Joy Moments Premiere!
The inaugural episode of Joy Moments elucidates the profound significance of small moments shared among individuals, which, as we contend, create ripples of joy that can transcend the mundane. Sara and I, Lacey, embark on this journey to explore the concept of joy, not as an exclusive focus on positivity but as an essential counterbalance to life's inevitable challenges, which we refer to metaphorically as "shit sandwiches." Through our dialogue, we emphasize that joy can coexist with adversity, and that recognizing fleeting moments of happiness can enhance our overall well-being. This podcast is a manifestation of our longstanding desire to cultivate a supportive community that shares and celebrates these joyful instances, inviting listeners to contribute their own experiences. Join us as we delve into the art of noticing joy amidst life's complexities, fostering a collective effort to generate a ripple effect of happiness in our lives and the lives of others.
In the first episode of Joy Moments, the hosts, Lacey and Sara, delve into the concept of joy and its transformative power within everyday life. They articulate the importance of recognizing 'joy moments'—those small instances that can uplift our spirits even amidst the trials and tribulations we may face. Through heartfelt anecdotes and personal experiences, the hosts illustrate how they have practiced gratitude and joy in their own lives and invite listeners to join them in this exploration. The episode is structured around the idea that acknowledging joy does not negate the struggles we encounter, but rather provides a necessary counterbalance that enriches our existence.
The discussion unfolds with an emphasis on the joyful support movement, which serves as the framework for the podcast. Lacey and Sara introduce listeners to the three integral components of this movement: storytelling, taking steps toward joy, and ultimately experiencing joy itself. They stress that this is not a simplistic pursuit of happiness that disregards life's difficulties; rather, it is about finding the joy that can coexist with those challenges. The hosts share personal stories that reveal their individual journeys toward cultivating an awareness of joy, including practices they have established in their households to encourage reflection on daily experiences.
As the episode progresses, the hosts delve into the significance of community and connection in fostering joy. They invite listeners to share their own moments of joy, thereby contributing to a collective narrative that highlights the beauty found in small, everyday moments. This call to action not only encourages engagement but also reinforces the idea that joy can be contagious, creating a ripple effect that spreads positivity within and beyond our immediate circles. Ultimately, this inaugural episode serves as a clarion call for listeners to embrace joy in its myriad forms, thus embarking on a shared journey of discovery and connection.
Takeaways:
- The podcast emphasizes the importance of small moments shared to create ripples of joy in our lives.
- Lacy and Sara have dreamt of creating the Joy Moments podcast for an extended period, and they are thrilled to finally launch it.
- The Joy Moments philosophy encourages listeners to recognize joy amidst life's challenges without ignoring the negativity present.
- Listeners are invited to share their own joy moments, fostering a community of positivity and support in the face of life's adversities.
More from the Joyful Support Movement
The Joyful Support Network Podcasts
Join the Joyful Support Village
Home Management for Everyone Course
Transcript
Our first episode of Joy Moments.
Speaker A:Small moments shared create ripples of joy.
Speaker A:I'm Lacy with Sarah, my lovely co host.
Speaker A:Hi, Sarah.
Speaker B:Hey, Lacy.
Speaker B:Well, we also have another silent co host.
Speaker A:We do.
Speaker A:She might talk.
Speaker A:Who knows?
Speaker A:She does like to make noises in the background and she loves a conversation, so she may.
Speaker A:She's smiling at me.
Speaker A:It's my three month old daughter.
Speaker A:Violet is hanging out too.
Speaker A:Yay, Violet.
Speaker A:She's just gonna be a little podcast.
Speaker A:And baby, I love that.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker A:Well, we are so excited for this inaugural episode of Joy Moments.
Speaker A:It is something that Sarah and I have wanted and talked about for a while and we're just making it happen.
Speaker A:I'm gonna let Sarah kind of kick off talking about what Joy Moments is and where it came from.
Speaker B:For those of you who are new to joyful support movement and which Joy Moments is part of, there's three steps, there's the story, there's taking a step, and then there's joy.
Speaker B:And we have the two podcasts for story and step.
Speaker B:And it was always our goal to also have a joy podcast.
Speaker B:So this has been bubbling in both of our brains for a very long time.
Speaker B:So happy to see it coming together.
