The world feels unstable.

And joy? It may feel impossible—or even inappropriate—right now.

But joy isn’t a betrayal of reality.

It’s what allows you to stay present with reality—without being consumed by it.

When everything feels like it’s unraveling, many of us either collapse into despair or disconnect entirely.

But there’s a third way:
Build the capacity to feel the pain while we also let in the light.

Your nervous system isn’t just built to handle fear—it’s built to metabolize all experience.

Including beauty. Including laughter. Including awe.

If you want to stay resourced in hard times, cultivating joy isn’t optional.

It’s medicine.

Drop the Guilt

You don’t have to “earn” rest, beauty, or pleasure.

You’re not ignoring what’s wrong in the world—you’re resourcing yourself to stay engaged with it.

Let joy be part of your nervous system hygiene.

Not a reward, but a rhythm.

Teach Your Body That Joy Is Safe

Many high achievers have trained their systems to associate joy with vulnerability—or see it as a distraction from responsibility.

Try this:
When something good happens, pause for 30 seconds.
Let it land.
Let your body memorize the sensation of “safe, sweet, enough.”

This is how we stretch our capacity—
Not just to tolerate pain,
but to feel good without bracing for the crash.

Find Joy in the Present Moment

Joy doesn’t need to be big.
It’s not a mood—it’s a flicker. A sensation. A breath of beauty.

Look for one small thing:

• the way light hits the wall
• the warmth of your tea
• a sound that softens you

Let it in.

You can hold sorrow in one hand and sweetness in the other.
They are not opposites. They are companions.

Final Thought

You don’t have to push joy.
You don’t have to force yourself to feel better.

But you can stay open to what is good—right here, even now.
That’s not denial.

It’s wisdom.
And it’s what will keep you steady when the world asks more of you.

With steadiness,
Carolyn