It’s important to remember that joy can be found in the small things. Most of the time it’s discovered in the moments where we take time to disconnect from social media. Ideas can come to us when our mind is clear, which is why we encourage everyone to take moments out of their day without the company of their phone. 

Here are some of the ways you can find joy in your day-to-day:

Spending Time With Your Pets 

Spending time with pets can help us stay grounded in the present. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, it can be a total gift to yourself to disconnect from all your devices and reconnect with your furry friends. For me, just taking time out of my day to cuddle my cat, Sherman, leaves me feeling more rejuvenated and inspired. If you don’t have any pets, don’t worry- following pet accounts on Instagram is also good for your well-being. Here are some adorable animal Instagram accounts you can follow for a laugh and de-stress:

• Kokoro from Japan
• Bertram The Pomeranian
• Glenn Cat

Get Outdoors

Being cooped up inside for too long can have a negative impact on your mood, so it’s important to make time for fresh air. Take a walk, ride your bike, or maybe pick up a new outdoor hobby like skateboarding or tennis! If you live in a colder climate, grab some coffee to go and take it with you to warm you up during your walk. For even more peace of mind, explore meditation apps like Calm or Headspace while you’re on your outdoor venture.

Another fun way to create joy outside is to deck out your patio! This can be therapeutic, and you can make it cozy for anytime of the year – no matter the weather. We suggest gathering some inspo from this Small Patio Ideas Pinterest Board!

Head Back to the Good Ol’ Days 

There’s something comforting about watching old movies or reruns of a classic show during this time of year. Give yourself a dose of nostalgia and reminisce about some of your favorite moments of your adolescent years. The elements and aesthetic of the 90s and Y2K have been re-surfacing this year symbolizing our yearning for the simpler times. This 90s Pinterest Board just might make you want to turn back time.

But beyond diving into classics shows and cultural relics, some other ways to cultivate nostalgia can be searching for your favorite throwback activities or board games, gifting goodie bags full of Lisa Frank items, hosting sleepovers with friends in your quarantine pod, and buying comfort snacks like Little Debbie snacks or Goldfish.

Write Down Your Mood 

Clear the clutter in your mind by writing down your thoughts and feelings. Take time to space out, completely disconnect from the things around you, and with your words, reflect on the days past. It’s an even better experience if you do this outside your favorite cafe on a crisp fall morning. Take some inspiring journal prompts with you so that you can dig deeper and release any emotional tension that may still be under the surface. Or, to give yourself a fun project, start a bullet journal. There are so many different ways to create a bullet journal and you can make it entirely unique to you. This bullet journal Pinterest Board has so many amazing ideas to help you get started. Keep this journal with you as your daily companion, so that you can keep your to-do lists, thoughts, ideas, and inspiration organized.

Create Your Joy and Wellbeing

• Prioritize yourself: You can’t pour from an empty cup. Making time for yourself can help to reassess where your priorities are, and also where you are putting most of your energy. Over time you may find that your self-awareness will get stronger. As a result, you will also find yourself creating moments of joy more effortlessly in your daily life. 
• Embrace doing nothing: Since we’re all so connected to our devices day in and day out, we don’t leave room for ideas to come in. The thought of being alone with your thoughts can be daunting, but it’s important if we truly want to connect to our intuition. Our intuition holds the key to joy and the path to our own personal growth. 
• Plan ahead: Make the process of planning your content less time-consuming by planning ahead. Use social media as a tool to help aid you in this process, it is a very powerful tool when used right! Explore how 5 Ways Planning Will Benefit Your Mental Wellness.
• Find gratitude: The best way to create joy is to be thankful for everything in your life as it is right now. Make a small list each day of what you’re thankful for, or take tiny moments in your day to scan the room for things that bring you joy. There’s a saying that goes everything you’ve always wanted, you have now. Think about old journal entries you wrote, expressing all the things you wanted to bring into your life and look and see what has already manifested. You might be totally blown away. The more gratitude you express, the more joy you will bring into your life.

At the end of the day, it’s the small moments that make the biggest impact. Creating joy first comes from within, so make yourself a priority this season. Take time away from the digital world to check in with yourself and your surroundings. Cultivate gratitude and then go out into the world with that energy. If the inspiration shared above wasn’t enough, check out our Create Your Joy Pinterest board and Workstation for updates on how you can create your joy this season. We’ve included a checklist for you to work from, in case you run out of ideas! Have fun, and most importantly, take it easy.

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