The Joy List

Several weeks ago, my bestie S and I were walking during our lunch break. It was the kind of day native Floridians long for and beachgoers dream about.

The sun was shining in a cloudless bright blue sky. The temps were hovering at a balmy 65 degrees and the birds serenaded us as soon as we opened the front door.

Despite our glorious surroundings, the morning had been filled with constant interruptions, conference calls that gave us extra work, a craft fail, and canceled plans for dinner.

I was this close to forgoing our daily walk so I could troubleshoot problems and work through lunch at my desk.

But I knew if we didn’t fight to get some exercise in at lunch, we’d spend the rest of the day wishing we had.

So, we kept our promise and forged ahead.

Truthfully, the walk started out with a major vent sesh that left us both grumpy.

Knowing things were about to quickly go downhill if we kept trying to fix something that couldn’t be fixed, I blurted out, “What brings you joy?” mid-conversation.

“This isn’t your woo-woo stuff again, is it? Because we have a lot on our plates, and we don’t have time for the woo-woo today.” S said which gave me the giggles immediately.

“There is nothing woo-woo about joy,” I replied, “Now just tell me what brings you joy so we can have something pleasant to talk about.”

Reluctantly, S played along and for the next 15 minutes, we shared aloud all the things that brought us joy.

The big things, the little things, the things that seemed insignificant, things that were mundane, and things that could only be considered lavish.

Truthfully, those 15 minutes wound up to be the most important part of our day and it set the tone for the rest of the workweek.

I don’t know about you but sometimes one or two things can steal my joy and derail the entire day.

The expectation I set for myself and others can be really high. Sometimes, so high, it borderlines on perfectionism.

It’s in those moments of unmet expectations, frustration, overwhelm, or chaos that I’ve learned to take a completely different approach in an effort to turn the day around. 

To say no to the drama and yes to joy because I know time is a precious gift that is to be treasured.

This technique definitely takes practice, but the effort is always worth it.

As we close out the month and celebrate a new season, it’s my hope we can all make a conscious effort to choose joy.

Even when the day gets hectic or something we have no control over threatens to rob us of our otherwise happy and peace-filled day.

We still have the ability to choose joy despite it all.

Here’s a look at 75 things we currently have on our joy list in no particular order…

1. Bread (that was the first thing S said ?)
2. Random acts of kindness
3. Piper
4. Waking up to a clean house
5. Dad jokes
6. The minute you realize you’ve solved a problem
7. An organized______________ (drawer, pantry, closet, purse, you name it)
8. Afternoon naps
9. Living in a home you love
10. Getting in your car and realizing you have a full tank of gas
11. Flowers just because
12. Catching up with my sisters
13. Making white space to create
14. Unscheduled afternoon drives to get custard
15. A coffee table full of books that inspire
16. Treasure hunting with my Mom
17. Thoughtful comments
18. Ironstone
19. Bird songs
20. Flowers blooming
21. The farmers market
22. Afternoon tea
23. Coffee with my parents
24. Unexpected gifts
25. The sound of the Amazon truck pulling up
26. Being able to get what you need when you need it
27. The Crowned Goat Cottage
28. Our porch swing
29. The cabin
30. Eating dinner outside with fairy lights
31. Breakfast tacos and Bloody Marys
32. List-making
33. Celebrating big wins and little wins
34. Curbside grocery pick up
35. Vintage china
36. Fresh cut grass
37. Water rushing over our feet at the beach
38. Hiking the AT
39. Daily lunch walks
40. Walking into a bookstore filled with the scent of coffee, baked goods, and paper
41. Shrimp rolls on the coast
42. The way my aunt tells a story
43. Sun-dried linens
44. Good movies
45. Hydrangeas in summer
46. Funny things the littles say
47. Chandeliers
48. Sunshine and blue skies
49. Meal planning
50. Folding the last load of laundry
51. Generous coffee mugs
52. Time-saving hacks that actually work
53. Candles with dinner
54. Quiet time
55. Lavender
56. Music
57. Lemonade from Chick fil A
58. My Mom’s encouraging word text of the day
59. Mums in the Fall
60. Keeping Sunday sacred
61. Sleeping in
62. Pup cups
63. Reading a magazine from cover to cover on a rainy day
64. Goats
65. Homemade freezer meals
66. Women supporting other women
67. Migraine free months
68. The garden center
69. My aunt’s snickerdoodles
70. Watching my nephew ride horses
71. The pecan grove
72. Bird eggs
73. The way my uncle sings any Journey song
74. Fresh starts
75. Grace

What’s on your joy list?

Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

Other Encouragement of the Month Posts to Enjoy:

When Things Don’t Work Out as Planned (January) 

Encouragement for the Weary (February)

Many blessings,

CoCo