I’m struggling to get out of bed this morning.

I struggled yesterday, too.

And last night, I came home from work, hauled my carcass into our living room, turned on the fireplace, and went to sleep for three and a half hours.

I’m struggling, too.

I don’t remember when it became okay to call people “lame”, but listen. I want you to post your joy.

If you just bought an awesome new outfit, and it looks super cute, and you wanna selfie that shit all over Facebook, post your joy. If your kid did a funny thing with their face and you wanna capture that and post it, please, please go ahead. Found a silly joke? Love your partner to the moon and wanna share? Cooked a fabulous meal? Got a raise at work, or spent extra time at the gym? Post, post, post it. Post your joy.

I want to see the pictures of your tidied office, the meme you thought was funny. I want to see the sunset behind your house, and the bottles of wine you just finished storing. I want to see you and your partner and your kids in your matching yellows for that photo shoot you did in the front garden of your house with the little bench and etches of greens in the grass. I want to see Grandmas with grandkids, and freshly baked breads, pictures of children reading, and writing, and a selfie from behind the counter at your new job.

I struggled to get out of bed this morning. January is always a tough month for me. Maybe you, too.

Maybe we ought to stop making people feel self-conscious about the things that make them feel gooshy, and great, and wonderful, and lovely; stop sacrificing them on the altar of being “lame”, or “less cool, or rad” because we had the nerve to accuse them of posting anything less than their joy. And no one should feel afraid to share that.

Post your joy.

Of your new haircut. Of your new clothes. Of your new home. Of your new cottage. Of your new baby. Of your friend’s new baby. Of your new make up pallet. Of your new website, or playlist, or car, or new-to-you car. Of your happiness, of your successes. Of your children’s successes. And maybe that success is just that they made their bed for a change, or came home with a grade higher than they did last semester. Post their team sports, and fundraisers, their snowmen, and their creative little disasters they want you to hang on the fridge. Post your inspirational quotes, and tag a frame over your profile picture. Kiss dogs, and babies, and post those pictures, too. Find beauty in rainbows, and snowfalls, and sunrises, and if you’ve got the picture, post them.

Because I’m struggling to get out of bed.

And I may not comment, or even leave a little ‘like’ reaction on your photo. But I see them. And I might get out of bed because I was inspired to find joy today, too. Please light up my screen, my timeline, my life with your joy. Because sometimes all people have are the little joys that are popping up around them like inspirational seeds of merriment waiting to be planted in their own spheres.

Post your joy.

— c ☆