Is Joy Still Relevant in 2021?

The kind of joy I’m talking about is more akin to a way of life, or, more precisely put, a consciously interconnected and empowered way of showing up in the world. This joyful way of being partly emerges from the realization that who we are at our deepest core is not determined by the collection of stories, opinions, prejudices, biases, distortions, and projections put forth by anyone, including individuals and institutions holding external power over us.

To sustain this joy, we must accept that our true source of power lies not in our ability to control the agendas and actions of others, but in our ability and commitment to stay true to the energy of our soul, which is always aligned with love. That kind of joy is an act of defiance that's completely compatible with social justice advocacy.

In fact, joy actually empowers that movement. It does so by calling those of us who advocate for fairness and equality to stand in the power of our own indestructible spirit. And it’s from that place where we find the strength to keep marching and protesting, long after rage has exhausted us.

Joy also naturally allows us to become more open to new ways of responding to hate groups. On a practical level, this matters greatly because new research shows that meeting bigotry with righteous anger is not an effective political strategy and often serves to solidify and reinforce the very darkness we’re fighting against.

Former 2020 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson likely understood that truth when she announced her plans to create a Department of Peace that would take a different, more proactive approach to addressing white supremacy.

To stand up to bigotry, hatred, and violence, without fanning those flames, we need something else. We need joy. Indeed, the 2020 Brown Democracy Medal Winner study, Pranksters vs. Autocrats: Why Dilemma Actions Advance Nonviolent Activism, found that “the best counter to the aggressive and delusional anger of the right is creative, playful, often humorous counterprotests.”

The challenge is, of course, that it’s hard to carry out such counterprotests when we feel stuck, however justified and appropriate, in a state of anger, rage, or powerlessness. Joy, on the other hand, makes it easier for us to tap into the lighthearted ingenuity exhibited by counter-protesters who have effectively invalidated organized hate demonstrations through the use of creative, fun-loving tactics.

But what about climate change - why should we care about joy at a time when unprecedented wildfires and record hurricanes are devastating our communities and our planet is rapidly approaching a dangerous tipping point? The answer requires us to take a closer look at joy again.

Contentment and fulfillment are arguably among the key hallmarks of a deeply joyful person. Such a human being is intimately connected to all of life and engages the world through a lens of “I am enough.”

That perspective is beautifully illustrated in conservation photographer Cristina Mittermeier’s TEDx talk Enoughness, which tells the story of how indigenous people living in their natural environment experience a sense of enoughness.

Living joyfully means that, both on an individual and collective basis, we don’t have to continually try to fill a bottomless inner void through the endless pursuit and accumulation of material resources. Instead, we find inherent meaning in being alive.

Joy also allows us to feel gratitude for our planet, knowing that it freely provides what we need to nourish our bodies and souls. Gratitude isn't just sentimental; it inspires us to preserve and protect what we appreciate.

Contrast the state of contentment and fulfillment that accompanies joy with the sense of unworthiness, dissatisfaction, and never enoughness that underlies our sick culture. Whether it’s the food or fashion industry, we feel compelled to continually create something bigger or better than what already exists.

For all of us to make the personal sacrifices that may be needed to transition to a green economy, we must first face our perceived emptiness and disconnection. While opening to joy may not be a complete or direct solution to our global warming woes, it can at least help us move the needle forward in essential ways.

This leaves me to address the relevance of joy amidst the ongoing pandemic. Despite the arrival of promising vaccines, we’re still a long way from overcoming, much less recovering from the threat of Covid-19.

Now that the world is confronting a new wave of deaths and lockdowns, it may be tempting to see joy as something frivolous or disrespectful. But to give into that temptation is to entirely miss the meaning and impact of joy.

As many individuals will attest, joy brings a lightness to our spirit, which makes shouldering seemingly intolerable burdens more possible. During the onset of the pandemic, I started a nightly ritual of watching heartwarming animal stories for that very reason.

Joy also helps us stay centered in the present moment and connects us to the timeless dimension in all of us. It expands our heart and awakens us to the truth that what we choose to do here infinitely matters.

In all these ways, joy provides immense comfort and support as we try to cope with the actual or feared death of a loved one, or suffer another difficult loss, such as the loss of our job or health.

As individuals and as a nation, joy offers us a real path forward during these chaotic, overwhelming times.

By illuminating the way and reminding us why we’re still here, joy encourages and inspires us to keep showing up, bravely open-hearted, one day at a time.

So, yes, joy is still relevant in 2021.