Joy as Practice

YOGAMOTIF’s Year of Creativity | July

When was the last time you noticed joy?

Not the kind that arrives with a major milestone, but the more subtle kind that catches you off guard.

Like a song that makes your shoulders soften or the satisfaction of finishing an art project, or leaving it unfinished because you enjoyed the process more than the outcome! Joy doesn't always ask for our attention, sometimes it simply waits for us to notice.

This month at YOGAMOTIF, we're exploring Joy as Practice. Our intention isn’t necessarily to be happy all the time, but to know that joy is something we can learn to make space for, even in the midst of challenges and daily life.

Joy Doesn't Have to Be Extraordinary

It's easy to think of joy as something that happens to us, like a vacation or celebration. But joy as practice is less about waiting for extraordinary moments, and more about paying attention to the ones already here. We’ve discovered that one way to start noticing the presence of joy is through our creative practice.

When we draw, move, write, meditate, or make something with our hands, we're practicing presence. We're slowing down enough to notice texture, color, rhythm, breath, and possibility.

The more we try noticing, the more our joy has room to emerge. Like any creative or Yoga practice, joy isn't something to perfect. Instead, it’s something we return to and train like a muscle. Some days joy can be easy to access without even trying, other days we might have a hard time finding it, but the intention isn’t to force or fake joy. Instead, it’s an opportunity to let yourself to become more available to joy.

Joy Grows in Community

One of the things we treasure most at YOGAMOTIF is learning, playing, and creating alongside others. We think of a “public classroom” as a place to witness one another and share our creative wellness practices. This type of learning environment that we strive to create cultivates a group of people to celebrate someone’s first attempt at painting or be inspired by a perspective different from their own, because joy has a way of multiplying when it's shared.

Think about your favorite creative gathering. Maybe it was a yoga class where everyone exhaled together or a community art project that led to new connections. This gathering may have even offered you a new sense of bravery, as you can see others giving themselves permission to make things without worrying whether they were “good.”

These moments remind us that creativity isn't only about what we produce. It's also about the relationships we build along the way.

This week…

choose one ordinary moment each day and give it your full attention. Let delight interrupt your routine, simply because joy is worthy of your attention.

Practice Joy With Us

You can find supportive meditations and Yoga classes in our virtual studio