One Delight a Day: How to Start a Summer of Yes Even When Life Feels Heavy

Why small joys are the gateway to healing, and how I'm learning to choose them right now

Last summer was hard. Actually, the last few years have been filled with an extraordinary amount of heartache and pain. There’s no other way to put it. I kept waiting for something to shift, for the storm to pass, or the calm to finally arrive. I told myself, “Okay, it’s rough now, but once it gets better, then I’ll do something for me.” I kept pushing joy further down the road. Vacations were postponed. Celebrations were delayed. Life kept handing me grief, loss, illness, and challenge after challenge.

But the truth is, the “good again” never came in the way I thought it would. I realized that if I kept waiting for the big, joyful moment, I would keep missing the small, sacred ones. And life, in all its pain and pressure, would keep passing me by. So this summer, I made a different choice. I chose joy anyway. I decided this would be my Summer of Yes, not because everything is suddenly perfect, but because I am no longer willing to postpone my own peace.

Learning to Choose Joy in the Middle of Pain

And let me be honest, I’m still learning how to do this. This is the first time I’ve intentionally chosen joy during a hard season. It’s not easy. But I’ve found that joy, especially small, micro moments of joy, is fuel. It gives me just enough energy, just enough clarity, to keep moving forward. It doesn’t cancel out the hard stuff, but it gives me something to hold onto while I move through it.

The Little Things That Light Me Up

Recently, I surprised myself. I’ve never been someone who liked to window shop or go to the mall. But these days, I find so much peace in going to a store early in the day, when it’s quiet, and just exploring. I smell new perfumes. I try makeup swatches. I take myself to the movies, something I hadn’t done in a long time, and something I forgot was a deep, grounding joy for me. That dark theater, those two uninterrupted hours, they let me feel and think and just be.

My New Favorite Ritual: Scent and Skincare

Another ritual I’m falling in love with again is scent. Scent soothes me. It makes me feel feminine, grounded, and safe. Lately, my bedtime ritual has been layered in softness. I’m alternating between SaltAir’s Salt Water Vanilla line, the body oil and butter especially, and Cyklar’s Vanilla Verve or Sacred Santal. It’s indulgent, yes, but it’s also sacred. It’s a way I wrap myself in care. My skin has never felt softer. My body has never felt more held.

If You’re Feeling Disconnected from Joy

If you’re feeling disconnected from joy right now, here’s what I would tell you. I get it. I really do. I’ve been in the numbness, in the grief, in the burnout. And I’m still walking through some of that now. But what I’ve learned is that the antidote isn’t to push through. It’s to let joy in. Start small. Let one thing, one scent, one song, one moment of quiet, remind you that you’re still here. That hope hasn’t left you.

You don’t need a perfect moment to begin. You just need one honest moment to shift. To feel. To choose.

Try These Micro Joys

If you’re stuck, here are a few small things to try:

• Text someone you love just to say hi

• Watch an episode of a comfort show

• Take one big, slow breath and let it out

• Drink water or tea mindfully

• Make yourself a simple, soothing meal

• Dance to your favorite song as you get ready for the day

• Scroll a silly social media account just to laugh

These are micro joys. And they matter.

What a Joy-Filled Week Looks Like

For me, a successful week of joy isn’t about doing more. It’s about checking in. It’s about being mindful enough to shift, even for a few moments, away from heartache and toward hope. It’s when I can say, “I paused. I chose myself. I chose joy.”

Let’s Try One Delight a Day

So what if we tried this together? What if we committed to one delight a day? Not big. Not fancy. Just honest and intentional. For the next seven days, name one small joy. Savor it. Let it count.

And if you want to share, drop your daily joy in the comments. Let’s remind each other that joy isn’t something we have to wait for. It’s something we are allowed to claim, right now.

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