Speaker B:And the joy step is important for so many reasons.
Speaker B:And we gotta say right up top, this is never about only looking at joy and forgetting all the crappy, crappy crap that's happening in your life.
Speaker B:Because life happens.
Speaker B:I like to call them shit sandwiches.
Speaker B:We don't get to avoid eating shit sandwiches.
Speaker B:Little ones, big ones, they happen, right?
Speaker B:But joy Moments is about, could that shit sandwich have a side of iced tea with it?
Speaker B:Or could you put some ketchup on that shit sandwich to make it taste just a little bit better, right?
Speaker B:So to me, joy moments balances it all out.
Speaker B:We're not erasing anything.
Speaker B:We're just.
Speaker B:We're just bringing joy to the table of life.
Speaker B:For me, this is so important because the origin story for joy goes back to when I was in College, which over 20, over 20 years ago now.
Speaker B:I didn't grow up having this natural, like, look for things that make you happy or be in the moment or notice the stars.
Speaker B:I didn't grow up like that.
Speaker B:But I had a roommate in college who every night we'd lay in our beds, we shared.
Speaker B:It was a house of seven girls and me and one friend.
Speaker B:We shared one room together and our twin beds.
Speaker B:Our heads were by each other.
Speaker B:And every night she would ask me what the favorite part of my day was.
Speaker B:And it was really hard at first.
Speaker B:Because I was in college, I was super stressed out.
Speaker B:So stressed out, it just, over time, it became easier.
Speaker B:And then I started looking for what the best part of my day was during the day.
Speaker B:So it just grew.
Speaker B:And then later in my life, I heard that gratitude is a muscle that you have to exercise.
Speaker B:And I truly felt that in myself when I had this roommate.
Speaker B:But we ended up living in different places our senior year.
Speaker B:And so, honestly, I fell out of habit with it, and my muscle really got atrophied.
Speaker B:Lacy, can you tell me, before we go into more of, like, the origins of the joy moments podcast, can you tell me, did you grow up with that gratitude muscle or is kind of new to your life?
Speaker A:I am a very lucky gal that that gratitude muscle has always been there for me.
Speaker A:Of course, times in my life, it's been easier and harder and whatnot.
Speaker A:But, like, for example, when I graduated from college, one of my dear friends who was on the podcast, Zach Owens, we talked about how I made a 100 things that make me happy list because I found myself.
Speaker A:I didn't notice this, but he had noticed.
Speaker A:I say the phrase a lot.
Speaker A:Oh, that makes me happy.
Speaker A:It was me recognizing small moments during the of just things that make me happy.
Speaker A:And so he challenged me to make a list, and I made a list of 100 things that made me happy.
Speaker A:And then for my graduation party, my family took that list and put different aspects of that in the party.
Speaker A:So, like, one of the things is, I love.
Speaker A:I love taking a shot.
Speaker A:It's not about the alcohol.
Speaker A:It's about the excitement and camaraderie that goes along with a shot that I enjoy.
Speaker A:Or my dad's mashed potatoes.
Speaker A:So they made mashed potatoes the color purple.
Speaker A:Everything was purple.
Speaker A:So my gratitude muscle has always been a pretty strong one.
Speaker A:And I've been very thankful for that because it has made finding those joy moments very easy for me.
Speaker A:But I also just want to say I know that it isn't always easy.
Speaker A:So just because it's something that I have had, it doesn't mean that I know that it's natural.
Speaker A:For example, at our household, you saying that actually Sarah was one of the things that inspired my house.
Speaker A:At dinner, we have to talk about our highs and lows for the day.
Speaker A:So a high is something that made you happy.
Speaker A:A low is something that made you sad.
Speaker A:You don't always have to have a low, but you always have to find a high, because we live a very privileged, lovely life, and we can always find something to be happy about.
Speaker A:And let me tell you, I am the only one in my household that's like, this is right off the bat what I think.
Speaker A:Now, it may just be because there's some ADHD in my household.
Speaker A:So sometimes that means unless it's happened within the past two and a half minutes, we forget about it existing.
Speaker A:But still, that's makes it even more important.
Speaker B:Well, and what's so great about this is for anyone listening, it doesn't.
Speaker B:You, you are where you are.
