Creating Joy on Purpose (Even When the World Feels Heavy)

Hi community,

There is so much happening in the world right now.

And if you’ve been feeling numb, exhausted, overwhelmed, or quietly checked out… you are not alone.

When stress is chronic, globally and personally, our nervous systems adapt. They brace. They scan. They conserve energy. And sometimes that shows up as numbness. All because your brain is trying to protect you.

Recently, I wrote a blog post called:

👉 When the World Feels Like Too Much: Why We Have to Create Joy on Purpose

In it, I talk about how our brains scan for safety every few seconds. That’s the design. And if you’ve experienced trauma or chronic stress, that scanning system gets even louder. The world can start to feel like one long threat assessment.

So if we don’t intentionally name and create positive experiences, we miss them.

And over time, it can feel like they don’t exist at all.

What I’ve Been Doing to Interrupt the Chaos

I’ve been very intentional about building breaks into my life.

Not because suffering isn’t real.
But because I refuse to let it be the only thing I experience.

Here’s what’s been filling my cup lately (and yes, I’ll be sharing photos with this newsletter!):

• 🚣🏾‍♀️ My new rowing group — being on the water, moving in rhythm with other people.

• 🏃🏾‍♀️ Run club + marathon training — long miles and shared grit.

• 🏋🏾‍♀️ Group fitness classes — still a staple in my life.

• 🧗🏾‍♀️ Rock climbing (surprisingly fun).

• 🧘🏾‍♀️ Pilates (humbled but strong).

• 🌄 Hiking… which I’ve accepted might never be my thing. If there’s a view, I want to sit in it — not be huffing through it.

And…

🎲 My new Bunco group.

Y’all. Finally an activity that doesn’t involve running, jumping, or lifting. We just sit. Roll dice. Laugh loudly. Eat snacks. Tell stories.

We all met in random places — gyms, networking events, mutual friends — and just kept inviting other women into the circle. It’s grown organically. It’s easy. It’s joyful.

It reminds me that community doesn’t have to be intense to be meaningful.

Sometimes joy looks like dice on a table and laughter that makes your stomach hurt.

If Being Around People Feels Like Too Much

Let’s normalize this.

You might be in a season where group spaces feel overwhelming.

That’s okay.

Joy doesn’t always have to be social.

It might look like:

• Sitting in the sun at a garden

• A solo walk around the block

• The beach at sunset

• Coffee outside instead of inside

• Music in your ears and no one asking you for anything

When your body feels warmth.
When your shoulders drop.
When you exhale without forcing it.

That counts.

Sometimes happiness is something we create.
We accumulate positive experiences.
We build them slowly.
We store them intentionally.

Because if we don’t, our brains default to scanning for danger.

And danger will always be easier to find.

If You Need Extra Support Right Now…

I’ve written several blog posts that speak directly to coping with internal and external chaos:

• Survival Mode: Why Mental Health Takes a Backseat When Basic Needs Aren’t Met
  (For when life feels like pure survival.)

• Core Beliefs: The Sneaky Narrators of Your Life Story
  (Understanding the internal scripts shaping your reactions.)

• Breaking Free from the Funk: How Behavioral Activation Can Help Depression
  (An evidence-based approach to increasing meaningful activity.)

• Resetting Like I Mean It: Modeling the Self-Care I Preach
  (Because I refuse to tell clients to rest and not do it myself.)

• CBT: It’s Not About Lying to Yourself—It’s About Setting Yourself Free
  (Reframing without gaslighting yourself.)

• When Life Knocks You Down, Don’t Ghost Your People
  (Why isolation feels protective but connection heals.)

• Opposite Action: Flipping the Script on Your Emotions (DBT Style)
  (For when your emotions are loud and persuasive.)

And of course, my newest piece:
When the World Feels Like Too Much: Why We Have to Create Joy on Purpose

If one resonates, start there. You don’t need to read everything. Just find the one that feels like it’s speaking directly to you.

A Gentle Invitation

If suffering feels loud in your life right now, I see you.

But I also want you to have breaks.

Small ones.
Quiet ones.
Intentional ones.

This week, ask yourself:

What is one tiny thing I can add that might interrupt the suffering — even for a moment?

Joy doesn’t erase pain.
But it balances it.

And balance is what keeps us going.

With care,
Nia 💛