Experiencing joy through small beginnings

About 12 years ago I was going through a spiritual crisis. I was surrounded by peers on a college campus that conversed with each other as if they could “hear God’s voice” and interact with Him. I remember walking around the campus overhearing these conversations and thinking to myself, “is there something wrong with me, I don’t hear God like that? Am I missing something?”

It was bewildering to me, disappointing, and a bit confusing, too. Was it possible to really hear God’s voice like that on a daily basis? Was it really possible to have that kind of relationship with God? I wasn’t sure, but I was determined to find out because if it was true, I wanted that kind of access to God, I wanted a closer relationship with Him, I wanted to know Him like I knew a friend.

So, II began my investigation process. I started talking with peers, mentors, and just about anyone who would be willing to talk with me. I pounded willing listeners with questions, desperate for answers, and eager to learn.

While I was learning quite a bit from willing individuals sharing their experiences in hearing God’s voice, I still felt this sense of insecurity, heaviness, and fear throughout my body. I had this ringing question, “what if hearing God’s voice doesn’t work for me?” A lump in my throat formed, tears on the verge of streaming down the cliff of my eyelids.

I remember a particular afternoon, sitting at my “ work desk,” a laundry folding table in the college mens football locker room. I was already feeling quite uncomfortable by the very nature of my work duties, washing stinky football clothes, and handing out football gear to my college peers as needed (out of all the places to have a part time job as a freshman in college). In addition to this discomfort, I was feeling haunted by the overwhelming feeling of not knowing how to hear God’s voice.

Amidst that one afternoon in the football locker room, I found myself feeling frustrated. I so desperaetaly wanted to hear God’s voice and didn’t really know where to start besides having that honest conversation with God, which really felt like I was talking outloud to thin air, hoping no football guys would walk in and hear me conversing by myself.

In that conversation, attempting to talk with God it went something like this, “Hey God, I am feeling so frustrated, You say in your word I can hear your voice and everyone around me seems to be able to do that well however, I feel like I can’t or at least I have so far to go and I wish I was so much more able to hear your voice, I wish I was more spiritually mature. Can you show me a sign that you hear me God? What are your thoughts on what I am saying?”

Within moments, likely after taking a big deep breath and wiping a few tears, I decided to open up my bible and start reading, this time I decided to flip it open to a random page and go from there.

I proceeded to sheepishly opened up the Bible to a random page. To my surprise and delight, the first scripture I came across brought a sense of awe and comfort. This is what I read:

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord is already rejoicing to see the work begin” Zechariah 4:10.

Upon reading this my heart jumped, my slumped shoulders perked up, and a smile formed on my face. I felt peace, a sense of relief, and comfort. In that moment I could not chalk it up to coincidence, those words were the words I needed to hear to know God was not upset with my little understanding of how to hear His voice, in fact he was delighted, even rejoicing, to see the small beginnings of this journey begin.

That moment in time shifted the way I viewed the journey into understanding how to hear God’s voice. I know I was not alone in the difficulties at times in trusting that I can hear Him, this is a common theme among believers. But I want to encourage you that you do in fact hear God’s voice, it’s just a matter of training your brain to tune into detecting his voice and that takes time, practice, and growing in attunement to him.

In the journey with you, friend!

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27

Experiencing joy through the 1 page miracle

Our brains are designed for building joy as a life long process and they’re also designed to function off of goal setting. We get to choose how intentional we want to be with that! Investing your time into reflecting upon and writing out your goals in four primary categories of life such as relationships, work, money, and self can help train your brain to experience satisfying activities that help you reach your goals, allowing you to develop a more joyfilled life. It’s a simple yet profound activity, that can assist in your transformative potential! Ready to try it out with me?

Next to each category below, write down what you want in each area. Keep it positive. Make sure you write it down in first person such as “I want.” It’s suggested you carry this 1 Page miracle around you for a few days to reflect on it and refine it, and so you can stay up to date on your life’s primary objectives.

On a daily basis, you can ask yourself, “Is my behavior today getting me what I want?” Doing so will help you focus your behavior and actions on the things that matter most to you. It also helps you develop greater self-control, which is key to better decision-making.

Do this, and you’ll be on track for living a more conscious, intentional, and purposeful life. Your energy will expend on things that bring joy. Let’s do this thing!

1. Relationships

• Spouse/partner

• Children

• Extended family

• Friends

• Clients

  2. Work

• Short-term goals

• Long-term goals

  3. Money

• Short-term goals

• Long-term goals

• 4. Self

• Physical

• Emotional

• Spiritual

  Resource found at https://www.amenclinics.com/blog/one-page-miracle-the-easiest-and-best-goal-setting-tool/

Experiencing joy through play

Lately I’ve been practicing setting intentional time aside for play. But what is play? Can adults play? Oh yes, adults are designed for play, but many of us get lost in the world of work and being spread thin that play, an essential part of our adult development need, becomes missing.

But here we are again, what is play? How do adults play?

Play would be described as pursuing activity that does not have consequences for failing, winning, or loosing, but can be tried over and over again until satisfied. Play is meant to refresh and build joy.

Play looks different for everyone depending on hobbies and interests, unique personalities, and resource availability.

For me, play was diminished the last 5 years, lost in the transitions of life but thankfully, is now making a comeback, and a strong comeback it is.

When I am playing, I find creativity starts to blossom. When I allow myself time for play, I experience peace in my body, my mind feels lighter, and I find myself smiling, perhaps saying outloud, “oh, I like that idea!” Pen and paper in hand, I start to write my ideas out. Play helps me wonder, play helps me develop areas that I crave to develop.

