
Personally, I get suspicious of anyone who can watch the news or read the headlines and NOT have a panic attack these days.
Between climate crises, political dumpster fires, social media outrage cycles, and whatever fresh hell weāve collectively unlocked this week, I find myself maxed outāemotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually.
Thereās so much wrong going on, and I canāt handle most of it, most of the time.
So instead of doomscrolling, Iāve shifted into something I now call joyscrolling. Itās my survival instinctāan intentional detour away from despair and toward wonder. Itās not about ignoring the worldās problems. Itās about choosing how much of it I can carry at once, and counter-programming my brain with stories that lift me up, spark curiosity, or at least remind me that thereās still plenty of beauty and hope out there.
JOYSCROLLING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
None of these storiesāall from Good News Networkāare important in the usual capital-N News sense. They won't stop any wars or fix our economy, but they do manage to inspire me and remind me how interconnected we all are:
94-Year-old Has No Health IssuesāThanks To Zumba Classes 3 Times A Week
Hundreds of Volunteers Form A Human Chain To Get 9,000 Books To New Location For Indie Bookstore
JOY IS RESISTANCE
Choosing joy in a broken world isnāt denial. Itās defiance. Itās saying, āI see the pain, and Iām not going to let it numb me to the good stuff.ā Weāre living through intense, sometimes unbearable times. And for those of us who feel deeply, itās easy to get overwhelmed, burned out, and/or paralyzed. Thatās why joyscrolling helps me find some balance and catch my breath.
CURIOSITY IS A LIFELINE
One of the best side effects of joyscrolling? I find myself more curious than ever. About people. About art. About nature. About things I donāt know yet but suddenly want to learn.
Curiosity helps cuts through my anxiety and cynicism.
It pulls me out of hopelessness and helps me find wonder.
Each time I explore something new, it reaffirms my belief that this worldāwhile often terribleāis also wildly, weirdly beautiful.
SO WHAT NOW?
You donāt have to pretend everythingās fine. Itās not.
But you can give yourself permission to turn off the chaos coverage, even just for a moment, and seek out what makes your heart soften.
Maybe itās a couple randomly dancing in a park.
Maybe itās a long-forgotten pop song that still slaps.
Maybe itās a bird whoās never met a stranger he didnāt like.
Note: Pepe, my neighborās parrot, is the neighborhood mascot. Since being rescued and rehabbed a few years ago, Pepe makes my hood more hospitable in real life and online. Pepeās a hootā¦though he does tend to pollute. šļø š¦
Whatever your version of counter-programming looks like, I urge you to make time for it. Make space for it. Let the love and light back into your heart and soul.
Joy isnāt a distraction from reality. Itās a way to stay human within it.
And thatās the wayāuh huh, uh huhāI like it.
Thank you for being a friend!
Clint šāļø
āAfter the rain, the sun will reappear. There is life.
After the pain, the joy will still be here.ā
Walt Disney
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ON THIS DAY = APRIL 25
BIRTHDAYS
1284 = King Edward II = King of England š
1822 = Ulysses S. Grant = American general, politician, and 18th POTUS
1908 = Edward R. Murrow = American journalist
1909 = William Pereira = American architect
1915 = Mort Weisinger = American journalist and author
1917 = Ella Fitzgerald = American singer
1918 = Graham Payn = South African-born English actor and singer š
1921 = Karel Appel = Dutch painter and sculptor
1926 = Johnny Craig = American author and illustrator
1928 = Cy Twombly = American-Italian painter and sculptor š
1930 = Paul Mazursky = American actor and filmmaker
1933 = Jerry Leiber = American songwriter and producer
1940 = Al Pacino = American actor and director
1946 = Talia Shire = American actor
1953 = Ron Clements = American animator, producer, and screenwriter
1964 = Andy Bell = English singer-songwriter š
1964 = Hank Azaria = American actor, voice artist, comedian, and producer
1970 = Jason Lee = American skateboarder, actor, comedian, and producer
1965 = John Henson = American puppeteer and voice actor
1981 = Anja PƤrson = Swedish alpine skier š
1988 = Jonathan Bailey = English actor š
EVENTS
1846 = Thornton Affair: Open conflict begins over the disputed border of Texas, triggering the MexicanāAmerican War.
1901 = New York becomes the first U.S. state to require automobile license plates.
1944 = The United Negro College Fund is incorporated.
1961 = Robert Noyce is granted a patent for an integrated circuit.
HOLIDAYS + OBSERVANCES
Anzac Day (Australia + New Zealand + Tonga)
PORTRAIT + QUOTES OF THE DAY
āWho wouldn't want to play a character whose bottom you get to know before the face?ā
Jonathan Bailey
āYes, I'm looking forward to gay actors playing gay parts, but for me it's so important that everyone at home can see a bit of themselves on screen, to allow them to feel heard and seen, and also allow them to have aspirations.ā
Jonathan Bailey
Thanks Clint. I find happiness in seeing real people, walking and greeting them, especially their pets. As I walk, I touch the new growth on all the plants I can reach. When a bird sings a song, I applaud. Day lilies, peonies and hostas are sprouting out now.
Hooray Jonathan Bailey Hooray.