A Few of My Favorite Joyful Things

This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to read my full disclosure.

Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness

Celebrated designer and joy expert Ingrid Fetell Lee has compiled years of research and design experience into a book that can be enjoyed by anyone, whether you're a professional designer yourself or totally clueless about what color to paint your kitchen cabinets. If you struggle with a chronic illness or care for someone who does, implementing the concepts in Joyful can have an even bigger impact on your wellbeing and mental health.

#1. Joyful

At its core, Joyful is a book about living well by creating an environment that supports wellness instead of detracting from it. Understanding the ten aesthetics of joy, even if you only incorporate one or two into your décor, can have a lasting effect on your outlook and attitude.

For so many people living with chronic illness, joy and happiness are elusive feelings that we often brush off as unrealistic. We settle for mediocrity, because things like joy are reserved for healthy people. But we forget that everyone deserves to experience joy, and we don’t have to go to great lengths to achieve it.

Because I believe the ideas in Joyful can transform the lives of people living with chronic illness - or at least add a little razzle dazzle to the everyday - I’m creating an exclusive Incurable Guide complete with discussion questions and further reading specifically for those affected by chronic illness. My guide will be available on my Downloads/Resources page soon. In the meantime, here are a few things that have brought me joy recently. I hope they bring you joy too!

#2. Fella & Bella Book Bella 

These cute, padded book sleeves will protect your covers from creases and torn corners. They're available in tons of fun colors and patterns too! Book Bellas come in multiple sizes and the creator is always adding new patterns to her Etsy shop. Plus, they make great gifts for book lovers!

#3. Magical Unicorn Tea

This caffeine-free herbal tea from Savoy Tea Company actually contains magic - it’s on the ingredients list! The tea steeps to a deep purple, but changes color when you add lemon. The whole process - from steeping to sipping - is a joyful experience. 

#4. Sprinkle Dreams Chocolate Bar

Chuao Chocolatier's tagline is "crafted with joy," so you know the end product is going to be good. And sprinkles, like confetti and glitter, are just inherently joyful. The company even took it a step further and created a Sprinkle Dreams ice cream recipe complete with hazelnut liqueur. What's not to love?