Does everything seem overwhelming lately? Many people grapple with this sensation in today’s fast-paced world.
“The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh
There’s an important aspect that frequently goes unnoticed in medical practices and mental health discussions alike. I didn’t even have a term for it until I experienced it firsthand in my own life.
I refer to it as a deficiency in joy.
If you’re engaging with this article, it’s likely you’ve encountered this feeling yourself at some point.
Perhaps you’re managing Crohn’s disease, just as I am.
Or maybe you’ve been dealing with persistent migraines, a cancer diagnosis, autoimmune conditions, depression, ongoing fatigue, or the draining weight of emotional suffering that lingers far too long.
We constantly hear discussions centered on symptoms, flare-ups, inflammatory responses, lab results, treatment protocols, dietary restrictions, and predictions about future challenges. Yet, it’s uncommon for anyone to pose inquiries such as:
When did you last experience genuine laughter?
What activity or occurrence made you feel truly vibrant today?
Do you sense a feeling of safety, support, and love—particularly from within yourself?
For an extended period, I found myself without responses to any of these probing questions.
When Existence Shifted from Thriving to Mere Survival
My path toward healing commenced well before I recognized that I was embarking on such a journey.
I had long been acquainted with diagnostic procedures, persistent physical discomfort, pharmaceutical interventions, and the disheartening pattern of short-lived improvements followed by relapses. However, nothing could have prepared me for the instance when my body reached its breaking point and declared it had endured enough.
This pivotal episode unfolded during a particularly severe Crohn’s flare-up a few years back. The agony was unyielding, the exhaustion penetrated to my very core, and the psychological burden was utterly consuming. I felt as though I was fading away, fully subsumed into the identity of a ‘chronic illness patient,’ with fragments of my former self eroding away during each successive medical consultation.
One particular afternoon, I found myself slumped on the bathroom floor, utterly depleted after enduring yet another sleepless night.
Every part of my body ached intensely. Fear, irritation, and profound weariness from the ceaseless battle weighed heavily on me.
In that moment, a despairing thought crossed my mind: ‘Is this the new reality? Has life devolved into an endless catalog of prohibitions—activities I can’t pursue, meals I must avoid, and essential parts of my identity that slip away?’
Never before had I sensed such profound distance from any semblance of joy.
Unbeknownst to me at the time, this very breakdown on the bathroom floor marked the inception of a profound transformation in my outlook and approach.
The Transformative Question That Altered My Perspective
Several days afterward, I attended what felt like yet another routine medical appointment. I anticipated receiving further directives, warnings, and possibly additional prescriptions. What caught me completely off guard was a simple, compassionate question that pierced through my defenses.
My healthcare provider gazed at me steadily and inquired, ‘But what is bringing you joy in this moment?’
I was momentarily speechless, staring in disbelief. It had been months since anyone had posed such a question to me. I drew a complete blank, unable to summon even one response.
This wasn’t due to a lack of desire for joy. Rather, my life had become so consumed by the demands of survival that no space or energy remained for truly living.
That evening, as I lay in bed, I posed the identical question to myself. I approached it without any sense of obligation, purely out of gentle curiosity.
What used to bring me happiness? What might still have the potential to do so?
I lacked a grand revelation. Yet, a small one emerged: sunshine.
The following morning, rather than remaining inert on the couch, I ventured outdoors for just two minutes and allowed myself to bask in the soothing warmth.
It wasn’t a life-altering epiphany. Nevertheless, it represented a tangible step forward. It resembled a delicate thread—slender and vulnerable, yet undeniably authentic—that could guide me back toward reconnecting with my true self.
Uncovering the Strength in Brief Bursts of Joy
Those mere two minutes under the sun didn’t eliminate my physical symptoms. They failed to dispel my fears, sorrows, or unease. However, an inner softening occurred, a subtle release of tension.
This prompted me to actively seek out additional fleeting instances like that one. I wasn’t chasing grandiose expressions of happiness—such as lavish vacations, monumental achievements, or dramatic personal breakthroughs. Instead, I focused on minuscule ignitions of delight.
Consider a melody that compelled me to sway briefly in the kitchen for half a minute. Or savoring a steaming mug of tea. Feeling my son’s head gently lean against my knee. Receiving an unexpected, sincere compliment from a passerby. Watching a humorous clip that elicited unrestrained laughter, even amidst lingering discomfort.
These understated experiences transformed into essential anchors. They restored my sense of humanity, reminding me that I was more than just a medical label. As I became increasingly attuned to them, a deeper realization dawned:
Joy wasn’t some indulgent extravagance. It functioned as a form of healing medicine.
