Finding joy in January without invitation
regardless of where you are & what season you're in
My dadi always says joy is a rebellious little bird. You can’t force it, you can’t plan it. But if you sit with the scent of cardamom & ginger in your cup of chai, wear an old woolen shawl with holes only you know about, and wait for the sky to turn a ridiculous shade of pink-orange before dusk, you might feel it flutter close. I am my dadi, in tiny, unruly ways. January pulls at me like it did her, half-crisp, half-sunny, and a perfect mix of nippy tits and warmth that laughing hard from my belly ensues.
This month, whether you’re shivering under blankets in the Northern Hemisphere or letting the summer sun lick at your toes in the Southern, let’s talk about comfort. Let’s talk about joy that doesn’t need an invitation.
find your cozy
Every day starts somewhere. Maybe it’s a sleepy-eyed yawn or a clumsy slip into fuzzy five-toed socks. Maybe it’s the first blast of cold air on your face or sweet, melting sunlight warming your back. The trick is to pause there—if only for a split second. Let little things spread through you like honey.
Morning Routines Worth Loving: Fill your cup with a morning ritual. I’m talking warm lemon water, a careless journal entry about a dream you had, or that one song you play at volume 10 (the one an old friend said reminds them of you).
make comfort tangible
I can still hear my dadi say, “If you can’t hold comfort in your hands, it isn’t real.” So here’s what you do. Make a cup of hot cocoa or fresh lemonade—whatever suits your weather. Make it in your favorite chipped mug or the glass your little sister drew on with permanent marker when she was four.
Try This: Bake something simple. A gooey brownie or a one-pan summer tart. Let the smells curl around you. And if baking isn’t your thing, toast up some leftover bread, drizzle honey, pretend you’re royalty.
comfort has a sound, doesn’t it?
It’s the old song you half-sing, half-hum without thinking. For me, it’s a playlist stitched from old memories, stolen favorites, and songs I didn’t know I’d end up loving. Maybe you’ll find your comfort song here too:
“Banana Pancakes” by Jack Johnson (for lazy mornings)
“Kya Karoon” by Bombay Bicycle Club (because some days are for feeling light and careless)
“La Vie en Rose” by Louis Armstrong (my dadi would sway to this, I swear)
“Lover of Mine” by 5 Seconds of Summer (for when you want to feel nostalgic and hopeful all at once)
Before you scroll away, I urge you to do one tiny thing for yourself. Maybe it’s looking at the time and pausing for one full breath. Maybe it’s texting someone, “I miss you.”
I say this with a twinkle in my eyes, make joy yours, always.
Sending you love,
Mo 🧡
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Thanks for reminding me of coziness! Xoxo
AHHHH "sit with the scent of cardamom & ginger in your cup of chai, wear an old woolen shawl" such a warm, sweet article