The older I get, the more I realize how stressed my body had been for so long, chronically stressed. What was meant to feel like play as a child, teenager, and adult didn’t always feel like play. I would find my mind pre-occupied with worry, concern, and confusion about various life circumstances, for a long time I was fighting the battle of a prolonged anxiety disorder, and it took about a third of my life to heal from.

I am so thankful for the “bigger minds” in my life that helped me grow, heal, and mature into the best version of Kailey I was made to be. Today, the best version of Kailey, plays. She’s learning how to play hard and is loving it.

Here are a few ways I am practicing taking time to “play”

• Blogging out my thoughts and experiences (this!)

• Reading books on books and books that spark insight and inspiration

• Creating encouraging videos on social media (instagram, facebook, and some YouTube)

• Writing and playing music with my guitar

• Cooking and baking, giving away homemade goods to loved ones

• Decorating my house with thrifted treasures

• Playing and singing in a worship band with the guitar

• Taking a once a year trip (if finances allow, even more!) to explore a city or country I hadn't explored before

Other forms of play I hope to pursue:

• Learning how to play the piano better

• Exploring painting and canvas artwork

• Re-vamping my Joy Makers Project online merch

• Starting a Joy Makers podcast

What kinds of play do you pursue currently? What kinds of play do you want to pursue?

Experiencing joy after a window crack

Thanksgiving came and it went with a lot to be grateful for yet I did receive one surprise thanksgiving night I wasn’t particularly fond of. On thanksgiving night, while I was laughing away with some friends playing a card game, tucked away in a warm, cozy house, sipping on some root beer, someone hit the side of my front car door and disappeared, no note to be found.

Upon seeing the dented door and chipped paint, I felt bummed. I felt disappointed that whoever it was that hit my car, did not leave any way for me to contact them and make amends. I also felt sad, I was going to need to dig into my savings for this repair, otherwise the rust monster would eventually win and eventually I would not have a functioning front door. My options were looking slim.

A week prior or so, I received another surprise, this time from Mother Nature. As I was driving on a highway to visit a friend, the smallest pebble hit my windshield and gifted me with a crack. Attempting to minimize my internal disappointment, I think to myself, “Oh, it’s just a small crack.” The week goes on, and the crack starts to get a bit bigger and eventually after multiple weeks, the quarter inch pepple crack grew into a windshield wide, crack. “Oh no, this is looking like it might need some attention, too, this crack is growing by the minute it seems,” I think to myself. I swallow and feel a lump in my throat.

I was tempted to feel frustrated by these unexpected events. I could feel the disappointment welling up inside of me. I could sense the worry of diving into my savings account start to strain my mind. I felt overwhelmed.

But then I remembered, what is it like me to do when I feel overwhelmed, sad, or fearful? I talk with someone who I trust, I talk with a bigger mind that can help guide me. So that is what I did.

I talked with Rich my mentor, I asked for his input on what he would do in a situation like mine with the newly dented car door. I then pursued a second opinion. I reached out to Britton and I asked what he would do in a situation like mine with a newly dented car door and later on, a window crack.

Rich and Britton both gave me feedback on what they would do and also provided contact information for an individual and business that could help me.

Upon these conversations with Rich and Britton, I felt my body ease of its tension, my brain felt more peace and less strain, I felt calm and no longer overwhelmed. All would be well.

Though I did not enjoy the surprise car door dent nor the surprise people crack, I did find satisfaction and joy in knowing I had people in my corner I could reach out to and seek input and guidance from, and that is what I choose to dwell in, the appreciation for those two individuals and the gift it is to have community by my side.

Thank you Britton and Rich, I so appreciation your presence in my life. You bring me great joy.

Finding joy through a surprise at the gym

I’ve been working hard to take care of myself. It’s not an easy task. I’ve been trained to care for the needs of others before my own for a very long time. My work in the mental health field is demanding. I am widely networked with social relationships. I can’t possibly say yes to every invitation I receive, though it pains me each time I choose to decline, because my desire is, my desire is that I would be able to connect with those who reach out to connect. It is a privilege and honor to be pursued in friendship. Yet, I have become more and more aware of my limitations. Capacity, the ability of what we are able to manage and manage well, has limits.

But yesterday, yesterday last night, was a joyful surprise. Just about every night I go to a local workout center, truthfully, mainly for the unlimited massage chairs! It’s part of my self care plan, to receive a chair massage on a daily basis, as much as possible. So, last night, I went to the local work out center, and as you can guess, went straight for the chair massage.

I sat down, got comfortable, and as I laid back my head and started to close my eyes, someone walking into the massage chair room grabbed my attention. “Hey her hair looks kinda like me, wait a moment, this girl is smiling and waving at me, wait a second, that’s my friend who reached out wanting to get together to catch up who I thought I couldn’t possibly find time to get together with!” My face lit up, her face lit up too, we were glad to see each other and there was joy.

I can’t think of many things more joyfilled than sitting in a massage chair while chatting with a friend. We were smiling, my stomach felt light and with some bounce, I felt relief. “I will be able to spend time with this new friend of mine afterall, and it won’t spread me more thin, we will do self care together by exersising while catching up.

This was a satisfying experience and a moment of joy I experienced at the workout center recently.

Moments of joy are everywhere, we just need to train our brains to see them. We need ingredients of joyful connection and self care, one without the other in life, will not be as satisfying in life as it has potential to be.

Spreading joy through text messages

Joy is an important ingredient for our brain’s health. It’s crucial not only to our survival, but flourishing! Healthy brains are full of gratitude. In this day and age, there are plenty of ways to get creative with experiencing and spreading joy.

