Laugh So Hard You Almost Pee (But Maybe Don’t): Joy Returns

Ready to feel good without apologizing for it? We’re kicking off season two by reclaiming joy as a vital form of healing rather than a reward you have to earn. I share why so many high-capacity givers learned to sideline joy, how vigilance masquerades as virtue, and what shifts when we treat joy as embodied ease that can live right alongside grief, uncertainty, and real responsibilities.

We unpack the difference between happiness and joy—event-driven highs versus a steady, body-based resonance—and explore why joy can feel impractical or even unsafe when your nervous system has been trained to scan for danger. Then we get practical. I guide you through a short, gentle attunement with hand on heart and belly, longer exhales, and the simple question, where does ease live in my body right now? You’ll learn how tiny somatic cues like swaying, rocking, and softening the jaw invite safety faster than any pep talk, and why one extra breath in a moment of ease rewires more than you think.

We also talk about curiosity and laughter as medicine. From following a small “what if” to watching a contagiously funny video, these micro-moments of delight regulate your system and ripple out to everyone around you. Joy is not bypassing; it stabilizes you, improves decision-making, and strengthens resilience for hard seasons. You’ll leave with two mantras to anchor your practice—I allow myself to feel good without guilt, I am safe to feel joy—and a simple daily assignment to notice where your body softens and stay there one breath longer.

If this resonates, follow Sacred Soul Sisters, leave a review to help this message reach more hearts, and connect with me at angelreikijourney.com, Instagram @AngelReikiJourney, or on LinkedIn. Share this with someone who needs permission to feel alive today, and tell us: what small moment of joy did you notice?

Transcript

Welcome To Season Two

SPEAKER_01 0:03

Hello. Welcome to season two of the Sacred Soul Sisters Podcast. Oh my goodness, we are in 2026, and I have never been more ready for this year. Oh my gosh, the year of the fire horse. Well, welcome before we get too

Who We Serve And Why

SPEAKER_01 0:22

far ahead. Welcome to the Sacred Soul Sisters Podcast, a sacred space created for awesome souls who have spent years caring, giving, leading, and holding it all together, and are now feeling the quiet call to return to themselves. However, that call may be just getting a little louder

Meet Justina And The Mission

SPEAKER_01 0:41

this year. I'm Justina. I'm a Reiki master teacher, healer, nurse for over 20 years, transformational speaker, retreat leader, uh workshop leader, and this podcast is an invitation to you to allow your inner soul to slow down, soften, receive, and remember who you are beneath those roles and responsibilities and expectations that you've been carrying, but also to ignite the fire within you, to remind you how awesome you are. I'm so happy you're

Real Healing And Alignment

SPEAKER_01 1:18

here. So here we talk about real healing, not the bypassing kind, but the kind that meets you exactly where you are. We explore energy, spirituality, emotional release, nervous system regulation, divine support, and what it truly means to live in alignment with your soul while navigating this crazy real life, right? So you'll hear heartfelt conversations, intuitive teachings, gentle practices, and soul-led interviews. They're all designed to help you clear energetic blocks, reconnect with your inner wisdom, and reclaim your vitality without guilt or burnout, right? Like we are done. We are done messing around. I am so fired up about this year of 2026, and I cannot wait to hang with you this year. So thank you so much for being here. This is the place where you don't have to have it all figured out, but it is the place where your strength is remembered, your light is reawakened.

Follow, Review, And Connect

SPEAKER_01 2:16

And if this resonates with you, I would love for you to follow the show. Please leave a review. It helps the message reach so many more individuals that need it at this time. You can also visit my website at angelreikijourney.com, scroll to the bottom, sign up for the newsletter to receive soulful updates, upcoming offers, gentle reminders that you are never alone in this path. Come connect with me on Instagram at Angel Reiki Journey and join the conversation. Or you can find me on LinkedIn where I share reflections, teachings, and ways to bring this work into your life and leadership. You are never meant to leave this alone. You belong here. And I'm so glad you are here. So take a breath and welcome to the Sacred Soul Sisters podcast. Hello, everybody. I am so happy to be back with you.

Naming The Theme: Joy

SPEAKER_01 3:06

We're gonna talk about joy today, which is so needed right now. And uh yeah, so take a deep breath with me wherever you are, so you can arrive in this next, you know, little bit here with the episode. So we'll take a deep breath into our nose and a long exhale.