The Physiological Impact of Joy: Insights from Scientific Studies
While tuning into my personal sensations, I also delved into relevant research and scholarly findings.
Studies from prestigious research centers demonstrate that positive emotions—including joy, optimism, appreciation, and pleasure—trigger the parasympathetic nervous system, commonly termed the ‘rest and digest’ mode.
This physiological shift moves the body away from the stress-induced fight-or-flight state, reducing cortisol levels and facilitating restorative mechanisms such as cellular repair and immune system balance.
To put it simply:
Joy doesn’t merely enhance our emotional state. It actively reshapes the body’s biochemical environment.
Such effects can contribute to:
- Decreasing inflammatory processes
- Enhancing immune system performance
- Bolstering emotional endurance
- Moderating pain perception
- Promoting balanced nervous system activity
Upon encountering this information, I couldn’t help but wonder, ‘Why isn’t this more widely discussed?’
Society often extols virtues like perseverance, resilience, and stoicism. We emphasize pushing forward, refusing to surrender, and embodying strength. Yet, embracing joy demands its own brand of bravery—particularly amid adversity.
Eventually, a crucial insight crystallized for me:
True healing extended beyond merely alleviating pain. It necessitated actively reintegrating joy into my daily existence.
Redefining Illness: Moving from Conflict to Connection
Prior to this change in mindset, I perceived my illness as a formidable adversary—an entity to vanquish, combat, strategize against, or subdue. I was locked in a fierce internal war against my own physiology.
Yet, introducing joy tempered that conflict. It fundamentally altered the dynamic of my relationship with my body.
I started viewing my body less as a defective mechanism and more as a frightened communicator. It sought understanding and, in its imperfect manner, aimed to safeguard me.
This perspective didn’t lead me to embrace every symptom or abandon professional medical treatment. Instead, it ceased framing my body as the inherent villain. I began approaching it as a partner in a process of rediscovery and reconnection.
This reframing held immense power. What was once a battlefield evolved into dialogue. Gradually, that dialogue blossomed into genuine compassion.
The Subtle Forms Joy Takes Amid Hardship
I once believed joy required grandeur. I imagined it manifesting as prosperity, notable successes, festive occasions, or radical metamorphoses. In truth, joy during illness tends to be modest, subdued, intimate, and profoundly individualized.
At times, joy manifests as:
- Three intentional, deep inhalations.
- The enticing aroma of something delectable.
- A piece of music evoking memories of your pre-challenge identity.
- A brief interlude where discomfort subsides.
- A spontaneous chuckle emerging despite believing smiles were impossible that day.
These brief encounters hold no small significance. They serve as evidence of your enduring presence. They affirm that vitality persists within you, even through the most arduous phases.
If these are the only glimpses available to you currently, they suffice entirely.
Getting Started: Gentle Pathways to Reconnect with Joy
Should you feel estranged from joy at present, consider these approachable strategies that proved invaluable for me:
1. Pose the Key Question to Yourself
‘What is sparking joy for me right now?’ Tailor it to your present self, not ideals from others or your past iterations.
2. Embrace What Feels Achievable
Grand adventures like hiking, globetrotting, or intense workouts might be out of reach. However, positioning yourself in sunlight, playing a cherished tune, sipping tea mindfully, or viewing amusing content could be entirely feasible.
3. Attune to Fleeting Glimmers
A single daily instant of joy builds forward momentum. Even sixty seconds of it fosters meaningful linkage.
4. Permit Joy to Dwell Alongside Discomfort
There’s no prerequisite of feeling ‘fixed’ to merit joy. These states can harmoniously occupy the same moment.
5. Release the Notion of Merit-Based Joy
Your existence alone renders you deserving of joy, without conditions.
You Remain Whole
If you’re traversing a phase where joy appears distant, absorb this message deeply:
You are not flawed. You’re not underachieving. Your body isn’t sabotaging you. You’re not destined to navigate this unsupported or rigidly.
You might simply be enduring a joy deficiency, akin to nutritional shortfalls—which can be addressed not through coercion, but via renewed bonds.
Healing encompasses more than excising pain. It involves amplifying elements that reawaken your sense of vitality, your inner glow, your essence.
Even modest joy matters greatly. Petite joys hold particular potency.
And solitary pursuit isn’t required.
For This Day
Dedicate one tender interlude today—perhaps only thirty seconds. Seek an element that reassures you your narrative continues and your body persists in its loyalty.
Joy isn’t a distant goalpost awaiting journey’s end. It weaves integrally into the journey’s fabric.
And you merit its return.
