Something I have been working on since mid 2022 is curating a joy filled life for myself. This started with my mental health to start out 2022 and has continued into every aspect of my life, from my marriage to my reading to the decisions and choices I make! I just thought I would share some of the things I have loved and have helped fill my life with joy the last year.
What’s up first? How about my marriage and making time for what brings us joy as a couple? We started to make time for more dates and day trips. We took time to go to our favorite new restaurants, the casino a town over or just a day trip out of town. This is something that has brought me so much in life! We got so caught up in our day to day life that most days we got home tired and forgot to take time for us. Through the simple act of seeking out more of what brought us joy as a couple, this has made our already happy life so much better!
Another thing that’s brought me joy? BOOKS! Up until 2022 I was reading a lot of what everyone else said I needed to read, not what I wanted to read. I read what BookTok and Bookstagram posted and through this I found some books I liked, but most weren’t what I wanted to read. This is something I strove to fix in 2022. I started by reading some memoirs and then moved onto historical fiction. After that I moved through sci-fi (specifically Star Wars) and finally found my ultimate love for cozy mystery and fantasy books! 2022 was a year of finding my love for reading again and 2023 continues with that trend. The joy this has brought me is so great and I love that I have finally found what I really enjoy reading!
What else? Clothing! I fell into my own style more in 2022 and that brought me SO much joy and helped spark my love for social media again. My mom works for a small clothing boutique and through her work there and a few fun fashion shows, I gained a whole new wardrobe that gave me confidence to take on every day life! In addition to that, I grew my bookish wardrobe (mostly LoTRs themed). These new clothes and styles and the confidence they bring to my life also bring joy and for that I am always thankful. On top of that I didn’t break the bank, as I shopped the sales at my local boutique which brought my Dutch heart joy too! 😂
How about one final thing that has brought me joy? COFFEE! Oh my gosh, 2022 and into 2023 has been the year of coffee for me! I am a tea person through and through, but I have never loved coffee this much. The simple joy of a hot cup of fresh coffee in the morning while watching TV is simply the best. My husband and I bought a very nice coffee maker this year and I am obsessed with it. On top of that we invested in a milk frother and some delicious syrups for our coffee. Our these necessarily healthy? No, but I have had some freaking delicious coffee lately! I 10/10 also recommend trying Joffrey’s Coffee if you haven’t had that brand before. It’s a Disney coffee brand and it’s freaking amazing.
WHEW. That’s a lot of joy – but it’s been a year of personal growth and I have been trying to find and build the joy in my life through it all. It hasn’t always been easy and after a struggle with my own mental health last year this was slow going, but we are getting there!
I would love to hear what brings you joy! What do you add to your day to day life to feel joyful? How do you spread joy to others? Whatever it is, I would love to know!
Joyfully Jacquie 