Ongrowing - Practicing joy
Is key to getting through our lows
Ongrowing’s March 13th letter | Previous issue: Moving through darkness by Nkem
Hey friends,
Since we’re talking about joy today, let me show you what I recently baked.
Doesn’t this just scream out cheer, joy, and happiness? Look at the juicy yellow mangoes, the perfectly whipped lemon cream, and the golden brown crumbles. If you’re looking for an easy and simple dessert to make, this one is it. Leave a comment if you want the recipe!
Today’s Story
Frankly, I’ve been exhausted.
Depleted.
Drained.
Spent.
(Hence why this letter is going to be a short one today.)
My motivation and productivity have taken a huge dip and it feels so, so challenging to get out of bed and do something meaningful. I’ve switched over to auto-pilot mode: doing things to just check off my to-do list, scrolling through the infinite loops of TikTok and Instagram, eating what’s in front of me, and sleeping to get through the day.
I’ve been running low in energy for a few weeks now, but because our culture demands us to push through and to toughen up, I’ve turned a blind eye to all signs of stress and tiredness. After several nights of long revenge bedtime procrastination sessions, I realized that I have to stop, take a break, and restart.
With this pause, I return to notice the simple things that spark joy in me. Here’s a quick list:
Looking up to see a beautiful blue sky
Chopping up bananas
Getting a new high score on Scoops
Having clean bedsheets
Listening to Brene Brown’s latest podcast episode with Karen Walrond (and of course they talk about exactly what I’ve been feeling. Must listen.)
The Writing Prompt
What is one thing you found joy in today? How did that feel like in your body?
As I’m processing and moving through the restart, I remind myself of how completely normal and okay it is to feel this way. Like water, we ebb and flow. We go through high tides and we go through low tides.
In times where it gets tough, what’s most important is that we constantly practice seeing joy and goodness in our everyday, no matter how small or insignificant it may feel. The ritual takes practice and discipline but I hope we can take just a couple of minutes to illuminate the (small) delights we have around us.
With care,
Fair
This is a great list! Thanks for sharing, Fair. I love how warm and intimate these newsletters are. I'm glad you are taking time to slow down and do the little but fundamental things that spark joy in your life!
My joy today was messaging with a close friend about why we have weddings. It's just a brief snippet of conversations that'd normally last for hours when we have dinner together. But since we're countries apart, short WhatsApp conversations like these are true moments of joy.