Normalizing Distance From Joy

SPEAKER_01 3:34

Good, good, good. Okay. So I want to start by saying if you have been feeling heavy, tired, or like Joy feels super far away here lately, uh, that there's nothing wrong with you, that uh not only is there a lot going on, but I think overall with Joy, some of us along the way have been taught that uh, you know, we had to survive really, really well. And we had to learn how to show up and take care of others and be responsible and be productive and and do it quietly without anyone, you know, meaning for it to happen. Joy kind of slipped into the background. It kind of fell down to the bottom of our list, right? And I think sometimes when we tune into joy, we think, you know, I don't really have time for that. Like I know I personally have fallen into that trap a couple of times saying, no, I I have too much crap to do. I don't have time to be like, ooh-hoo, ha ha ha, you know, find something silly, laugh, be happy, uh, those kinds of things. I've gotten much better at that over the years, but it's a really easy thing to fall into. And today it isn't about trying to chase happiness or forcing positivity. It's just, you know, kind of uh an invitation for you to tune back into it. Because I think that's what we're being called to do right now. So, and it feels like a really big call at this point with everything going on. Um, but we deserve to feel joy sometimes, to be clear, and uh and the world needs people to feel joy because that increases their frequency and helps the collective as a whole.

Joy Versus Happiness

SPEAKER_01 5:23

So as adults, joy seems like it can start to feel very impractical or even unsafe sometimes, right? Our nervous systems learn to stay alert, to scan, to prepare, especially if we've lived through stress, trauma, caregiving roles, or long seasons of uncertainty. For many of us, joy came with like some associated sort of risk, like with the fear that if we let ourselves feel good, you know, something bad might happen, or wait a minute, things do feel good, when's the next shoe gonna drop, that kind of thing. So we'll kind of just like keep putting on the back burner, right? When things calm down and when life feels better, or when it feels lighter, or when I have more time, then I'll see how I can work this joy thing back in. But that's not really how we were created. Um so I want to ask you, you know, without judgment or anything, you know, when when do you feel like joy started to slip from you if it has? Like when do you feel like um or how long do you feel like it's been since you felt joy? Right? And I I kind of want to talk about the difference between the joy and the happiness, you know. Joy and happiness a lot of times are used interchangeable, but they're not technically the same thing. Like happiness is often circumstantial. Like I feel happy because this happened, I feel this, I feel that, right? But joy is more of like um like an overall, like a like an energy almost, like a resonance. And you can have joy within you, even at times when you have stress that you're going through, when you have uncertainty, when, you know, alongside grief, it doesn't have to be like it doesn't, you can't only have one or the other. And that was a really hard thing for me to wrap my head around. Because especially, you know, if you're going through the loss of a loved one, I think that oftentimes we can jump to feeling really guilty when we feel joy, right? Like, oh my gosh, like my so-and-so passed away six months ago, and I just found myself laughing about something. I don't think I should really be laughing. Like, then that means that I don't care, or you know, these kinds of things. But that that's not what it is. And we're not meant to do this. Like, we're not meant to be so judgy of ourselves. Joy isn't denying that something terrible is going on.

Joy As Body-Based Ease

SPEAKER_01 8:06

Joy is like the permission for your nervous system to experience aliveness and really to be comfortable for that matter. But joy doesn't always feel like excitement. Like you can feel alive, but not necessarily excitement. So often joy can just arrive, you know, uh kind of quietly. Like it can sound like a spontaneous exhale. Like you I almost feel like joy is a little bit more related to peace. You know, like when you've had a long day and all of a sudden you take a minute and you're just like, like a just an exhale where your shoulders are dropping, a moment where everything starts to soften, and then you may even get a subtle smile, like, I made it through the day, right? It shows up as a relief sometimes, moments where you feel just a little more you. That is something that has been so true for me. The more and more I stand in my authentic self, the more uh I am okay with who I am, the more I say the things that I feel, the more that I speak my truth. There's a joy that uh no matter what you do, starts to happen. I mean, like just spontaneously starts to happen. And joy lives in the body, uh, not in the mind. So you feel it, right? So even when you forget, you know, consciously about it, it's your body still remembers it, right? And simple ways for your body to relearn joy, even is like

