Joy as a daily routine
The last few weeks, I lost the joy I usually feel when doing certain things. This newsletter became a looming deadline every week. Making dinner at night was no longer the creative outlet it once felt like at the beginning of quarantine. Zoom calls with friends were a poor replacement for in person meandering conversations. And my workouts felt more like punishment than the highlight of my day.
So, I stopped doing them.
I haven’t written to you in weeks.
I barely ran last week.
I switched video calls for phone calls so I could wander around and unload the dishwasher while I chatted.
I can’t even tell you how many times we ate eggs for dinner.
I had to step away from my habits to bring the joy back in. I’m getting reacquainted now with my mainstays of mental and physical health, but in the meantime, I spent a lot of time on the couch eating frozen baked goods.
It was a welcome break, and it reminded me of why I always return to what brings me long term, sustainable joy. This week, I’m going to make watermelon juice, fire up the grill, and plan a virtual natural wine tasting event. These things are bringing me joy, but without granting myself permission to take a break the last few weeks, I don’t think I’d have the energy for any of them.
Maybe you need a reminder about why you do what you do? A push to reinvite joy into your daily routine? Or maybe you’ve cracked the code on sustainable quarantine joy and have a thing or two to teach me.
Either way, I hope you’re granting yourself the permission to take a break, and eventually finding your way back to your own joy.
Q: Whats bringing you joy during these challenging times?
|