One way I intentionally experience and spread joy is through micro habits. One in particular I want to share is the habit of texting my gratitude and appreciation to friends.

There are two ways I do this currently and am hoping to grow in it more.

First way, as I prepare to fall asleep at night, I take a few minutes to think about a person I appreciate and am grateful for. Then I formulate a text message to that person, sharing my appreciation for them and why. I like to call out specific qualities about that person, what goodness I see in them, and how they impact my life in a positive way. I hit the send button, and eagerly hope that text brings a smile to that person’s face.

The second way I like to experience and spread joy is through texting my friend gratitude I can think of for that day. What I mean by this is, I have a friend in my life who I have a habit of texting on a semi regular basis, listing the things I am grateful for. Her response? She texts me right back the things she is grateful for, too! Soon enough we are synchronized in texting back and forth, the things we are grateful for that day and find ourselves both feeling lighter and less stressed than prior to texting our gratitude. Not only is this intentional work for our brain, it’s a meaningful way to stay connected with someone I do not have opportunity to see very often!

So there you have it, sharing appreciation via text to those you appreciate and starting gratitude tests are two meaningful ways to experience and spread joy in your life, today!

Finding joy through a body scan grounding exercise

There are moments and certain hours of my work day that bring joy in some of the most surprising ways. This week while doing a body scan exercise with an individual, was one of them.

I have the privilege of supporting this individual wrestling with the chains of anxiety. Chains so embedded, it can be difficult for them to sit still and feel relaxed, even just talking about the day to day, surface kinda stuff. Their legs tense up, their hands clench, eye contact is a challenge at times. This person has a story, and their body remembers the pain and suffering they’ve endured, training the body to be hyper vigilant, training the nervous system to activate more often than not. This wears on the individual, chronic anxiety is not a good friend.

We are working together to find solutions, one of them being to help train this person’s brain to help the body relax. Today we decided to practice a grounding exercise called a body scan. An exercise where we start from head to toe, acknowledging, recognizing, and observing how each part of our body feels.

As the therapist, I felt nervous. I found my legs tighten, my shoulders slump. “Will this person like this exercises? Will I be able to facilitate this time well? How can I make this exercise most comfortable for them?” A bazillion questions running through my head.

“Kailey. You’ve done this before, many times. This person, this person will enjoy making it lighthearted. Engage with them in this exercise, share what you’re experiencing as you do this body scan with them.” I internally coach myself. I feel my head lift up, I regain confidence & hope that this exercise has potential to unlock an important skill for this individual. We go for it.

We start with our heads, and realized both our heads were hurting because we both had accidentally hit our heads on furniture objects that morning. We laugh. We discuss how our neck, shoulders, and arms feel. We move down to our stomachs, we both recognize a lighter "feeling,” both smiling and giggling again.

We move down to the legs and feet, observing and recognizing how those parts of our bodies are more relaxed than before.

We end the time laughing, smiling, and recognizing the stress we once were feeling before the body scan has now decreased. We both agree, this was a good exercise. My individual I have the privilege of seeing is baffled with how “easy” it was to relax and expresses wanting to apply this new exercise into their life.

At the same time I was deeply appreciating how enjoyable it was to see this individual gain a new tool for relaxing their body. I feel tears wallow up in my eyes. I am so happy for this individual and eager to watch them continue to grow. These kind of growing moments excite me beyond words.

Moments like these bring me joy and such satisfaction.

Thank you, wonderful individual, you are a gift, & I can’t wait to watch you heal from these chains of anxiety and flourish into your true identity, full of peace, joy, and a trained nervous system operating in a way that supports your best quality of life.

Finding joy through noticing God

Last week I was coming off a long, enduring, and heartbreaking few weeks of counseling. Heavy cases, tragic stories, so much compassion, with not a lot of capacity. Individuals not wanting to live, children finding self harm in the form of cutting their skin deep enough to leave life long scars as a means to cope with the turmoils at home. Not enough time or capacity to be what these precious, special, valued individuals truly deserve. My heart sits heavy, my head feels numb, I grieve at the need and the feeling of defeat wears on me. I can only give so much, and that giving, is not ever enough. & yet I feel that I am called to this way of life, a life of listening, caring, and helping to lift the burdens of those suffering, to help the broken hearted heal, I will keep going with this, God has a plan.

Yet each day it feels like I am recognizing my limitations more and more, it’s an emotionally painful reality to swallow. I desire to help all who cross paths with me. I cannot possible assist all who I have the privilege of meeting who are also crying out for support. I need help, Lord. I need guidance. I need a quench of refreshment, perhaps some new perspective, in the midst of such heavy weeks.

Last week, like a fresh spring of water in a dry desert land, that is what happened, I found refreshment, I found joy through noticing God provide.

Last week I was pushing through another challenging week in the mental health field and in the midst of counseling someone I had this thought pop in my head, “it would be really good for me to talk with so and so about how to best assist this family. So and so would have great wisdom in navigating this kind of dynamic”

My next thought: “but how would so and so and I actually get to connect, our schedules are opposite and it seems we hardly ever have the same break times.”

I finish my counseling session. I walk into the administrative office to grab some paperwork. Just as I walk in, so and so walks into the office, too. “Woah! What are the chances, I was just thinking about you.” I say. We get talking. We talk about how wonderful it would be to connect over several client cases we are collaborating on. We also agree about how challenging it is to connect when our schedules are both so busy and not favorable in similar break times.

The admin assistant overhearing us speaks up, “wait a second, both of you just had cancelations tomorrow at 12:15pm.” We are overjoyed. We block that time out in our schedules and tomorrow comes around.

