This might be the bravest thing yet: Letting yourself feel joy after everything you’ve been through. After abuse, joy can feel unfamiliar—too risky, too fleeting, too undeserved. You might even feel guilty for smiling when everything inside you still hurts. But here’s the truth: 

Joy isn’t denial. It’s proof. Proof that you’re still alive. Still healing. Still capable of beauty. 

Why This Matters 

Trauma trains your nervous system to stay alert. You brace for disappointment. You wait for the other shoe to drop. So even when good moments arrive, it can feel safer to hold back. But joy is not a betrayal of your pain. 

Joy is a seed of hope. It says: “There’s more to me than what hurt me.” 

It’s a form of resistance. A quiet rebellion. A declaration that healing is possible. 

What Reclaiming Joy Looks Like 

It may not look like fireworks or belly laughs every day. Sometimes it’s soft. Quiet. Gentle. Like: 

• Laughing at a silly video 
• Letting yourself daydream again 
• Noticing the light through the window 
• Listening to music that moves you 
• Saying “yes” to something just because it brings you joy

These moments matter. They remind you that joy is still available—and it belongs to you. 

Today’s Reflection Practice 

1. Look Back. Name one moment (past or recent) when you felt a spark of joy. What were you doing? Who were you with? How did it feel in your body?
2. Complete this sentence: “I feel most alive when…”
   Let yourself answer honestly. No judgment. Your joy matters.
3. Make a Joy List. Write down five small things that bring you joy. (Examples: a warm drink, singing in the car, a clean space, birdsong, soft clothes) 

Now: pick one and do it today. Not as a reward—but as a right. 

Affirmation for Today 

Joy is not something I have to earn. It’s something I’m allowed to feel. Even now. Especially now. 

Tomorrow: We talk about the fact that your light was never lost – only buried