Practices To Relearn Joy

SPEAKER_01 10:02

gentle swaying or rocking. Have you ever, you know, especially those of you that, you know, were rocked asleep as a baby or a toddler or or as an adult, I guess. But uh have you ever like, if you were one of those people, sat in a rocking chair for a little bit and rocked back and forth, and you could feel the calmness and comfort in that, because our body remembers that. When I have you guys do like the hand on the heart, like one hand on your heart, one hand on your stomach, your belly, your sacral chakra area, uh, to be more specific. And so one hand on your heart, one hand on your sacral chakra, which is your belly slash lower belly, and just taking some deep breaths that way also helps to give you that, you know, resonance of joy and peace. Sometimes letting curiosity lead without needing an outcome. What does that mean? Well, so you know, like sometimes somebody will be sitting around, everybody'll be talking about stuff, and somebody will say, you know, I wonder what if I mix this with this, like what it would become. Or I wonder what I wonder where I don't know, Oprah was born. Or I wonder where, you know, like these kinds of things. Like, look it up. Like, but that may not mean you meet that person, but it kind of gives you almost like this little feeling of connection, right? And your body starts to feel kind of joy. So you don't you can just notice it more. I would invite you to try to start noticing it more. Um, because like I said, we need this right now. We need uh any bit of joy that we can get. So if you guys can take a minute and uh please don't do this while you're driving, come back to this if you are driving.

Guided Joy Attunement

SPEAKER_01 12:09

And uh it's only like three to four minutes tops, okay? We're just gonna do a quick little joy attunement. Um if you can close your eyes, take a deep breath. Make sure you're in a space for the next three to four minutes where you won't be interrupted. Okay. All right, if it feels safe, allow your eyes to begin to soften or close. Take a slow breath into your nose, out through your mouth. Place one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly. Take another slow breath into your nose and a longer exhale through your mouth. And again, let your shoulders drop. Let your jaw soften. Now, without searching, simply notice where does ease live in your body right now? Did you notice something? Something slightly changed. It might be small, it might be a warmth, it might be a gentle openness, a place that feels neutral or calm. Bring your attention to that place. With each breath you take, imagine your breath gently moving into that space.

SPEAKER_00 14:01

Not to change it, just to acknowledge it. Simply say quietly to yourself, It is safe to feel this. It is safe to feel this. This peace and this ease. Allow that ease to expand just a fraction.

SPEAKER_01 14:49

One breath wider. Joy doesn't need to be big, it just needs to be allowed and experienced. Take one more slow breath into your nose and a long exhale out of your mouth. Spirit wants you to know that you are so loved, you are so supported, and they want nothing more than to for you to tune in to the joy that lives within you and allow it to expand without judgment, without criticism.

SPEAKER_00 15:43

Just simply allow it to expand.

SPEAKER_01 15:48

You are so loved, my friend. Take one more slow breath and when you're ready, gently return. Kind of wiggle your fingers and toes. Maybe take a yawn or a stretch.

Let Yourself Laugh Freely

SPEAKER_01 16:12

I want you to know that tuning in to joy isn't about adding more to your life. It's about noticing more of what's already there. What's been hanging out there waiting for you to recognize? Just like, hey, hey, I'm Joy. I'm in here, I'm right here, I'm right here. And I want to connect with you. Joy might look like warm mugs and morning light or moving slower on purpose at designated times of the day. Laughing without explaining why, just spontaneous laughing. Have you ever met one of those people where you guys are, you know, walking through the store and all of a sudden they have a thought pop in their head and they just start hysterically laughing, and you're like, what in the world just happened? But you can't help but not laugh with them, right? Like spirits like making me laugh now, just uh oh my gosh. Uh I do, I do want you to Google like the funniest laugh video, like look on YouTube or whatever. Like you cannot not laugh by watching so-and-so, you know, laugh. Do that. I am I am like begging you guys to do that this week. J I mean, I'd love for you to do it every day, but at least one time this week, please just look on YouTube, look up uh, you know, person laughing so hard, it's impossible to watch and not laugh. And and just let yourself laugh. Let yourself laugh till you pee. Okay, maybe not till you pee, especially if you're around other people. But, you know, I don't know, snot, laugh till you snot. I I don't know. Um, okay, so you don't necessarily have to have a bodily function, but laugh. Really let your whole body laugh, the belly laugh. Like, let yourself do it and enjoy something without justifying it. Like, don't judge yourself for doing that either. Sometimes we're the worst, right? So don't do that. Joy doesn't require permission. You don't have to ask yourself, can I, is it okay if I take this time to connect with joy? No. You don't ask yourself. You get it. You just automatically get joy. You get free access to joy. And

