I loved this honest blog post by blogger Joanna Goddard, who, while weathering a bumpy patch in her personal life, turned to this article by Google’s former “happiness guru” (insert eye roll) on seeking and recognizing “thin slices of joy” in everyday life. In her words: “Happiness doesn’t have to be a constant overarching feeling. It can come as sweet, short moments throughout your day.” The idea is that much of being happy is stopping to recognize “thin slices of joy” in your day-to-day life–it’s as much about getting into the habit of recognizing when you’re experiencing a happy little moment as it is about actually experiencing the moment itself.
I love this.
It puts a finer point on what I think I was getting at when writing about living in the present with minimagpie. (As an aside, there’s a great quote that’s been attributed to thousands of people that states: “I write to know what I think.” This is very true for me. I often sit down with an observation or a visceral reaction to something and only in writing do I begin to unpack how I feel. Cc: my notes on new start-up MMLaFleur (scroll down to the turbothot section). And BTW, you should check out the comments on that post. Lots of interesting insights and observations from you smart chickadees.)
Since reading this article, I’ve found myself thinking “this is a little slice of joy right here” multiple times each day–when walking with the fam through our neighborhood and feeling a little surge of pride and sense of belonging (my little family! my dog! my babe! my husband!); when trotting around in the balmy 70 degree weather yesterday and finally feeling like there might be an end to winter in sight; when biting into the ridiculously buttery ribeye Mr. Magpie grilled to perfection on Saturday night; when sipping a glass of Frank Family Vineyards’ cab sauv we’d bought in Napa Valley 6 years ago and had been saving for a special moment (we figured keeping our daughter alive for over a month was an occasion of merit); when discovering I could fit into my pre-pregnancy clothes (!!); when playing fetch with Tilden.
All slices of joy.
Try it today — I think you’ll wind up having a good Monday.
And if not, use these 10 picks to buoy your spirits…
Pick No. 1: The Ruffled Blouse.
I am loving this inexpensive ruffled blouse ($18), but can’t decide whether to go for the stripe or floral. Either way, pairing it with my Madewell joveralls. (See my styling notes on joveralls here.)
These ladies get it…
Pick No. 2: The Floral Sundress.
This is my kind of sundress ($375) — love the color, print, and shape. Plus, you can get 25% off with code APRIL17 through April 11th. Check out the whole Rebecca Taylor collection of dresses while the promo code is live; so many gorgeous finds! I DIE over this one.
Pick No. 3: The Bow Sandal.
OMG. You know my favorite sandal heel? The Alexandre Birman Clarita? Ann Taylor has an incredible lookalike with a slightly more practical heel height for a much more pleasant $138! I think I need it in the blush color STAT.
Pick No. 4: The Custom Shampoo.
Have you heard of Function of Beauty? Fellow beauty product junkies, rejoice with me: this company has you answer a series of questions about your hair and then ships you a custom set of shampoo + conditioner ($36 for set). You can even pick the color of the bottle it comes in — it’s the little things, people. Also, free shipping. Prime has conditioned me to expect it, and I delight when I find it on a site I don’t expect will honor this expectation. Such pretty bottles, too!
P.S. — Speaking of shampoo, check out this wash for your pup from one of my favorite soap/lotion lines, Malin + Goetz. (Check out their rum-scented hand/body wash. It smells AMAZING.) And also, more dog mom must-haves here.
Pick No. 5: The Pink Bathing Suit.
How amazing is this Palm Springs-esque one-piece ($38)?! It reminds me of my sister Liz. (You should buy it for the summer.)
Pick No. 6: The Outdoor Bar Cart.
How amazing is this $50 bar cart for your back patio?! I love the cheery aqua and lime colors and can just imagine setting out a nice little spread for a Cinco de Mayo celebration.
Pick No. 7: The New Cookbook.
Any Ladies of London fans out there? Marissa Hermer just came out with her own cookbook ($18) and I’m curious…
Pick No. 8: The Eyelet Statement.
OK, one more sundress for your consideration: isn’t this pink eyelet lovely AMAZING? And under $100! (And also: this OTS eyelet top in cheery yellow or crisp white is also on my list.)
Pick No. 9: The Denim Slide.
Slides are the “it” shoe for summer, and this denim bow-topped style has my attention ($220). (More fab bow-topped slide styles heeeere.)
Pick No. 10: The Denim Top.
Finally, combining both eyelet AND denim, this $39 Gap steal is perfection. (Mini can coordinate with this.)
I loved that part of Joanna’s post as well! I thought the overall post itself was a bit … curious. She is clearly going through something quite personal, but I’m slightly confounded as to why she would bring it up at all if it’s “not her story to tell”. It seems like it’s just fanning the flames a bit because her readers will now be very curious about what the issue entails. And moreover, she has such a huge platform that sharing more about whatever issue it is might really have the chance to HELP people.
That said, I can’t imagine what it’s like to have such a massive audience, and as a regular reader of Cup of Jo since before she was married (!), I have to respect her wishes to post about her life in whatever manner makes most sense to her. I did really, really love the “slices of joy” bit, and I’m glad you decided to write about it!
In other news, I love those Ancient Greek denim knot slides you posted. I am a fan of their Clio double-strap sandals and have worn mine into the ground over the past few summers. Possibly time for an upgrade!