Speaker B:It doesn't matter if you have never thought about it before or if you thought about it your whole life.
Speaker B:It's a practice.
Speaker B:And it's a tool, I like to call it.
Speaker B:It's just another tool in your tool belt.
Speaker B:And with the story and the step and the joy, they're all tool.
Speaker B:It's your choice if you want to use the tool, but we're.
Speaker B:We're showing you how it can work.
Speaker B:And one other thing I want to point out for those listening is the words.
Speaker B:Please know you can insert any word that feels good to you.
Speaker B:Because what I've learned from Lacy about communications and, well, communication, really, it's.
Speaker B:Words can mean different things to different people.
Speaker B:So if you're somebody who hears the word joy and you immediately want to vomit, don't say joy.
Speaker B:Like, what.
Speaker B:What is tangential to joy?
Speaker B:You know, we talked about gratitude.
Speaker B:To me, this is my interpretation.
Speaker B:To me, moments of gratitude start to build up that momentum to joy.
Speaker B:So it's not as if you're thankful for one thing and then you're immediately like, I'm enjoy.
Speaker B:No, like sometimes it's just smarting out so, so small.
Speaker B:So, like, a thankful moment creates gratitude.
Speaker B:A lot of gratitude in my mind creates joy.
Speaker B:But it can be anything you heard.
Speaker A:I didn't realize it at the time, but that makes me happy.
Speaker A:That was how I found my way to these joy moments.
Speaker B:So there's no one way it can just.
Speaker B:It can be how you feel in your body.
Speaker B:It can be.
Speaker B:Is there a moment where you lose that tension in your chest and your shoulders and you relax?
Speaker B:Maybe that's a joy moment for you.
Speaker B:Or if you practice mindfulness.
Speaker B:To me, there's a lot of joy moments in mindfulness, but you don't.
Speaker B:It doesn't have to be called joy.
Speaker B:So just know that the term joy, joy moments is really.
Speaker B:It can be interpreted through your language.
Speaker B:We're all like, there's no one way to ride this train.
Speaker B:Just because it's called joy moments.
Speaker B:Come on aboard.
Speaker B:Call it whatever you want.
Speaker B:It's more about the practice and what we're trying to do with noticing the good things along with the shit sandwich.
Speaker A:And this is another thing that I've seen, and this is kind of one of the origins of joyful support movement, is that oftentimes when you have joy, your joy then can spread very, very easily to others.
Speaker A:It's a, A good kind of.
Speaker A:What's the word I'm looking for?
Speaker A:Contagion.
Speaker B:A happy.
Speaker B:A good contagion.
Speaker A:Good contagion.
Speaker A:And so by sharing and by you listening to these stories and then by hopefully sharing your own, what we're doing is we want to create enough ripples.
Speaker A:Not enough, just any ripples, honestly.
Speaker A:But we're going to create these ripples to maybe create more of that momentum for joy because it's, it's like a flywheel.
Speaker A:It's maybe, you know, hard to get going, but once it gets going, it's going to fly and fly and fly and ricochet.
Speaker B:And to that point.
Speaker B:So in my family, I continued the tradition, which actually it's not a long standing tradition, maybe a year or two, I realized we need, needed to practice that muscle in my household.
Speaker B:So before bed we talk about what was the best part of your day?
Speaker B:And as Lacy already knows, but if you're a new listener, you may not know I am a bird nerd 100% through and through and through.
Speaker B:And this may not sound exciting to anyone who's not a bird nerd, but I saw two pileated woodpeckers at the same time in my backyard.
Speaker B:It was very exciting.
Speaker B:And so I was explaining this whole story with this pileated and I got really excited and I was the first one to share.
Speaker B:And then it got to my husband's turn and we're like, what was the best part of your day?
Speaker B:And he goes, honestly, listening to your mom talk about those birds doesn't share.
Speaker B:He doesn't share the joy of birds.
Speaker B:But he was so happy to hear me.
Speaker B:So happy.
Speaker B:And so like you were saying, it's that happy contagion, which feels so weird to say, but it is.
Speaker B:It's what, it's what ripples do we want to put out in the world.
Speaker B:It's really, it's so easy, easy to add to the complaining and the negativity and the what's wrong with the world and what didn't you like today and who did you wrong?
