Find Your Pocket of Joy

So much is happening in the world right now. Add that onto the personal stuff we’re all dealing with and it can all feel like too much to handle at times. When the heaviness feels so overwhelming, like one more thing on your plate might make you burst into tears, have a panic attack or just explode… that’s when it’s time to unplug and just do something light, fun, or restful.

That’s your signal to find your pocket of joy.

I remember the first time that the phrase “pocket of joy” came to me. I was miserable in college (but felt obligated to stay) and I would go to a patch of grass on campus every day. I laid down and read a book. In that one moment everything felt lighter. It didn’t take away all my problems but it gave me the space to breathe a little fuller. That was my pocket of joy.

Years later when I was stressed in ways I had never experienced before, I started going to Free Yoga on the Bluff in Long Beach. That gave me one hour to myself where no one needed me. I could breathe, be in my pocket of joy under the trees and recharge my inner resources enough to get me through the day.

Navigating the inevitable highs and lows of life can take an emotional toll. What brings you joy and levity in those moments?

During some of the most chaotic and challenging times of my life - that’s how I got through. Laughing with someone I love, taking a yoga class, blowing bubbles in the park, getting lost in a basketball game or a new cartoon. Those things gave me the space to catch my breath and feel as though I could stop spinning for a moment, an hour, and evening.

Then and only then was I able to approach life in a way that felt more grounded even if I was in the middle of one of life’s storms.

So I ask you, Love, what is your pocket of joy? What little thing might you do for yourself today that would make everything feel even 1% more manageable?

Know when you’ve reached your limit, give yourself a break, and find your pocket of joy.