Finding Joy

Joy can sound like a big word when you’ve spent months or years in survival mode. When your mind is fixed on getting through the day, even genuinely good moments can slide right past you, not because you’re ungrateful, but because your system is still braced for impact. I’m slowing things down for a quiet, grounding check-in on the kind of joy that doesn’t need a party, a pay rise or a perfect life to exist. 

We talk about everyday joy as something subtle and real such as sitting in the sun, a warm cacao in the morning, a home-cooked meal, the smell of rain, a smile from a stranger, the calm that comes from an absence of chaos. I share how these small moments helped me reconnect with myself when I couldn’t access happiness in the way I thought I “should”. If you’re navigating healing, trauma recovery or grief, we also unpack a powerful truth that joy can sit beside hard days. Grief and gratitude can coexist and you’re allowed to experience lightness without earning it or explaining it. 

You’ll leave with a simple practice for noticing joy on purpose, letting it land in your body and creating more of it especially on the tough days. If this resonates, subscribe to Everyday Warrior Moments, share it with someone who needs a gentle breath today and leave a review so more people can feel seen and supported.

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Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and stories shared on this podcast are personal to the host and guests and are not intended to serve as professional advice or guidance. They reflect individual experiences and perspectives. While we strive to provide valuable insights and support, listeners are encouraged to seek professional advice for their specific situations. The host and production team are not responsible for any actions taken based on the content of this podcast.

Transcript

Welcome And A Slower Pause

Trudie Marie 0:00

This is Everyday Warrior Moments. Thank you, truly, for being here and for choosing to subscribe and support the podcast. It means more than you probably realise, and it allows me to keep creating these conversations and this space. This is a quieter moment between our guest episodes, a place to slow things down, to reflect and to take a breath. These episodes are just me sharing thoughts, lessons, and gentle reminders as I continue to walk in my own journey too. So wherever you are right now, whether you're starting your day, ending it, or somewhere in between, let's take a few minutes together. Today I want to talk about something that might feel simple, but for many of us it's not. And that is joy. Not the big obvious kind that comes from celebrations and events, but the quiet everyday kind. Because when you've been through hard seasons and when you've lived in survival mode for so long, joy can look and feel very unfamiliar. And for me, operating in survival mode, I didn't really feel joy. In fact, I was angry and triggered all of the time. And it wasn't because life didn't have good moments. I just couldn't really appreciate them because I was so focused, I was alert, and I was worried about getting through the day. And I think this happens to more people than we realise. When we become so focused on getting through the day, holding it all together, and just doing what needs to be done, we forget how to just feel. Things like just sitting in the sun with my daily cacao, having my beautiful old girl who's no longer with me now, but lying next to me on the bed. When I started to hike the Bibleman track, making it to a hut at the end of the day, or appreciating the view when it was just me and nature. Now it could be sitting down to a home cooked meal, or just looking back to see how far I've actually come. Joy doesn't have to be loud or big. It's what most people expect it to be. But it can be quiet, subtle, and found in the simple things. Sometimes it could just be the absence of chaos. But here's something I've learned. You don't have to wait until everything is perfect to allow yourself to feel joy. Because if you do, you might be waiting forever. One big misconception that I despise is that you can't feel joy or happiness while you are healing or while you are going through a season of grief or trauma. But joy can exist alongside the hard days and the uncertainty. Grief and gratitude can coexist. You just have to look for that one small moment. It could be that a stranger smiled at you or that you got to hug a loved one. It could be the smell of rain or just hearing your favorite song come on the radio. I think it's important to say that you are allowed to feel joy. Give yourself permission to feel joy even after everything you've been through. You don't have to earn it, nor do you have to justify it. You're allowed to experience these moments of lightness and be happy. Because joy isn't a destination, it's a practice. It's noticing what feels good right now, what makes me feel present in this moment? What brings me back to myself? And what makes me smile or even better, laugh? So I want to ask you: what is one small moment of joy that you can create for yourself? Not something big or complicated, just something simple. For me at the moment, it's my morning routine of cacao, sitting outside in the backyard looking at the caravan that I renovated. I look proudly at it, knowing that I created the space and made it my happy place. This brings me so much joy. So when this happens for you, I want you to pause. I want you to really notice it and let it land. Look at how those feelings are showing up in your body. And then create more of them. Keep finding those small moments of joy each and every day, especially on the hard ones. So now I want you to take a deep breath in and let it go. Come back to yourself and remember that everyday warriors don't give up. They continue to rise. Thank you for being part of the Everyday Warrior community and for supporting the podcast. It really means a lot. If something in this episode stayed with you, I invite you to share it. A message, a post, a simple recommendation. It helps more people feel seen and supported. And don't forget the Everyday Warriors podcast is always there for deeper conversations and real stories from around the world. Take care and I'll see you again in the next moment.