Speaker B:That's easy.
Speaker B:We all do that.
Speaker B:That's, that's the slippery slope.
Speaker A:And there's a lot of things wrong with the world right now, I want to make sure that we are very grounded in this, that this is not about toxic positivity or anything like that.
Speaker A:Because you're hearing us talk about the joy and this, these 10 minute episodes, it does not mean that it ignores all the other stuff, because trust me, it is there and we see it and it's the joy that's the motor that'll keep us going to hopefully fix some of those things.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:And that brings me to another point.
Speaker B:As I was reflecting on why this podcast was important to me, I was thinking about how, you know, we, both of us, like, we still have bad moods, we have bad days, like, I still complain, we both still do that.
Speaker B:The difference for me, what I noticed was when I was younger, let's say the first two decades of my life, my baseline of where I was most of the time was in sort of a bad mood zone.
Speaker B:It was complaining, it was negativity, it was looking at the lack and what was wrong.
Speaker B:That was my baseline.
Speaker B:And honestly, it felt crappy.
Speaker B:And that's why I've been on a two decade voyage to find different ways to be.
Speaker B:And now my baseline is so much higher.
Speaker B:And I'm not always in a place of joy, right?
Speaker B:I'm not, I'm just, I don't know who is, but I'm not.
Speaker B:But the difference is, is that when we acknowledge that all the shit that's.
Speaker B:Sorry, this is a swearing podcast.
Speaker B:I didn't realize.
Speaker A:I'll turn that explicit marker on right now.
Speaker B:But what the difference is is like all the stuff that's going on in the world or when something, when one of those life events happens that we weren't planning on, I still get upset, I still get mad, I still get frustrated.
Speaker B:But it's a, it's like a dip down from my baseline.
Speaker B:I can still come back up.
Speaker B:It's almost like I also speak in visuals a lot.
Speaker B:It's almost like you're, you're in water, right?
Speaker B:And you're laying on a raft and you're like floating like your baseline's above the water, right?
Speaker B:And then something really, like somebody throws something really heavy like a boulder, and you catch it and then you go under the water.
Speaker B:But you, but if you, if you practice this joy and this gratitude, you don't stay underwater holding onto that boulder.
Speaker B:You've got little floaties on your arm, so you let the boulder go.
Speaker B:And then your little floaties, they just like, they pull you right back up so you don't stay under this heavy, heavy Heavy weight of all the shit sandwiches, you, you got your little joy floaties and you go poop back up to the surface.
Speaker A:I do love a water analogy here.
Speaker A:Ripples, joy, floaties.
Speaker A:It all makes sense.
Speaker A:It all makes sense.
Speaker B:Well, in going forward, our format for this show right now we're explaining the origins because we want people to be on this ride with us and understand our motivation and why we're doing this.
Speaker B:But going forward, we're really going to focus on everyone's moments of joy, those joy moments.
Speaker B:And we want people to share.
Speaker B:We want to hear whether we know you or don't know you, whether you want us to read it anonymously or you want us to say your name, age, place where you live, whatever, whatever details you want to share, we want to just know, what did you notice today that made you smile?
Speaker B:Or what did you hear that made your mood change?
Speaker B:Like, what was it about today?
Speaker B:One the smallest of things.
Speaker B:It doesn't have to be.
Speaker B:This is the big thing, right?
Speaker B:It's not about winning the lottery, it's not about taking your lifelong trip.
Speaker B:It's not about.
Speaker B:Which are all great things, by the way, but it's about finding it in the day to day norm of, oh, I just heard Violet.
Speaker B:That made me happy.
Speaker B:So, yeah.
Speaker B:So going forward.
Speaker B:Oh, I was just gonna say recap.
Speaker B:So going forward, we.
Speaker B:This isn't just our joy moments.
Speaker B:I mean, although trust me, I could fill 10 minutes easily.
Speaker B:But it's about hearing other people's joy moments, putting them back out there, then rippling that and then collecting even more.
Speaker B:It's just like you said, it's like a flywheel of joy.
Speaker B:And so this involves you, the listener.
Speaker B:This is about you.
Speaker B:Everyone has something to share.
Speaker A:One other piece of clarification.