I sit in so and so’s office and we start conversing. My body relaxes, a smile appears on my face. I feel light, at ease, and excited to converse. I recognize God put an impression in my mind about connecting with so and so, and then made a way for it to happen, and happen quickly it did.

That time with so and so was important, needed, and satisfying. I received wisdom, counsel, and advice. We both shared smiles, warmth, laughter, and sadness together. We both shared the hopes we had for these precious individuals we have the privilege of supporting. The work in the mental health field can be heavy, noticing these gifts of joy, it’s crucial.

It is the little things, the little provisions, that if recognized, can help us grow, sustain, and spread joy. God is with us, He provides.

Returning my body back to joy

As I sit here writing, I feel the tension in my body rising, as if a band is being stretched around my forehead. I try nodding multiple directions, thinking maybe, just maybe a different movement in the head might make it feel just a little bit better. I take some deep breathes, I drink from my glass of water. My thirst is quenched, the headache remains the same. A big sigh, a deep breath I take, and I find solace in knowing I am doing the best I can to make healthy lifestyle changes to decrease these kinds of sensations of stress symptoms.

My body communicates to me, “Kailey, it’s time to rest. It’s time to heal your body.”

I am 29 and in just 5 months I am going on 30. I’m coming to greater terms that the stress my body has held in for so long, is finally making its appearance in physical ways. The stress that used to manifest itself in anxiety is today, manifesting itself by physical fatigue, continuous tension headaches, and excessive sleepiness.

I want to cry sometimes. Cry about how much I have neglected my body in the past, ignored my “at capacity” signs, and just pushed through, and then pushed through some more. I wanted to help, I wanted to give, I wanted to live sacrificially. But I did not know how to do that within the limits of my capacity and what I could healthily handle.

There were many years I did not know how to tend to my body well. I did not know how to like it either. Often times, we did not get along.

I grieve the years I did not know how to take care of my body, the way I used to starve myself to maintain a certain weight, the way I used to insult myself in the mirror when I didn’t look or feel lovely, the way I disapproved of my introvertedness, thinking that I was just being “selfish” for wanting more time, more time to recharge.

I reflect back on these thoughts, these mentalities, these belief patterns. And where did they lead me? They led me here. Fatigued, sleepy, and full of tension, manifesting through these ongoing headaches that just seem to make me feel more and more dizzy, fatigued, and frustrated, the longer they go on. Hope, where are you? Am I too late to heal?

There is always hope. It is not too late. I cannot win back the years that have passed. But I can work to create a new future.

There is hope. I am growing. I am learning. I am paying attention.

My body had enough and is now communicating to me, it is time to slow down, it is time to rest, it is time to heal. Perhaps my body had been communicating that to me for a long time & perhaps I did not have the capability or willingness to listen. I may have been distracted by other good, challenging, or painful circumstances in my life all these years. And today, I am growing into a healthier, better version of the self that God designed me to be.

I carry this tension of wanting to give all I have to help make this world a better place and do my best to shine the love of Jesus wherever I go while at the same time, knowing I have capacities and limits, my body can handle only so much at a time. I carry this desire to learn to love how I am physically made, to embrace rather than tell myself that I am a disgrace. My body is made by the creator of all the heavens and the earth, one to be treasured, not trashed.

Is it possible the investment I make in healing my body, making these lifestyle changes, and embracing the process, is it possible that this may allow me to have greater capacity in the future to give more, to love more, to embrace more of who I am made to be? I think so, but this time, I am ready to learn how to do that in the healthiest way possible.

Kailey’s healing rhythms:

• Daily time with the Lord & writing

• Daily hydro massage, chair massage, and workout at planet fitness

• Daily creative cooking of some sort

• Daily blogging

• Weekly connecting points with Rich & Chris

• Weekly rhythms with the Williams, Bi weekly rhythms with the Andersons

• Unplugging from my phone at least 1 day on a weekend

• 9 hours of sleep a night

• Any other good self care habits that develop along the way

My hope is that through these rhythms, I will soon be able to say goodbye to the chronic tension headaches & say hello to a healthier, more full, best self, and with that, be able to show up as my healthiest and best self to others, stress free.

New days are coming, the old is leaving, the new is developing.

“Nor do people put new wine in old wineskins; if they do, the skins burst, the wine spills and the wineskins are ruined. No, they pour new wine into freshly prepared wineskins, and in this way both are preserved.” -Matthew 9:!7

Spreading joy with a little extra food

I have a dear friend, one in a very different life stage than I. She, has 4 little ones, I, I have myself to take care of. Life stages. Many opportunities to spread joy, even when we are interacting in different life stages. We just need to get a little creative.

This friend and I were recently chatting, we exchange messages back an forth throughout the week to stay in touch, to stay connected in each others lives.

This past week, my friend was having a more challenging week, it seems we take turns on who has a challenging week, sometimes it’s the workload, other times it’s the parenting. Sometimes it’s the “life is too fast paced and I am overworking myself,” other times it’s the “I’m feeling like all I do is tend to the little ones.” These seasons can be heavy, burdensome, and overwhelming emotionally.

Sometimes one simple question, “How can I help you practically this week?” can be what unlocks opportunity to spread joy.

I pop that kind of question. Desiring to help my friend have a little bit of a better week and really not knowing how.

My friend responds to that question, she say’s “something that would be helpful is if you ever bake something like those bagels or a loa of bread or anything homemade and could make some extra for us. Having nourishing food to feed my fam without having to spend so much time in the kitchen is a huge gift!”

