Joyful Living Mission Statement, Revisited

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”

– Pablo Picasso

Bonjour!

I founded Joyful Living in 2019 to celebrate joyful living everyday. Joie de vivre is a a French phrase meaning “joy in living” and inspired the title and philosophy of my blog. I write about ways to incorporate simplicity and pleasure to make daily living more meaningful and fulfilling.

After years of writing, exploring, trying, and refocusing my priorities, I’ve discovered the three main attributes of joyful everyday living: joy, sustainability, and authenticity.

“I cannot guess what we’ll discover
When we turn the dirt with our palms cupped like shovels.”

– Death Cab for Cutie, “Soul Meets Body”

🌻 Is It Joyful?

Joyful living is about seeking pleasure in small things, keeping routines simple and commitments to a minimum, and taking breaks to reset, refresh, and recharge. Joyful living makes space for my own wellness and self-care.

Tips for joyful living:

• Keep it simple.
• Incorporate small pleasures into everyday life.
• Embrace the joy of missing out.
• Eschew the hectic in favor of the leisurely.

How I incorporate joy in my life:

• I try to read, relax, and rest every day.
• I gently swim and walk for exercise.
• I follow the Mediterranean diet, which for me includes gummy bears and cheese doodles.

“Every time you spend money, you’re casting a vote for the kind of world you want.”

– Anna Lappé

🍃 Is It Sustainable?

Sustainability focuses on making lifestyle choices that benefit the environment and the future of Mother Earth. To be more sustainable, I’ve incorporated more organic and sustainable products and habits in recent years. I also pay attention to how I spend my time and money and embrace the good old reduce, reuse, recycle mantra.

A sustainable lifestyle acknowledges my impact on the world and seeks progress through small, incremental changes to be better. The goal is progress, not perfection.

Tips for sustainable living:

• Shop local.
• Consider how to use less energy and make less waste around the home and office.
• Upcycle, repair, and repurpose things you already have before buying new.
• Focus on baby steps and small goals in your eating, cleaning, shopping, and travel habits (progress, not perfection!).

How I incorporate sustainability in my life:

• I buy produce, baked goods, and wares from farmer’s markets and food coops.
• I swap clothes and house decorations with family and friends.
• I use eco-friendly laundry detergent and compostable rags.

“Am I a part of the cure, or am I part of the disease?”

– Coldplay, “Clocks”

🎨 Is It Authentic?

Authentic living is all about honoring yourself and who you are, what you want and need, and what makes you happy. Whether you call it listening to you heart, going with your gut, living your truth, or what have you, authenticity depends first and foremost on one thing: being honest with yourself.

Being honest with yourself is no easy task. Following the crowd or being complacent and living on autopilot are much easier ways to live.

But I would rather sacrifice fitting in with being true to myself and goals. I try to be honest with myself about my fortés and my limitations and to choose relationships and activities based on what suits my personality.

Tips for authentic living:

• Strive for the candid, not the staged or rehearsed.
• Embrace and showcase the whimsical, unique, and quirky parts of your personality.
• Think for yourself.

How I incorporate authenticity in my life:

• I incoprate meaningful pieces of vintage and/or family jewelry and décor in my repertoire.
• I take a candid photograph for my annual holiday card and edit it myself.
• I trust my gut to inform my decisions, whether I’m choosing what ensemble to wear or how to parent my fur baby and human puppy.

How will you celebrate joyful living every day?

Merci for reading and please subscribe and share!

À votre santé,

Katie