With the flare-up in popularity of decluttering guru Marie Kondo, there has been a lot of talk recently about joy in one’s life.
For those unfamiliar with Kondo, she has been popular ever since her 2011 book on decluttering thrust her into the spotlight. Her popularity spiked recently as she was introduced to a new audience through her Netflix special where she helps families clean up their lives (literally AND figuratively). Her central philosophy about keeping an object is whether or not it sparks joy in you. If it doesn’t spark joy, you thank it for its service and toss it.
Simple enough philosophy, though not entirely practical (the IRS will not, during an audit, accept “it didn’t bring me joy” as a substitute for a receipt). And while there are some impractical elements to this, the basic reasoning behind it is a good foundation for many endeavors. It, of course, got me to thinking about joy in my own life.
What really sparks joy in my life?
The answers are pretty simple. The things that bring me joy are a good joke, time with friends and family, time with my kids when they’re being pleasant and engaged, a good book, a good movie, or a thing checked off my To Do list. Yes, I love making To Do lists and checking things off. It brings me joy to accomplish things on my list, even if the actual thing done was not enjoyable.
Sometimes, not having to do stuff brings me joy. And that’s not the same as doing nothing. Not having to do something is a freedom that we rarely have. Often, we have to go to work, or go to the grocery store, or take the kids to a soccer game or take a kid to the orthodontist. It’s nice to look at a day and say, there is nothing that I have to do. It’s all wide open for things I want to do.
As I look back on my list, there are very few things that actually spark joy. Perhaps the actual book or the actual DVD of the film. But, very few physical items. And this is probably the greatest part of Kondo’s mantra: things in our lives rarely spark joy. Therefore it should be easy to toss away the clutter and get down to the meaningful things that will bring you joy.
So, how about you folks; what sparks joy for you?
Awesome scenery, walks by the ocean, road trips. And if they are enjoyed with family or friends, even better.
Time with my family, of course. But some physical objects bring me joy. They remind me of wonderful memories. A portrait my husband painted of me. A funny gift that a favorite person gave me. A beloved stuffed animal that was a “comfort item” that helped me through a horrible time. A print copy of a novel I poured my heart, blood, and soul into. Sometimes I think about what I’d grab if I had to leave in a hurry, and they are those things. Thank you for the post, and the reminder.
It’s interesting that you’d frame it as things you want to grab in a fire. That’s such a great way to frame it. I think I’d want photos, as we have a decent amount of photos that, for whatever reason, weren’t digitized. But there are so few physical things I’d go back in for that weren’t living, breathing things.
It’s good you have your list. The painting, stuffed animals, and novel all are good things.
Watching my grandson as we make cookies together, seeing my daughter glow as they await their first baby, the first snowdrops in the spring, my veggie garden – and my flower gardens, a great conversation with friends, hugs…
Those are all wonderful things. Grandchildren are always a pleasure, as they see the world with such fresh eyes. And hugs: wonderful thing, often underappreciated by the young.
Yes, as I came from a totally non-demonstrative family, hugs are a thing I have only learned to appreciate in later years. Touch doesn’t lie – in my experience.