Wow. I would love to do that. Easy. Spread joy that way to my friend? Done deal. I love baking and making food but it’s even more satisfying to give it away or share some of it.

So this is what we do, in this season joy is spread by sharing a little bit of extra food. In my heart, I feel light, purposeful, I feel a smile form across my face, my eyes light up at the thought of sharing food with my friend, spreading joy in this way.

Spreading joy can be practical. And once we discover what spreads joy to another, let’s do that, and do that some more. I love getting to spread joy to this friend of mine, in this way. Thank you friend, for this opportunity!

Spreading joy in Highschool

Back in 2012, over a decade ago, I found myself standing in Government class, fresh notebook and sharpened pencils in my hand, excited to learn from the young, hip, teacher, Miss…oh I wish I could remember her name. She was really great, my memory, not so much at this moment.

Anyways, that morning I walked into government class, as soon as I walked through the door, I was met with an internal conflict. I needed to choose where I was going to sit in the classroom and who I was going to sit with. What felt like somewhat of a big deal then, seems so small today, oh if I could have talked with the younger version of myself at that time!

I walk into the classroom, scan the room, I see my “loud and popular friends,” waving me down, “sit come sit over here Kailey!” Man, that felt good to be wanted. I scanned some more, I saw tables full of other students and peers, “nope, not over there, those spots are all taken,” I look towards the back, the way back, in the corner, a table set for 4, I see one student sitting there, 3 desks available. This peer, seemed quieter, I perceived a bit of reservation in them. “Should I go sit with them?” I thought to myself. “But my friends want me over there,” I argued internally. “But what about this person in the back, maybe this person and I could become friends, something doesn’t sit right with them sitting alone.” That thought, overpowered all others.

Done deal.

So I went and sat with this peer, hoping we might be able to become friends. The initial encounter when I sat down didn’t feel like the most joyous one, in fact, we both seemed a bit timid. But I was hopeful. This peer, we had crossed paths before, and this time, there was an opportunity to connect, interact, and hopefully become official friends.

In my mind, I hoped to spread some joy to this peer in the days ahead, just like I hoped to do that wherever I went whether it be school or somewhere else. I hoped some trust could be built between us. Trust is hard to build in Highschool at times, peers can be brutal, I wasn’t sure what this peer’s story was, but I felt they had a deep one.

We continued to sit together the entire length of that semester. Our interactions went from quieter to slowly cracking out sparks of joy, our “glad to be togetherness” grew as we continued to get to know each other, work on class projects, and laughter increased as time went on. I looked forward to those class times, they became a highlight of my days. I looked forward to sitting next to my friend.

Fast forward to years later, I’m on Facebook, haven’t heard from this friend in years, and receive a message from them. A message I will never forget, a message that touched my heart in dramatic ways, and taught me a very important lesson I hope to learn from, the rest of my life. This is what this friend messaged me saying:

“Hey you probably aren't expecting this but there's just a few things I never got to say but wished I had. I just don't think you know what am impact you had on me. In school some days you were the only person who said even a single word to me, the only person who cared to even ask how I was feeling. It wasn't much but sometimes it was just enough to make the day a little easier. It was probably obvious to you I didn't really fit in and I was pretty lonely, where most people could've cared less you actually came and broke the wall I had put up to everyone. I had seen all of my close friends leave me last year, nightly fights with my parents and inevitably myself, invisible and trying harder than ever to feel accepted by anyone. It was so hard, I've struggled with depression on and off since I was fifteen and almost constantly since this time last year. About third tri last year I was at possibly my worst, I had never wanted to hurt myself more before and I had never been less sure that I would let myself live through the nights. I don't expect you to understand what sick thoughts ran through my head; the nooses I planned to hang from the rafters in my garage, the gun I lost the combination to the case of, the sink I planned to bleed out in, the pills I thought about taking a few to many of. What you did was simple, probably in your nature but It helped me a lot. It brings one quote to mind: "Sometimes we put up walls, not to keep anyone out but to see who cares enough to tear them down" This is probably a lot to hear all at once and I'm sorry but I guess what I'm trying to say is thank you. Don't ever change yourself, treat everyone like you treated me.”

That peer that turned into my friend, helped shape my character, helped give me purpose, and by sharing their appreciation, spread joy to me at a time I was feeling down and in the dumps.

May we never underestimate the impact of taking the path less traveled, sharing appreciation, taking the opportunity to do our best to spread joy, make a new friend, and to help each other have a better life. This friend, though we don’t talk often, means alot to me. Thank you, sitting next to you in government class was one of the most meaningful decisions of my life, though I did not realize it at the time. You shared a great gift to me in sharing your heart, and I am so glad you are here, this world is a better place with you in it. Though I don’t know when, I hope we can sit across the table together at another time, and share some “glad to be togetherness again,” just like that one time in class.

With gratitude,

Kailey

January 2025 Update

Hi there, friend!

2025 is upon us and it is a frigid one in Michigan as I write this out. The snow is gorgeous, the roads are sloppy, the air is cool. I find myself looking outside the windows in the morning and the evening, appreciating the beauty of the fresh white blankets of snow, there is something special about these days.

2024 was a year full of transitions, changing work places, purchasing a home, becoming a landlady, bunkering down into deeper community, pursuing missionary care in Guatemala and Cambodia, growing as a counselor, sharing joyful tears with client’s who are growing and healing exponentially, and becoming more studious into understanding the Life Model and the importance of joyful relationships and community. I became an Aunt to sweet Ginny Mae, and through these transitions, through these daily life experiences, I found myself overjoyed and also overworked, my nervous system in need of some tender care, altogether worn down, yet hopeful at the same time. Hopeful for refreshment, hopeful for new beginnings, hopeful for continued growth, hopeful for life, and excited for a new season with Joy Makers Project, too.

