It Wasn't About Joy For Others, It Was About Joy For Me
Take Pen to Paper: Edition 104 (updated)
Greetings Readers,
Have you ever had an illness or injury creep up on you, but you didn’t know how bad you felt until you took the necessary steps to recover?
That is similar to how I felt when I let a habit slip. It was a gradual process. Finally, I felt the loss of the habit’s benefits. I wondered why I let the habit go. It wasn’t on purpose. It just happened.
I’ve decided to recover what I’m missing.
Lucky for me, I know just where to look.
In this newsletter:
The realization of a loss.
Simple habits have value.
Finding my joy.
A Slow Loss
The other day, I was searching through my photos, looking for just the right one to use in my journaling newsletter, From The Pen’s Nib.
I enjoy choosing a photo for my weekly newsletters. Looking back through the pictures I’ve taken gives me joy. It’s not only the pictures of my delightful granddaughters or my adorable dog that bring me joy, I enjoy my pictures of flowers, sticks, rocks, and clouds. I can often remember the details of when and where I took the picture, in addition to my thoughts and reasons for taking the pictures.
Looking through them, I realized I had very few new photos to consider. I had lost my photo-taking habit.
Just a few months ago, I actively looked and took a picture each day to post on Instagram. It made sense that if the picture made me happy, it would do the same for others. I thought I created the habit to bring others joy.
I had a good run of daily posts. Then, in July, my posting frequency became spotty. Now, I’m lucky if I post once a week.
It’s not about sharing (or lack of) on Instagram that bothers me. It is the spark of joy I get from finding something picture-worthy.
I let a simple habit that brings me joy slip away.
What One Habit is Worth
Out of all the habits I’ve created, taking a daily picture was one of the simplest.
All I needed to do was to be observant and have my phone with me. I made it a habit to be on the lookout wherever I went. I’ve taken pictures in my yard, at work, traveling, shopping, and even in the car (not while driving).
I told myself the habit was for my small Instagram audience. Now, I realize that’s not the whole story.
It’s not about trying to bring others joy; it’s about what brings me joy.
Sure, I enjoy sharing what I think makes others smile, or wonder, just like I do. But other than a few likes or the occasional comment, I don’t know if my audience cares. I know how I feel.
When I stopped taking daily pictures, I started missing the joy they brought.
My simple habit was the most valuable to me. I benefitted every day from intentionally looking for something that brought me joy and documenting it with a photo.
No Detective Skills Needed
Lucky for me, finding the joy I’ve been missing doesn’t require the skills of Nancy Drew.
I know exactly what I need to do to bring a little daily joy back into my life.
I must be intentionally observant as I go about my day and remember how much joy I get from a habit that takes only a few seconds.
7 Days, 7 Thoughts on Gratitude and Good:
I remember my surprise when I cracked open the egg on the right. It naturally opened along the length instead of the width like every other egg I had ever cracked open.
I’m grateful I have a simple habit that brings me joy.
It’s good to identify what brings joy to you and those you love. If you know, you can actively pursue it.
I enjoyed this article about photos and emotions.
There are many reasons to lose a good habit, like stress, distractions, or disruptions. I needed to redefine my ‘why’. It’s good to have a relevant ‘why’ to keep your habit going.
The first Nancy Drew book by Carolyn Keene, The Secret of the Old Clock, is one of the best-selling hardcover children’s books, selling 2.7 million copies. You can see the evolution of the Nancy Drew books here.
If you like mysteries, check out this list of the best-selling mysteries of all time.
Thank you for reading. Take some time to reflect on something that brings you joy.
Until next time,
💚
Susan
What is a simple habit you have that brings you joy? Leave a comment and let me know. I would love to read about it.
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I have a 2nd newsletter about journaling. If you are interested or know someone who would be, check it out at From The Pen’s Nib: A Commonplace Book About Journaling.