Joy As Medicine And Ripple

SPEAKER_01 18:44

joy totally acts as medicine. And heavy times, joy is medicine, and joy is what we need so badly right now. And again, that does not make whatever's happening go away or say we don't think it's happening, or we're uh denying it, or we're we're not doing anything wrong. We're doing something so right to turning into joy, you know, tuning into joy, goodness sake. And a regulated joyful nervous system is so stabilizing, not just for you, but for those around you. Could you imagine if you're standing in the middle of the grocery store this week and that's when you decide to look up on YouTube? Can't help but like bust out laughing, you know, video. Like, can you imagine you're standing there, there's 40 people around you, and you start belly laughing so hard you're about to pee yourself? Do you have any idea the positive impact that would have on everybody? Not just you, everybody. Okay, so let's do a different scenario. You're the only person standing in the grocery store, you do that. Do you know how many people that affects? A lot. Even if there's not a single soul standing around you, that joy ripples out. That frequency that's created and that vibration that's created by joy ripples out to other human beings, it ripples out to Mother Gaia, it ripples out to our mo, our world, our collective, our everything. So please, please, please, please, please, please do it. The world is begging you right now.

Daily Micro-Moments And Mantras

SPEAKER_01 20:30

Joy fuels resilience, and it reminds us that we are alive, and it revitalizes our cellular bodies as well. So, hey, I I want to leave you with this. So you're not broken, you're not doing anything wrong for feeling heavy, and you're not irresponsible for wanting joy or experiencing it. Joy is not something you find someday, it's something you have already. You're just tuning into it, you're allowing moment by moment. This week, along with the first assignment I gave you, notice one moment each day where your body softens and just stay there for one breath longer, one breath longer. And if it helps, carry this with you. I allow myself to feel good without guilt. I am safe to feel joy. We're gonna repeat that two more times. I allow myself to feel good without guilt. I am safe to feel joy. I allow myself to feel good without guilt. I am safe to feel joy. Oh my

Gratitude And Closing Invitations

SPEAKER_01 21:50

goodness. Thank you guys so much. Thank you for being here. Thank you for following the podcast, thank you for listening to the episodes and sharing them. I'm So, so so grateful for you. The word is getting out, and we are able to touch more people's hearts and to spread the love all over the world. And I am so grateful for that. I love you. I love you. I love you. Have a great week. Hi, before you go, hey, I just want to say thank you again. I'm so grateful you're here. Thank you for sharing this space with me today. And I hope that you can feel the sense of community. Every time you listen to one of these episodes, you're in community with not only me, but everybody else that's listening to. And in that beautiful frequency that's created, we get to have our hearts infused with the love and peace and the hope that we have for each other. So thank you so much for that. So as you move back into your day, I invite you to take a moment, just soften your shoulders, breathe into your heart, and notice what shifted for you in this conversation. How do you feel? I hope amazing. And if this episode resonated, please follow the Sacred Soul Sisters podcast. Take a minute to leave a review. Your words help this healing ripple reach other beautiful souls who are quietly longing for support, remembrance, and community. And stay connected. You can visit my website, angelreikijourney.com. You can book an Angel Reiki session there. You can see some of the other events that we have going on. And if you scroll to the bottom, sign up for the newsletter where I share soulful reflections, upcoming offers, and gentle invitations to reconnect with yourself. You can also find me on Instagram at Angel ReikiJourney for inspiration. Connect with me on LinkedIn. I'm over there too. And remember, you don't have to have it all figured out. You don't have to carry all this alone. You are deeply supported, you are divinely guided, and you are worthy of ease and joy and magnetizing moments in your life. And I'm so excited for that. Until we meet again, take care of your beautiful heart and know that it's okay to choose yourself. It's okay to offer self love to yourself. And it's okay to receive the love and abundance this universe wants to give you. So I will see you next week. Take care. Bye bye.