Joy Isn’t Loud: Finding the Soul-Deep Kind That Stays With You
Joy Isn’t Loud: Finding the Soul-Deep Kind That Stays With You
By Angel, Founder of AMC Rise and
Thrive
Hello beautiful soul 🤍
I’m truly glad you’re here.
If you’re reading this today, I want to honor something right
away: you made time to pause. You made time to reflect. And in a world that
rushes us forward constantly, that alone is an act of strength and
self-respect. 🕊️
Whether you arrived feeling lighthearted or heavy… hopeful or
worn thin… encouraged or uncertain… you are welcome here.
Take a soft breath with me.
Inhale slowly.
Exhale gently.
And let’s talk about something we all crave — not just as an
idea, but as a real experience in our daily lives:
Joy.
Not the loud, showy kind. Not the kind you have to perform for
people.
But the quiet, soul-deep kind that meets you in ordinary
moments and reminds you, “Life is still here… and so are you.”
What Truly Makes You Happy in a Special Kind of
Way?
Today I want to talk about what truly makes you happy — not in
a surface way, but in that special kind of way that reaches deeper than your
mood.
For me, there are a few things that genuinely bring joy:
Food. 🍲 (Eating
is absolutely a happy place for me… cooking does not bring me joy, and I’m not
ashamed to admit it. 😅)
Seeing my son happy. 💛
A good, deep sleep. 😴
Peace and quiet. 🕯️
And sometimes… it really is the little things.
Because joy doesn’t always show up as fireworks.
Sometimes joy shows up as:
A quiet house.
A warm blanket.
A bite of something delicious.
A child laughing freely.
A moment where your mind finally stops racing.
And here’s something else I want to say, because it matters:
What feels like a chore to one person can be joy to another.
There isn’t one “right” thing that makes everyone joyful.
Some people feel joy when they cook.
Some people feel joy when they organize.
Some people feel joy when they garden, paint, sing, write, or clean.
Some people feel joy in conversation, in silence, in nature, in creating, in
serving.
Joy is personal.
And learning what brings joy to you is part of learning
who you are.
🌿 Joy Is
Often Found in the Smallest Places
One of the most surprising things about joy is how often it
hides in plain sight.
We tend to believe joy needs a big reason — a vacation, a
breakthrough, a perfect relationship, a life upgrade.
But the truth is: joy is often built from small moments
stacked together.
Simple pleasures and everyday moments 🌞
These are the “quiet joys” we sometimes overlook:
- The
sun on your skin
- The
smell of clean laundry or cut grass
- A
favorite meal
- A
warm hug
- Cozy
blankets and soft lighting
- Hot
tea, coffee, or something comforting in your hands
- Quiet
mornings when nobody needs you yet
- A
guilt-free nap
- A
hot bath after a long day
- Laughing
at something silly that catches you off guard
Nature joys 🌿
Nature is one of God’s most generous reminders that beauty can
exist even when life feels hard:
- Sunrises
and sunsets
- Flowers
blooming
- Birds
singing
- Fireflies
- A
walk outside that clears your mind
- Wind
moving through trees like a whisper from heaven
Small accomplishments ✅
Sometimes joy is the relief of completion:
- Finishing
a book
- Cleaning
a room
- Checking
off a to-do list
- Putting
on an outfit that feels like “you”
- Finally
handling something you’ve been avoiding
These aren’t “small” just because they’re simple.
They’re sacred because they remind you that you are alive,
present, and still capable of receiving goodness.
🌼 Activities,
Connection, and the Kind of Joy That Feeds Your Spirit
Joy isn’t only something that happens to us.
Sometimes joy is something we choose to cultivate — like a
garden.
And it often grows through three major pathways: what you
do, who you love, and how you care for yourself.
Activities and hobbies 🎨🎶
Joy can be found in the things that make you feel like
yourself:
- Dancing,
singing, writing, reading
- Painting,
gardening, creating something with your hands
- Learning
a new skill
- Trying
something new (even if you’re not good at it yet)
- Watching
a movie that feels like comfort
- Listening
to music that speaks your language
- Deep
conversations that make you feel seen
Relationships and connection 🤍
Some of the strongest joy we experience comes through
connection:
- Laughing
with family or friends
- A
text from someone who truly understands you
- Feeling
appreciated
- Being
hugged, loved, and safe
- Helping
someone — not from obligation, but from love
- Encouraging
a stranger
- Doing
something kind just because your heart led you to
And yes — pets count too. 🐾
The way animals love without performance is one of life’s purest joys.
