You know what I’ve learned? Most of life is out of our control. The weather, emails, other people’s moods, that weird sound your car is suddenly making (yes, again). But no matter what is going on around you, one thing always belongs to you. Your joy. You get to decide whether or not to let the sunshine in your heart.
Even on the tough days, the nothing’s-going-right, spilled-coffee-on-your-favorite-shirt kind of days, you can still find a spark of joy. It might be something small. A dandelion growing out of the sidewalk. A stranger holding the door. The sound of your own laugh when you didn’t expect it. Those tiny surprises can shift your whole day if you let them.
And while you’re at it, take a breath. Then another. Let everything be still, even just for a moment. We spend so much time rushing from one thing to the next that we forget joy needs space to land. Breathing reminds you that you’re alive and that this moment, however imperfect, is full of potential.
And here’s something I wish someone had told me sooner: don’t let them stir your pot. You know who “them” is. The grumpy customer, the passive-aggressive email, the person who cuts in line. Let them do what they’re going to do. You stay centered. You decide how you respond. Your peace is not up for grabs.
So today, stir your coffee, look for small wonders, and breathe like it matters. Let the sunshine in your heart, no matter what. Joy isn’t just a feeling. It’s a practice. And the more you choose it, the more it shows up.