Choosing Joy as Spiritual Resistance
When life feels overwhelming, it can be difficult to imagine joy as anything but optional or out of reach. Yet joy is not the absence of difficulty; it is something we choose and allow even in the midst of difficulty. This practice invites us to take joy seriously—as a spiritual necessity, a source of resilience, and a powerful act of resistance.
Joy is not passive. It is a daily choice to recognize what is good and true, and a willingness to let that recognition transform us. It’s also a surrender—to release the illusion of control and respond to life with openness and grace.
Joy is both decision and surrender. It is a choice to notice the beauty in the world, and a letting go of needing life to unfold on our terms. Joy is within us, available not as a reward for comfort or certainty, but as a resource in uncertainty. It helps us remain human when facing injustice. It strengthens our capacity for kindness. It sustains us in the ordinary and the difficult. By cultivating joy, we resist the forces that seek to diminish the human spirit.
Affirmation
I choose to recognize joy. I allow joy to strengthen and sustain me. I trust in joy as a necessary part of my wholeness.
Spiritual Practice
Sit quietly in a space where you feel safe. Let your body settle and your breath deepen. Gently bring attention to your inner state. Without judgment, notice any grief, fatigue, or anger present. Then shift your focus—scan your memory for something lovely or meaningful from today or this week. It might be small: a moment of laughter, a kind gesture, the feeling of sunlight on your skin. Let yourself feel the warmth of that moment again. Stay with it.
Now place a gentle smile on your face—not for performance, but as a signal to your nervous system that it’s safe to feel goodness. Let the smile emerge from within. Stay present with the sensation of joy as it begins to move. Let it fill your breath, your chest, your belly. Allow it to be quiet or loud, soft or expansive. Let yourself rest in this joy. Let it become your meditation.
Guiding Questions (Journaling Prompts)
When have I chosen joy in the midst of difficulty?
What does joy feel like in my body?
How do I diminish or avoid joy, and why?
What practices help me stay connected to joy?
How can I share joy without performing it?
Action Step
Today, intentionally notice three things that bring you joy. Pause with each one for at least thirty seconds. Let yourself feel their effect on your mood, breath, and thoughts. Acknowledge joy’s presence. Thank it.
Closing Invitation
You don’t have to wait for joy. You can choose it. You can return to it. You can trust it to hold you when little else does. Make room for joy. Let it remind you of what’s still good—and let it guide how you live.