Speaker A:And this is something Sarah and I have talked about a little bit.
Speaker A:This is not about finding the silver lining in a bad situation.
Speaker A:We don't want this to come off that way because that starts from a place of lack, right?
Speaker A:It starts from a place of, well, all of this is bad.
Speaker A:And I know we already mentioned, right, this isn't all about the good and that kind of thing, but when you attach your joy to something thing that's so negative, it kind of tones the joy down a bit, right?
Speaker A:So we really invite you to just look for the joy, not just look for a silver lining so that it's not coming from a place of lack.
Speaker A:So you're not starting in a deficit.
Speaker A:You are starting just from joy.
Speaker A:When people are like when you, since you're chronically ill.
Speaker A:You know what, what good has come from that?
Speaker A:And it's like, yes, I can make good of a bad situation and I can appreciate things, but I'm starting from the bad situation.
Speaker A:We're not looking for the silver lining.
Speaker A:If you find something that makes you happy and it just happens to be a silver lining, cool.
Speaker A:Just because also I think we talked about gratitude is about what you do have, not what other people don't.
Speaker A:That's another thing that Sarah and I have talked about.
Speaker A:If you ever heard, you know, there are people starving in the world, you should appreciate your food.
Speaker A:Like that is setting everyone up for failure right there.
Speaker A:So just the joy.
Speaker A:Just the joy.
Speaker B:That is true.
Speaker B:That's a good point.
Speaker B:And this is also a voyage of discovery.
Speaker B:Like you may.
Speaker B:You might disagree with us and that's fine.
Speaker B:Keep listening and share what your thoughts are about the joy in the process.
Speaker B:Like we just want you to explore it with us.
Speaker B:Come on this voyage of discovery.
Speaker A:Well, we do have a not Lacey or Sarah Joy moment to share because a friend shared this with me and I excitedly said, can I use this in my new podcast?
Speaker A:This is exactly what we're looking for.
Speaker A:And she was like, sure.
Speaker A:She said, sure.
Speaker A:And let me.
Speaker A:I'm going to read exactly what she said.
Speaker A:She said, hopefully somebody else gets inspired to do something for themselves.
Speaker A:So starting off from the bat, it's about doing something for yourself.
Speaker A:She's a mom.
Speaker A:Her name is Casey.
Speaker A:Yay, Casey.
Speaker A:And she sent.
Speaker A:I did a 5k this morning with no training.
Speaker A:I just wanted to finish.
Speaker A:And about a half a mile in, I had a therapeutic cry because I did something for myself.
Speaker A:Literal tears.
Speaker A:And you know, I'm not a crier.
Speaker A:3.1 miles to help you reevaluate your life.
Speaker A:So just this.
Speaker A:It's amazing too that it's tears, but it was a big about this moment of, oh, I'm doing this for myself.
Speaker A:And that just hit me really hard as a mom.
Speaker A:And Casey's not a super touchy feely person.
Speaker A:So for her I was like, get it, Casey, you cried.
Speaker A:Maybe maybe somebody else will hear this and think, you know what, I'm going to treat myself to that milkshake or I'm going to do that face mask.
Speaker A:I know I'm using really cliche self care things here.
Speaker B:Well, that actually dovetails really nicely into mine.
Speaker B:Can I share my joy?
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:So the timing was so beautiful.
Speaker B:I have been eyeing this chair at TJ Maxx because in my where I podcast in my office, it's a high desk, and I was using my husband's utility.
Speaker B:I don't know what you call it.
Speaker B:It's a Craftsman utility bench stool.
Speaker B:I don't know what to call it, but it was.
Speaker B:It was kind of uneven, so I always had to wedge something under it.
Speaker B:And then it was a plasticky seat, and it would make noise.
Speaker A:So uncomfortable.
Speaker B:I know, but I'm such a practical person that I was.
Speaker B:Well, it makes sense.
Speaker B:We already own this.
Speaker B:It makes sense.
Speaker B:But then my husband didn't have it to use anyways.
Speaker B:I've been eyeing this chair at TJ Maxx and for two months, and I was there yesterday, and I was.
Speaker B:This chair makes me happy.
Speaker B:It's a cute chair.
Speaker B:I'm sitting in it, and I gotta tell you, my tukas is so comfortable.