It is 2025 and I find myself craving pockets of solitude, rest, and quieting. I find myself desiring to “tuck away” a bit more. But what does tucking away practically look like? This is something that is unfolding day by day, and right now, what that means is I am taking time to intentionally practice healthier balance with work, ministry, and rest rythms. It means monthly weekend writing retreats to develop content on all things joy related and to let my brain and heart catch up. Tucking away means I may be saying no to some good opportunities in order to say yes to other good ones, too.

I am so excited to write more this year. I am eager to continue sharing with you latest happenings with the Joy Makers Project journey, and what I am discovering about God’s heart for joy through it all, too.

Thank you for being part of this project simply by being connected in big or small ways. You will be hearing from me again soon and until next time, peace and blessings to you, friend!

With gratitude,

Kailey

"Tucking Away" in 2025

I feel the cool breeze of the window draft from this old but rustic window while sitting cross legged on the golden and well loved, “Coursey Couch.” As I sit, I hear the soft humming sound from my dryer, eagerly awaiting my thrifted treasure, a used but loved blanket, priced at Target for over $139, thrifted today for $12.99. That’s my kind of buy! Oh to sit, oh to write, oh to reflect with a cozy blanker, comfy couch, and warm light, this is my happy place.

This past year was a year of transition, changing work locations, moving from non profit work to self employment, buying a home, becoming a landlady, grounding myself into more community with high values that align well with mine, strengthening community ties, becoming an Aunt to sweet Ginny Mae, pursuing missionary care in Cambodia and Guatemala, starting up group trainings on building joy again, it’s been a lot of change, a lot of good and meaningful change. Change that I deeply appreciate and am grateful for.

As I reflected on 2024 with what went well, I also had time to reflect on what didn’t go so well, and it was glaring. My own self care. I ran myself ragged, I developed a large stress wrinkly between my eyes, I felt more fatigued than I can remember. I overworked, and i’m not proud to say, it’s not the first time I reflected back on a year, and reflected similar thoughts and feelings. I was caught, again.

You see, I love helping people, I also have been given quite a bit of compassion. But compassion without capacity, to put it plainly, becomes a hot mess. I have been a hot mess for a long time, desiring to live from my heart and to pursue those who desired to be, deserve to be, and long to be pursued. I care, and I care deeply. I do not know who to prioritize, who to say yes to, who to say no to, so I try to say yes to everyone because everyone of course, deserves time and attention.

Yet, I do not always know how to care for myself & recognize I am not getting younger, and one day, these habits of mine, for better or for worse, will eventually get passed on to someone else, one way or another. This can either feel scary, or it can feel exciting, depending on what habit I consider in that moment of thoughtful reflection. Yikes!

I’ve got to develop some limit, some capacity measurement, something to teach me more sustainable rhythms of work, relationship, and life balance. Thinking about 2025 and the new year coming up, it almost gave me a sense of permission to lean into a new way of navigating day to day life. I felt permission to make some healthier changes, new year’s resolutions, if you will. So this year, as I sit and reflect, as I spend time with the Lord, as I ask for a “word” to describe 2025, and “tuck away” comes to mind.

Tucking away means I am going to take risks and try some new rhythms. It means I am going to learn how to care for myself well, prioritize doing the basics that help me thrive such as quality sleep, good nutrition, resting time, and getting that good ole exercise in on a daily basis. It means I am going to invest more time in cultivating my connection with the Lord, it means I am going to live from my body and recognize it’s signs of needing rest, joy, play, and quiet. It means I am going to learn how to do this with joy, shame free.

Tucking away means I am going to write, and write some more. Tucking away, means I am going to seek the guidance of my God for many things. It means I am going to take those weekends to slow down. Tucking away means I am going to spend at least one day a week, not leaving my home, but rather, tending to it, taking time to bake, make meals from scratch, and enjoy the work of my hands while setting aside enough time to simply think, contemplate, and relish the good things from the day.

Tucking away, means I am going to spend once a month in solitude, I am going to train my brain to not feel bad about craving extended periods of quiet, extended periods for my brain to process, to seek the Lord, and to dwell with Him in rest, cozied up somewhere on a couch or hammock outside.

Tucking away means I am going to decline good opportunities and invitations. Tucking away means I am going to likely disappoint some family and friends. Tucking away, means I am going to have more work/life balance. Tucking away also means this is going to be a stretching year for me. My hope is, that through tucking away, I am going to become a healthier, more joy filled version of myself, and with that, become closer to being who I am created to be, my best self.

Thank you Lord for this opportunity to tuck away, I love you.

Kailey

Returning to joy from anxiety

It was my lunch break in between counseling sessions and I eagerly awaited calling customer service with the company that holds my retirement money. It’s a new season full of transitions and I am holding the tension of enjoying the freedom in being self employed and also holding the stress of developing long term financial planning on my own.

Customer service representatives have a tough job! Their job requires them to take call after call of potentially high strung, stressed out, and concerned individuals on the other side of the line. Today, I was one of those individuals. I called, became more flustered than I already was, felt discouraged, and ended the phone call due to my next counseling session appointment coming up. Ughhh, that didn't feel good.

Before I knew it, time had flown, it was time for me to start another counseling session, and I felt, to put it plainly, mentally and emotionally depleted. My back was tense, shoulders shrugged, my heart and head felt heavy. How was I to return to joy in less than a minute, and be glad to see this loyal client of mine who has come so far in their healing journey?

