast to our joy. It is the fuel that keeps us going when things feel hard or insurmountable. It’s not momentary happiness, it is deeper than that.
Earlier I said bravery requires we stay awake. By that I mean we keep living from a place of inner trust. Even though the times are unsteady, we don’t have to be. In fact, the steadier we become, the better we can withstand the forces outside our control. We retain clarity, from which we can observe what’s happening versus being lost to it. As an observer, we have space to choose our reactions to the chaos. This does not mean do nothing— it means acting from a clear, rooted sense of what truly matters. It’s the difference between striking a match—quick and reactive—versus building a fire. One is swift, short-lived and changes little. The other is steady, enduring and has the power to change everything around it.
In times of great change, there is only one thing we can control – how we meet the moment. My hope in writing Joy Fuel is that those who read it are able to traverse this period with as much of their humanity intact as possible. As we begin to hear and listen to what joy asks of us — following the path it lights in our lives — we step closer to a more hope-filled future.
Joy is essential in these times—not as an escape, but as a way through.
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