by thegriefreality

Tell Me Your Little Joys

Much of the conversation as we enter into the new year is dominated by our biggest achievements of the previous year. Of course, the biggest achievements – moving house, starting a new career, getting married – are super exciting and memorable, but what about the steps you took to get there?

Big achievements can also seem a daunting subject given that we have been living in a pandemic for too long now and they can seem, well, unachievable. Does that mean we shouldn’t be proud if we have simply managed to get through the last year with our grief?  

Nope. 

I prefer to focus on the little achievements, or little joys. Life is built on them.

A few of my little joys this year have been: 

  • Not needing Google Maps as much to get around. I do get the odd car beeping at me every now and then when I make a last minute turn down a road, but all in all I feel much more at home driving around my city.
  • Finding my favourite place for ice cream!
  • Learning to cook lots of new things. Most recently, this Christmas I made Dauphinoise for Christmas eve with Salmon, a gluten free nut roast for Christmas day and a no-flour Roulade.
  • Falling back in love with ‘going out out’ on a Saturday night (catch me wearing a purple wig on Halloween!)
  • I bought some really nice plants
  • Going back to the gym, for my mental health rather than my body.
  • Going on dates
  • Every friend that brings so much light into my life. 
  • Every time I say yes to me.
  • Every time I choose to be kind to myself when a younger version of me wouldn’t have.
  • Every single time that I prove my anxiety wrong.

Back in 2015 I bought myself a book where you’d write one line a day for five years. I filled that pocket sized book in every day for 2 and a half years. It was full of small memories from my year in Spain, and time at university. I loved it because it encouraged mindfulness throughout my days to recognise that moment I would later scribble in my book. Eventually, I stopped when my mum got unwell, because I couldn’t find the days’ highlights any longer. Life was dark. 

This Christmas, Evee brought me a new one. Despite all of the uncertainty in the world surrounding the pandemic, the government and our future, I am really excited to get started. Despite the fact that I write this isolating in my little room awaiting my PCR result at 01:00 on New Years day, I choose to believe that 2022 is going to be an amazing year. After all, we’ve gotten this far, haven’t we? 

I hope you don’t feel pressure or a sense of failure if you haven’t reached any big achievements in 2021. I hope you know that everything you are is more than enough, and you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

I’d love for you to share a few of your little joys that made you smile in 2021. And, I wish you a gentle and kind 2022, full of little joys. Be kind to yourself. 

Gooodbye, 2021,

Katie x

20 thoughts on “Tell Me Your Little Joys”

  2. It’s so easy to lose sight of the little joys but they are what makes every day bearable—especially when the world is so chaotic. I have committed to writing down simple joys that make me happy every day this year. I love that book of yours!

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  3. Love those photos – they show so much of what pleases me to see . 💝 I’ll get thinking.

    WordPress is like a labyrinth when I try to log in .

    Getting through customs is easier!

    Stella xx

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  5. Dear Katie (and Evee), Actually, one of my little joys was finding your blog and walking through your history of The Grief Reality. Your integrity, wisdom and vulnerability is a blessing to others struggling with grief. May you be blessed beyond your expectations by The God Who Is in 2022! ❤️&🙏, c.a.

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  6. Happy New Year to you all! I don’t always comment when I get your articles but I can assure that they are one of the little joys every time I receive them. I’m at the farm all day and usually by myself or at the other end of the farm than our volunteers. I’ve come to cherish those moments. Joy doesn’t always mean happy for me. Sometimes it’s in the quiet moments that grief hits hard and I’m free to feel what I need to feel so the healing can take place. Other times it’s when the river is like glass and I see things in the stillness I would never see otherwise.

    Please take care and have a wonderful 2022!

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    1. Such a lovely comment, Gregory, thank you. I agree, it’s so freeing to feel grief exactly as you need to it in the moment, and in that healing process there is joy. I wish you a peaceful 2022

      Katie x

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  8. This is a very beautiful post to read and admire for your great endurance in life. I am grateful to find you here and learn about the things you do. By the way, wishing you a Happy New Year! 😊

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  9. 💜 Realisation of The Benefits of Foresight as well as Hindsight; sure, it’s a Foggy Future, but as long We Remain Fluid and Flexible rather than Rigid and InFlexible The Fog Clears

    …💛💚💙…

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  10. I love the list you came up with for 2021. The one day a line book also looks adorable and like a really fun activity to try. Hoping you feel better and that you have a great 2022! 🙂

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  12. I’m so happy that Child #3 is getting better! Child #1 came home! I’m winning the forgiveness journey. Yay! Happy New Year!

    Reply

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