Speaker B:I'm so comfy.
Speaker B:It even has this, like, little ledge for my feet.
Speaker B:It's just.
Speaker B:It's so comfy.
Speaker B:And so I'm not just happy.
Speaker B:So, like your friend, I'm not just happy that I got the chair.
Speaker B:I felt so happy about getting it for myself.
Speaker B:It was a decision for me.
Speaker B:And like your friend said, it was just.
Speaker B:That was sort of the joy of.
Speaker B:It was making a choice for me.
Speaker B:So, yeah, my joy is my new chair.
Speaker B:It's so comfy.
Speaker A:So excited for you.
Speaker A:You.
Speaker A:You, like, didn't like sitting at your desk before, so now it makes sense that you might want to actually sit there now.
Speaker B:Well, so that's.
Speaker B:What's so funny, is I've been doing that thing that we all do because I help people manage their homes, is we all end up working at the kitchen table rather than assigned areas, and the kitchen table becomes this huge, big mess.
Speaker B:And I was like, why do I keep working at the kitchen table?
Speaker B:Because my son, you know, it's about to be summertime.
Speaker B:My son's about to be home.
Speaker B:I'm like, I can't keep working at the kitchen table.
Speaker B:And then I was like, oh.
Speaker B:Because I never want to sit in that darn chair.
Speaker A:Oh.
Speaker B:And I can laugh about that because I like to laugh at myself.
Speaker B:Lacy, what.
Speaker B:What's your joy moment?
Speaker A:I'm gonna be so cheesy because we've already talked about my daughter, but my daughter Violet, she is the smileiest, happiest baby, and to the point where it's like a problem.
Speaker A:Like, yesterday, she was eating, but then she kept just stopping and smiling at me, and I'm like, no, eat.
Speaker A:Stop smiling at me.
Speaker A:And it's.
Speaker A:It's so much that my husband the other day, coined this phrase of, you know, like, when you stop and you guys just smile at each other for a while.
Speaker A:And I'm like, yes, that's what we do.
Speaker A:As Violet just smiles at you and you smile at her.
Speaker A:And it takes about 20 minutes of just smiling back and forth.
Speaker A:And then you're like, no, sometimes it happens in the middle of the night.
Speaker A:That's what he was referring to, is when he was doing something with her in the middle of the night.
Speaker A:And so I'm just.
Speaker A:She is a joy to be around.
Speaker A:And this time around, since it's my last time having kids, I know for sure that factory's shut down.
Speaker A:Like, well, it better be.
Speaker A:But I just am so soaking it in and.
Speaker A:And there's so much joy in just.
Speaker A:We're just gonna smile at each other for a while.
Speaker B:We're coming to the closing of our first episode.
Speaker A:We'll close it with asking you to take a step to share your joy with us.
Speaker A:So you can go to joyfulsupportmovement.com Joy Moments.
Speaker A:In there, we have a form and you can submit your own joy moment.
Speaker A:Just a few minutes and maybe you'll be able to hear your own joy moment on the podcast.
Speaker A:Also, follow along on our social media joyfulsupportmovement.com I'm Lacy Shares.
Speaker A:Sarah is the joy riddler, but she's kind of taking a social media hiatus, and that's just fine.
Speaker B:I'm very.
Speaker B:I very much am.
Speaker B:Yeah, that's.
Speaker B:That's where I am.
Speaker B:But please, please know there's no wrong way to joy.
Speaker B:So, yeah, we.
Speaker B:We can't wait to hear everything that you have to share and then listen along and spread the joy.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:If this.
Speaker B:If this podcast brought you one ounce of joy, if you could share it with somebody else and start that ripple.
Speaker B:We always talk about the 1% difference.
Speaker B:Like, it's just a 1%.
Speaker B:If we can bump up our days 1% in joy or happiness or whatever word you want to use, then our job is.
Speaker B:That's.
Speaker B:Our job is done.
Speaker B:Well.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker A:Did you just get really excited about recording future episodes?
Speaker A:Because you're like, we just are going to read people's joy?
Speaker A:Because I did.
Speaker A:I just had this, like, moment of giddiness, as usual.
Speaker B:Thank you, Sarah, thank you, Lacey, and thank you, Violet.