The truth is, I had to muster up a smile, I had to practice some quieting skills on the go, and as I conversed with this client, I intentionally needed to fight off distracting thoughts about the disappointing phone call with customer service I had just had (Note to future self, don’t try to get your retirement questions answered on your lunch break in between counseling sessions).

Here I am with this client, a complex trauma survivor with a history once so broken, now on its way towards greater redemption as time goes on. We briefly chat about the past week, we dive in. We decide to dwell on this client’s accomplishments this year. No impatient hospital visit last year, no suicide ideation in 6+ months, this client is starting to dream, not dream again, but dream for one of the first times in her adult life. For one of the first times in her adult life, she is starting to think ahead rather than just try to survive through the throws of today, jump through the hoops of depression and PTSD, she is dreaming of what she might become and create in her future. She has hope. I’m reflecting on these milestones with this client, my heart and body is starting to feel lighter, more present, I can feel a genuine smile crossing my face.

We, my client and myself, together, decide to take the reflecting a step further and seek what Immanuel says about the client’s personal growth and development so far. We both close our eyes, we ask Jesus to share with us what He thinks about her growth and development, and how he feels about us reflecting on it.

I feel tears well up in my eyes, though they are still shut. I sense His peace and enjoyment over this client. I sense his admiration for this client. I sense His Joy over this client. Within seconds, my previous worries, frustrations, and anxieties about my retirement account and money fade away. I am relishing in His delight over this client. My body feels peace, warmth, and relaxation again. I have found my best self again. I have returned to joy from anxiety and fear.

It would be like God to use dwelling on the growth and healing of another, to help me return to my best self again. It would be like God to use a counseling session, to teach me an important lesson, too, to remember not to worry but to appreciate the good stuff. It is like God, to delight in this client. It is like God, to help me return to joy when I experience big, negative emotions. It is like me, to write about this ordinary moment that became extraordinary, because appreciation, brought me back to joy, appreciation, brought me back to myself, God’s peace, and being present with this very special client of mine I have the privilege of visiting with on a regular basis.

Psalm 18:19 He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

Mathew 6:25-34  “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?  Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?  Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing,  yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.  And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.  Seek the Kingdom of God[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Spreading joy at escape

This past week I had an opportunity to facilitate a staff training with a Non-Profit organization called Escape, a ministry that intervenes in the lives of youth who fall through the cracks of society. Escape Ministry stands in the gap for many marginalized youth in Holland Michigan, and provide resources, opportunities, and relationships full of staff passionate about seeing these youth discover their worth and identity, together. Click here to learn more about what Escape does, it's a wonderful organization to support! 

During this staff training, we explored together what it could look like to increase the experience and spreading of Joy within Escape's work culture and how these Joy building skills could be implemented into the culture of Escape for the students, too! It's crucial for youth to experience large levels of Joy for healthy development and growth, and many youth who attend Escape, are coming from backgrounds lacking much needed Joy.

With that said, it was a real privilege to come alongside Escape staff and support them! I was thrilled with this opportunity and during the training, I felt energized, grateful, and motivated to continue gaining more understanding of the significance of Joy, so that I can also learn how to better pass it on and share with others. Are you part of an organization seeking support with building a more joy filled and healthier team culture? Reach out, I'd love to connect with you on group training opportunities. 

In addition to Joy being crucial for healthy development and growth, Trauma research and studies on healing and recovery are also recognizing how important the experience of Joy is for humans in order to flourish, recover from life's hardships, and to heal from trauma. I also continue to be so grateful learning about Joy from Chris with Thrive today and The Life Model way of being community, together.

I'm looking forward to seeing Joy Makers Project kick off with the online cohort community. You can click here to check this opportunity out. My plan is to make it affordable and accessible for anyone interested in growing their Joy levels and training their brain to experience and spread more Joy. More to come on this soon! 

Spreading joy at the Grocery Store

I made goodie bags full of candy and notes off encouragement and handed them out to workers at Meijer on the way to my families thanksgiving get together. This is a simple, yet profound way to help others experience and spread Joy, too!

The smiles of people’s faces and verbal appreciation that was expressed when handing out treat bags to the workers at Meijer were priceless, a sign that Joy is being experienced and that Joy is being spread!

What can you do to go out and show grocery store workers on a Holiday that they are seen, loved, and cared about?

One way to experience more Joy in your own life is to actually go out and spread it to others. There is a mutual benefiting factor because when one person’s face lights up with Joy, it’s contagious, and usually spreads to the other person near them. Our brains are deigned to flourish of of Joy so let’s go spread that Joy, our brains will thank us for it!

Spreading joy in Guatemala

A couple months ago, I had an opportunity to go to Guatemala, exploring what it could look like to help Missionaries and Local Ministers experience and spread more Joy. I was thrilled with this opportunity and during the time in Guatemala felt energized, inspired, and excited about caring for individuals and communities who work so hard to care for others. 

While in Guatemala, I was able to have individual times of connecting with Missionaries and Local Ministers to hear about their experiences and needs. It was a delight to connect with many wonderful people, learn and hear their stories, and do my best to encourage them. At the end of the week there was an opportunity to provide a training that helps individuals and communities experience and spread more Joy. This training focused on education and practice of specific brain science skills rooted in biblical principles, that help build individual's relational and emotional capacities to stay their healthiest designed selves as they continue to minister to those around them. 

For as much as I hoped to contribute in someway to help others experience and spread Joy, I came back to the states with truckloads of it. Guatemala was beautiful and the individuals were so special. Even though I was physically exhausted and needed to work the next day (running off minimal sleep), the Joy I was experiencing from that time, energized my body the rest of my work week! Another beautiful thing about Joy, it strengthens us. Isn't it cool that God designed our brains and bodies to be fueled by Joy? 

