The Power of Small Joys: 4 things I love!

 The Power of Small Joys: 4 things I love!

To me, life is all about finding new sources of joy and hope. There are a few things that just bring your heart

 to a flutter and instantly make your day, week, month or year a little better. Today I am sharing four of the

 things that I love most in the world. I know you have got some of your own favorites - I would love to hear!

 

 1. My journal/diary!

Typical, but so effective. About one and a half years ago I was introduced to journaling through TikTok. 

Previously I had heard of manifestation journaling around the year of 2020. I believed it to be strange, 

but now, normal mindfulness journaling has become a part of my almost-daily routine. For the past one

 and a half years I have been journaling consistently, sometimes every day, sometimes once a week. Still, 

I try to do it every day when I can! 

After a long week of school, arguments with friends or family, it’s nice to sit down with some pen and 

paper to just write everything you wish you could. Then, you look back, evaluate the situation after getting

 all your anger and frustration out. Then you can ask yourself, from a more objective perspective, was I in

 the wrong? 

This helps you grow yourself as a person: empathy for yourself and others, critical thinking… There is 

nothing negative about journaling. If you’re craving something creative and fun, and don’t want to reflect

 or write you can do bullet journaling!

You don’t need a separate journal for this, unless you want to. But you can draw, glue and tape things

 onto the pages and express yourself without words. Here are some different examples, for different styles

 and purposes!

2. My vinyl collection!

I take a lot of pride in my vinyl collection and guard them with my life. For years I have wanted to connect

 more with music and artists, and this is the way. My first vinyl was The Eminem Show - expanded edition

 by Eminem of course. 

No, it’s not an edition where there are limited tracks. I could easily find those on youtube - the

 instrumentals and live tracks are all over the internet. The reasons why I love having my favorite albums 

on vinyl are many. 

The first one being that the experience goes beyond sound. Firstly, you have to walk around downtown.

 While getting to know the backstreets of the bigger city where you don’t normally walk, you find an 

unknown Vinyl store. Brand new, or used vinyl: all these stores have their own stories and feel. 

Once you enter and you are ready to search for that one Vinyl you have wanted for so long, you’ll listen to 

the songs they are playing in the store. You’ll pick up records with a familiar image that you’ll be ashamed 

not to remember. Once you find what you’re looking for, it will feel like the biggest reward - especially if

 it's slightly unknown. 

The second will be arriving home, opening the vinyl and putting it on. Many artists have limited editions,

 and some have pictures, lyrics and most have art sleeves. All in all, you will find hidden treasures in every

 vinyl!

Here is an example I find to explain it quite well, but of course nothing can capture the true feeling of 

seeing the art that your favorite album is covered in!

 

 

 

 

                                                                    3.   Making photobooks!

 Once year 10 was done, I was relieved in a way I cannot explain. Still, even if I knew those days were some

 of the toughest in my life, scrolling through my camera roll felt like watching a short film. The kind where

 the main character dies and you cry your eyes out for hours because you came to love not just the

 character, but the feel of the movie itself, right? I felt I had to honor that time in my life and make a 

physical souvenir of it that would push away the bad memories and highlight all the good. And so, the 

masterpiece that is my photobook was born!

I spent hours deciding what photos I would order and assembling the timeline. It was like watching my 

life flash by when sorting out those pictures and putting them into the photo book. Even writing some 

notes at the side of the pictures felt like closure. This was my time capsule, and it allowed me to put it all 

behind me. 

 

This is a great decoration piece and it’s really fun to flip though and talk about every picture with your 

friends. It’s heartwarming to watch them realize that their photo is in the book as they point and smile at 

all the memories!

4.                 Reading non-popular books! 

The definition of a non-popular book is up for debate - absolutely. What I mean by it, though, is a book that

 is: 

1.Not trending on any social platform. 

2. You have barely ever heard of or seen in public. 

... Bonus: It’s a little old, written by an author who's not from America! I know the last one might seem

 strange or out of context, but if you get it, you get it! The first two are “requirements” set in stone in my 

opinion, the last one just makes the experience of reading a non-popular book good. 

The main reason why I love this and think it might actually be important is that the book is true to you. 

The thought that this book is a “must-read” has not been shoved down your throat. This is a book that 

interests you, regardless of others opinions. The whole idea of not being affected by other people's thoughts

 and opinions is really important today. This is a small step into caring less and not relying on validation. 

I did this a few months ago, and the book still lingers in my mind. I was meeting with a friend, but I was an 

hour early, haha. My current book was dreadful, you know, the ones with the “Book Tok” stickers on them… 

The bookstore was right there and I decided to browse. Just browse…

A tiny, skinny book stood out to me: Princess Bari, by Hwang Sok-yong. It was nothing like I had read

 before, and the back just left me more clueless and intrigued than before I picked it up. That is what you

 should feel when you pick up a book. Confusion when you pick it up, while reading: sorrow, confusion

 and intrigue… and once you put it down, emptiness. All because you’ll never be able to read it for the 

first time again - you’ll never know what happens after the last line… And I think that being able to have

 your complete and honesty, fully yours, experience and opinion on a book makes this emptiness hurt so 

much more. In a beautiful way, that is. 

A quote I find fitting would be “can you remember who you were before the world told you who you should 

be?” Said by Charles Bukowski. We need to find what we love, instead of what other people want us to love. 

These are four out of countless things I cherish and hold dear to my heart. I wanted to write this to you to

 show you how you can do small things to make your everyday life a little more interesting. As well to 

make you realize there is so much more out there! These things require nobody but yourself, your time

 and your patience. They can be completely personalized, and that is what life is all about - being 

different, expressing and finding yourself! What are some things that are completely authentic to you

 that bring you joy?

 Love, Lola Bloom 💗💗