5 Things Bringing Me Joy Lately
5 Things Bringing Me Joy Lately
During a time when being generally joyful feels hard, I love to lean into and on the more specific things that are bringing me joy. Those can be hard to spot sometimes. Especially when, generally speaking, I’m feeling kind of down or like I can’t catch a break (come on life LOL!). The last month or so, I’ve really been leaning hard into those things that I’ve been able to identify are bringing me pure joy and just all around happiness, even that quiet happiness, that complete contentedness, despite what life is throwing at me. That’s where I’ve been thriving most especially of late and where I definitely want to stay. Here are 5 things that are bringing me joy.
1 // Rom-Coms
Reading has definitely been slower than normal for me lately. Between a general and overall feeling of slumpiness and also feeling stretched thin with life responsibilities, I just haven’t been overly excited about anything I’ve picked up nor really motivated to read. I started upwards of maybe 4 or 5 books, I think, that I ended up setting aside and when all was said and done I finished 4 separate books — 3 romantic comedies (Flirting with Fate, A Brush With Love, Set On You) and 1 fantasy book (Days of Blood and Starlight) — check out my blog All The Books I Read In April 2022 here. The books I finished overall just gave me a sense of peace and that quiet happiness. The other ones weren’t bad by any means, but there were just “not right nows”. Some had heavier or darker content that just wasn’t helping my already droopy mood, so I stuck with those stories that were more lighthearted and just happy in nature. And that’s when I kind of discovered that these rom-coms were bringing me a lot of joy and I kept on that train! The last 3 I picked up and devoured were A Brush With Love, Set On You, and People We Meet On Vacation. And I don’t see that genre of choice changing anytime soon!
2 // Spring Weather
One of my favorite times of the year is when winter finally breaks and summer isn’t quite here yet! Where we live that little time period can last sometimes a couple of weeks, other times a whole month (!) so taking advantage of it is so important for us. We love sitting on the front porch in the mornings, on the back patio in the evenings, and leaving the windows open for extended periods of time. Being outside and having that spring air circulating just does wonders for your mental health. And lately we’ve been in that window and it couldn’t have arrived at a better time. I hope we get a little longer with it this year… fingers crossed!
3 // Baking & Tasty Treats
What’s really funny about this — if you’re into the Enneagram — twos are apparently known for how much they love baking. And let me tell you, before the last 30 days, whenever I saw that on a two Enneagram graphic on Instagram, I was utterly perplexed because I never really bake anything… ever. So, I was always internally screaming, “how is this meee???” LOL. But, if the last month is anything to go on, I surely enjoy baking. And looking back, I’ve always preferred baking to cooking… I’ve just spent very little time actually doing both. But, in April alone, I made 3 batches of homemade chocolate chip cookies — two of those times, Nate, my husband, and I also made homemade ice cream sandwiches with them! DIVINE — and also 1 batch of blueberry muffins! WHO AM I?!
The Recipes
4 // Season 2 of Bridgerton
OOF. This season of Bridgerton was honestly just perfect. I liked it even more than season 1 and I really liked season 1! Kate and Anthony’s story… definitely a forever favorite. That enemies to lovers, hate to love, slow burn, pining for, stolen moments, intense chemistry romance IS MY FAVORITE and it was so well done this season. I started out watching an episode a day at lunch time so I could savor it because while I love to binge things, I also really hate when things end LOL. So, I thought I’d try to draw it out for a bit and that worked for a while! Then, one evening, Nate went to play golf with a couple buddies and I just couldn’t stop watching! Now it’s been a repeat since and I can’t get enough of it. So excited for season 3! [UPDATE: I also finally watched To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before and oh my gosh — I fell in complete love with Peter Kavinsky and loved his and Lara Jean’s story. I definitely want to read the books as soon as possible now, too!
5 // Rereading
Similar to number 1, the prospect of starting a new book and entering a world I know nothing about seems… daunting at the moment, especially when it comes to fantasy reads. And, while I haven’t fully reread anything recently, just the idea of rereading has been bringing me joy — so silly, right?! And, honestly, getting to revisit a favorite has been looking more fulfilling by the day. The pure content of reentering a story that previously brought happiness and was just oh-so-good brings instant nostalgia and again, that quiet, contented happiness. I’ve got a few lined up that I want to get to, one of which I’ve already started (To Bleed A Crystal Bloom by Sarah A. Parker and Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff), and it really is just pure joy to be back here and I’m so glad I’m taking the time for rereads this year.
What about you? What’s bringing you joy and that quiet happiness lately?
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I’m Leah. Cozy connoisseur and bountiful book buyer. I have a minor obsession with getting lost in the pages of a good book, guzzling coffee, and thriving at home. Leggings, wine, and essential oils are also my jam. I'm truly just a bookworm and homebody at heart with a knack for content creation & cozy shots. This is my creative space.
When the nights are longer and darkness falls sooner, having a tale of magic to dive into makes all the difference for my mental health and well-being. There’s nothing better than an immersive fantasy read in the heart of winter and I’ve got 15 winter fantasy book recommendations lined up here – for every type of fantasy reader — to keep your spirits bright this chilly, cozy season.