July 16, 2025
In a world that profits off your pain and quiets your joy-laugh anyway. Dance anyway. Heal anyway. Because that joy? That light? That spark in you? It is resistance!
They Don’t Expect You to Be Joyful
The systems were not built for our joy. They expect exhaustion. The expect silence. They expect you to survive-but not shine. So when you show up laughing? Creating? Loving? When you rest on purpose? When you gather your community and celebrate even in the midst of the storm? That’s resistance!
Joy Is Strategic
My joy is not naive. It is not ignoring the weight of the world-it is withstanding it. I have learned that joy is not weakness. It is a weapon! It reminds that I am still here. It keeps me soft enough to love and strong enough to lead. It allows me to keep going without letting the fire consume me. Joy does not erase the fight-it fuels the one who is still standing.
Let Go of Guilt Around Joy
There is a lie that we have been sold –especially as Black women, educators, leaders and healers: That joy must be earned. That we must wait for everything to be fixed before we can feel full. NO MORE! You do not have to “deserve” joy. You do not have to apologize for smiling. You do not have to earn rest! Your joy is sacred. It is not a reward-it is a right!
Let’s Pause and Reflect:
-What has tried to steal your joy lately?
-When was the last time you laughed without guilt?
-What does it look like for you to reclaim your joy as an act of resistance?
Do not let the systems steal your spark. Do not let stress steal your smile. Live. Laugh. Heal. Shine.
Because joy is resistance