Joy lives in love.
Not perfect love — but real love.
🌱 Joy vs.
Happiness — Why the Difference Matters
Now I want to say something that may gently challenge the way
we speak about emotions:
I don’t always use the word happy, and here’s why.
Happiness can be fleeting.
It can depend on circumstances:
A good day. A compliment. A win. A moment of relief.
And if your goal is to be happy all the time, you might
unintentionally set yourself up for disappointment — because life will always
include stress, grief, change, hardship, and waiting seasons.
But joy is different.
Joy is deeper.
Joy can exist alongside pain.
Joy can exist while healing.
Joy can exist while you’re still figuring it out.
Joy is not the absence of struggle.
Joy is the presence of meaning.
It’s that steady inner light that says:
“Even here… there is still something good.”
“Even now… I can still breathe.”
“Even today… God is still with me.”
When it’s hard to find joy 💛
Let me be honest: it is hard to find joy when you are going
through it.
Trust me — I have been there too.
But I also believe this:
If you choose to look for joy, you can find it.
Not because life suddenly becomes easy…
But because your focus becomes intentional.
So, if you’re having a hard time finding joy, here are a few
gentle tips:
1. Start
with what’s real, not what’s perfect.
Don’t search for joy in fantasy. Search for it in what is present.
2. Notice
what softens your nervous system.
Peace is often a doorway to joy.
3. Make a
small “joy list.”
Write down five things that comfort you. Then choose one today.
4. Practice
gratitude without pressure.
Gratitude isn’t pretending things are fine. It’s noticing what’s still good.
5. Stop
comparing your life to someone else’s highlight reel.
Joy shrinks when you measure yourself against what you can’t fully see.
6. Invite
God into the little moments.
Joy is spiritual. Ask God to show you where it’s hiding.
When it’s all said and done, you are the only person who can
truly search for this feeling in your daily life.
And my hope is that everyone reading this will take a moment
to look around — not for perfection, but for presence — and find that joy down
in your soul.
Because you deserve a life that includes light.
✨
Affirmations
Speak these gently — and if you need to, speak them more than
once:
• Joy is available to me, even in small moments.
• I release the pressure to feel happy all the time.
• I choose to notice what is good and nourishing today.
• I am allowed to rest, breathe, and receive simple blessings.
• God is with me, and joy can meet me right where I am.
📖 Bible
Verse
“You make known to me the path of life; in your
presence there is fullness of joy.”
— Psalm 16:11 (NIV)
Fullness of joy doesn’t mean the absence of pain — it means
the presence of God. And that presence can steady you in every season.
🎵 Song of
the Day
“Joy” — for KING & COUNTRY 🎶
This song is a beautiful reminder that joy isn’t something we
wait for when life becomes perfect. It’s something we can choose to reach for —
even when the world feels heavy.
As you listen, let it be a declaration:
Joy belongs in my life.
Not because everything is easy… but because I am still here, and God is still
working.
🌟 Final
Thoughts: Joy Is a Practice, Not a Personality
Joy is not reserved for the most optimistic people.
Joy is not a personality trait.
Joy is not denial.
Joy is not pretending.
Joy is a practice.
It is the sacred act of noticing.
Noticing the love you still have.
Noticing the breath in your lungs.
Noticing the small mercies.
Noticing the ways God has carried you — even when you didn’t recognize it in
the moment.
Joy is what you build when you choose to stay open.
So today, I invite you to ask yourself:
What brings me joy — the kind that makes me feel alive in a
special way?
And then, without guilt, without overthinking, without waiting
for the “perfect time”…
Go toward it.
A little at a time.
Because you deserve a life that includes joy — not just
someday, but today.
With love, light, and gratitude,
Angel
Founder of AMC Rise and Thrive
If this message has resonated, please share it — and visit the
archive for a message that may be waiting for you. Trust divine timing. We
can’t rush what’s on its way to us. We can only stay open, receptive, and ready
for the blessings meant for us.
Many blessings to all who read this.
May you feel seen, supported, and deeply loved — and may joy
find you in the smallest places. 🤍✨
#AMCRiseAndThrive #JoyfulLiving #FaithAndHope #HealingJourney #FindYourJoy
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