To combine international missions, people of different cultures and backgrounds, care for the hearts of others, and talking with people about experiencing and spreading Joy all in the same week, felt like a gift wrapped up in the most beautiful bow. It was a thriving week! I'm excited to pursue Missionary Care wherever the opportunity may present itself and am grateful to be able to develop this partnership with those living in Guatemala, I can hardly wait to go back. 

I've been so blessed to learn about Joy from my good friend Chris with Thrive today. It's changed my life and understanding of how important Joy is to our emotional, relational, spiritual development and maturity. I can't help but want to share it with others so, let the Joy Making and Joy Spreading Mission, continue! 

Returning to joy from anxiety

Last night I had trouble falling asleep, as my mind was flooding with the stressors you’d expect when in the midst of purchasing a home for the first time, transitioning work places, working full time as a Mental Health Therapist, and struggling to say “no” when it comes to social engagements, good causes, and fun. This pace of life is making my head spin!

So, while in bed last night, I found my body tossing and turning, my mind was racing with different logistics needed to navigate in order to keep up with the commitments and current life transitions in process. I felt frustrated, “can’t I just sleep already?”

I felt stressed, a bit anxious, and burdened, I had high hopes for a good night’s rest and was starting to become discouraged. Then in the midst of the discouragement, a thought occurred to me “We are a people who practice gratitude before bed. It’s like us to practice gratitude as a way to calm our minds. We are a people who return to Joy and act like ourselves during big emotions.”

I spoke that process of thoughts out loud and a smile slid on my face, a sense of Joy overcame me, and I knew what I needed to do. I needed to practice my 3x3 gratitude exercises that my community and I know how to practice.

So there I went while laying in bed, mumbling with a big grin on my face…

3 things I’m grateful for today

3 things I’m grateful for about God

3 things I’m grateful for about someone else

No longer did I feel alone in my anxious thoughts, I remembered I am part of a community, a people who practice gratitude before bed, who act like ourselves, and know how to return to Joy from big emotions. Before I could finish the 3 things I was grateful for about God, I must have fallen asleep. Wow, that exercise worked wonders! I am grateful to say, I slept peacefully the rest of the night.

It was like me to remember I’m part of a community of people that practices acting like ourselves and knows how to return to Joy during big emotions. It was like me to practice gratitude like my community does too. Remembering who my community is and practicing what we do, is how I returned to Joy from the big emotion of anxiety I was experiencing when trying to fall asleep the other night.

How about you, friend? What’s it like for you to act like yourself, and to return to Joy from big emotions? Who is your community? Curious about the community I am part of? Reach out, i’d love to share with you more or click here to see where I’ve been getting all kinds of training on growing Joy!

Returning to Joy from a bad sip

Last night I filled up my water bottle and was walking through the living room on the way to my room to get a good night’s rest. I decided to take a big gulp out of my water bottle, the straw on the cap makes it so seamless to sip out of…usually.

I took a big gulp and all the sudden I had this jolting sensation in my body, almost like a unexpected hiccup that sounded a bit disgusting. my lungs felt a startling sensation as if water was tricking in, my eyes went wide, and i suddenly felt a mixture of surprise, fear, and remembrance of another recent time sipping on water went wrong…I was choking on yes, water..

So splish splash, on the floor the water inhaled went, splattering an impressive amount. “Did I really just sip that much water?” “Wow it’s hard to breathe right now, it kinda hurts” I thought to myself. I hear my housemate’s concerned voice, “are you okay?” I hear the movie stop upstairs, “is everyone okay down there?”

Within a moment, my housemates are standing by me, comforting me, one of them cleaning up my water projectile with a dish towel. In that time, my body went from feeling out of control and watered down, to slightly embarrassed and joyful, we laughed, and were glad to be together, it was like my housemates to come to the rescue and it was like me to laugh it off. This is how we all returned to joy from a time I choked on water.

Spreading joy on social media

There are endless ways to spread Joy within your relationships and communities and one creative way to do that to the masses is through social media.

I knew social media was lacking some Joy because when I would scroll I’d often see discouraging status’s, fighting in the comments, and what appeared to be lot of relational hurt through the screens. When I would see this my body would become heavy, my heart would sink, and I would feel sad, disappointed, and discouraged.

Instead of sitting in the heaviness, disappointment, and discouragement, I took it upon myself to make a change by spreading some Joy on social media and doing my best to model something different.

One day I set aside a 1/2 hour out of my day to scroll through social media with one mission in mind, “spread Joy” through my comments over other people’s news feeds and status’s, do whatever I could to help others experience and spread Joy.

So that’s what I did. As I sat on my computer for that half hour, purely looking for ways to spread Joy online, I found my body relaxing, my heart felt warm, a smile appeared on my face, and tears formed in my eyes. I felt peace, Joy, passion, and love for those I was interacting with online.

I commented on the status of someone who was sharing their insecurities about their body image and told them they were beautiful, I reached out to an old Highschool classmate who expressed online they were struggling with their mental health and took time to share with them what I appreciated about them, I commented affirmations on people’s profile pictures that didn’t have a lot of comments or likes, those sorts of things, are what I took time to do in that half an hour, that mission to spread Joy online.

It was like me to take a discouraging situation and to model something different, it was like me to spread Joy online. It’s like us, you, me, whoever is made in God’s image to experience Joy, Spread Joy, and live out being Joy Makers, together.

How do you spread Joy online?

With love,

Kailey with Joy Makers Project