a thought to unfold…
We often talk about happiness and joy as if they’re one in the same, but they’re actually quite different.
Happiness is a reaction triggered by positive events, success, or material gain. But it comes and goes with changing situations, it’s a fleeting feeling.
Joy though, joy isn’t something that happens to us.
It’s something we choose.
It’s rooted in purpose, gratitude, connection.
And the thing about joy is that it can coexist with other emotions, even sadness and fear.
Choosing joy isn’t pretending everything is easy.
It’s believing there is always room for light.
inspiration is everywhere…
I came across this video interview with Abby Wambach the other day where she was talking about anxiety and joy. She shared that when she’s fully experiencing joy and play, she doesn’t feel anxiety in her body at the same time—like not physically possible.
BUT she acknowledges the anxiety may still exist. She can see it. She knows it’s there. But she lets joy take the lead.
That isn’t avoidance. That’s presence.
Because when we’re truly here—in our breath, our strength, our rhythm, our movement, our play— joy has a way of sweeping us up.
That’s the practice. That’s the choice.
Happiness is often tied to what’s happening around us—
the circumstance, the outcome, the thing.
But joy is something deeper. Joy lives inside.
It’s the feeling of being connected. Of moving with purpose. Of being aligned with what matters.
And that means joy doesn’t disappear when other feelings exist.
It can live right alongside effort, alongside challenge, alongside heartbreak, alongside sorrow, alongside life.
When we’re here fully, joy can take over.
Not because everything else is gone, but because joy sweeps us up when we let it.
Joy isn’t something we wait for. It’s something we choose.
Again and again and again.
thoughts for practice…
Journal Prompts
Pick one or two that speak to you—or move through them all.
Where in my life have I been waiting for joy instead of choosing it?
What does joy feel like in my body when I allow it?
What helps me feel playful, present, and free? How can I create more space for that?
What would it look like to let joy take the lead today, without needing everything else to disappear?
Need a moment before you begin?
Close your eyes.
Notice your breath.
Notice your body.
Where does ease already exist?
Write from there.
Reflections for your practice
The next time you step onto your mat, ask:
Where can I invite more play into my practice today?
If we’re here to feel more, how can I let joy take the lead?
Am I willing to let ease exist alongside the effort?
What would happen if I stopped waiting and started choosing?
Every time we come to our mat is an invitation to feel more—an opportunity to use breath and body to fully drop in, so we can experience this life more fully.
Whatever shows up, belongs here, and that includes joy, too. Maybe this life—this practice—doesn’t have to feel so serious.
Because the thing about joy is this when we choose to let it in, it has the ability to sweep us up while still living alongside everything else we’re carrying.
take this with you…
Joy doesn’t just happen to us. It’s something we choose.
Through presence. Through play. Through allowing ourselves to be fully here.
Even on the shortest day of the year—the winter solstice—light still exists. And so, even in moments of darkness, joy can be found, too.
Every time you choose connection.
Every time you choose presence.
Every time you choose play —
You’re choosing joy.
And you get to choose it again.
And again.
And again.
—this reflection comes from a christmas week flow taught 12.21.2025—
Ps. Every volume has its own vibe—get the playlist here and let this one unfold.