Joy isn’t just happiness. It’s not the fleeting excitement of a good day or the rush of a single moment. It’s something deeper—something that resonates in the soul, echoing long after the moment has passed. True joy isn’t surface-level; it’s something you feel with every part of yourself, down to your bones.
But lately, I’ve been struggling with a question that lingers in the back of my mind:
Can I really feel joy when the world feels so heavy?
Right now, I am in a season of life that is filled with love, growth, and truly beautiful moments. And yet, I find myself holding back—not just from fully feeling joy, but from sharing it. Not because I don’t want to, but because the weight of the world feels impossible to ignore.
It feels vulnerable to say, “I am happy,” when I know that so many are struggling—myself included.
It feels complicated to share the details of this incredible chapter in my life when so much of the world is filled with uncertainty, pain, and grief.
Is it wrong to feel joy right now?
Can I still feel joy while acknowledging all that is going on in the world?
Is it selfish to celebrate when others are hurting?
I know deep down that the answer is no—joy is not wrong. But knowing that and feeling that are two different things.
Learning to Allow Joy
For much of my life, I have been comfortable sitting with emotions like sadness and grief. When I first watched Inside Out, I realized how naturally I welcomed Sadness while keeping Joy at a distance. Sadness felt familiar. But joy? That one felt unpredictable, fleeting—something that, if I allowed myself to fully embrace, might disappear just as quickly as it arrived.
Now, life is asking me to step fully into joy. And while it feels unfamiliar, I’m learning that joy isn’t something I need to deserve or earn—it’s something that simply is. Something I can hold, not in spite of everything happening in the world, but alongside it.
It’s okay to feel hesitant. It’s okay to sit with both the joy and the discomfort of it. And it’s okay to take my time in fully embracing it. But what I don’t want to do is shrink it—out of fear, out of guilt, out of worry that others might not understand - in fear that I might be judged for my choices, because who I love.
Why It’s All Worth It
Life isn’t about avoiding pain—it’s about embracing all of it. The laughter and the tears. The love and the loss. The certainty and the fear. Every piece of it adds depth to our experience, shaping us into people who can truly feel.
And that’s what makes it all worth it.
If we never felt sadness, would we ever really recognize happiness? If we never faced fear, would we ever know the strength of courage? If we never risked love, would we ever get to experience the depth of connection that fills us with joy?
The hard moments are not roadblocks. They are stepping stones, leading us toward something greater. They teach us, mold us, and prepare us for the kind of joy that is so much sweeter because we’ve known what it’s like to live without it.
So can I feel joy when the world feels heavy?
I believe the answer is yes. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy.
Right now, I am giving myself permission to feel joy—even if it feels complicated. Even if I don’t quite know how to fully hold it yet. I may not be ready to shout it from the rooftops, but I can let it take up space in my heart. Because joy is not something to hide.
I’m not questioning whether I deserve it, whether it will last, or whether it’s too good to be true. I’m here, in this moment, with my heart wide open. And I know that no matter what happens next, it’s all been worth it.
Because that’s life. And I wouldn’t trade a single part of it.
What about you? Have you ever struggled to fully embrace joy? Have you found yourself holding back happiness because of the weight of the world?
Or maybe you’re having a hard time even seeing joy right now? I totally get it. I’ve been there. If that’s where you are, I hope you know you’re not alone. No matter where you are in your journey, your feelings are valid.
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