Joy As Rebellion: Stay Lit Anyway

Unbothered. Unapologetic. Unstoppable.

For the ones who still dare to smile with their whole soul.

Let’s be honest—this world can be a joyless place. Cold. Chaotic. Designed to crush your spirit in quiet, routine ways. But me? I’ve decided that joy is mine. Not something I borrow. Not something I wait for. Not something I perform. Something I claim.

In this season of my life, joy looks like peace on a warm sunny day.
It looks like a hot cup of tea wrapped around both hands in the dead of winter.
It’s a fire-ass novel I can’t put down. An online course that stretches my mind. Time with my family.
Time without anyone at all.

Joy looks like growth.
Joy looks like coming out of the fog.
It looks like a ladybug on a dewy leaf.
It looks like connection—to spirit, to my higher self, to my ancestors and this big, buzzing universe.

And here’s the thing—joy is not a luxury. It’s a birthright.

But sometimes? You have to defend it.
Sometimes you have to protect it from the wrong job, the wrong partner, the wrong crowd, the wrong frequency.
If you find yourself fighting for your joy, it’s time to take a pause and reevaluate.

Ask yourself:

• How do I feel before being around this person or environment?

• How do I feel after?

• Is this space feeding me or bleeding me?

We are modern humans, but we’ve got ancient souls. Your joy isn’t meant to be negotiated. It’s meant to nourish you.

Now let’s talk about Black joy. Why is it so disruptive?
Because it’s pure.
It’s radiant and revolutionary.
Even in times of pain, pressure, and powerlessness—we find it.
We rise. We innovate. We make things beautiful, bold, and better than anyone ever expected.
We laugh. We dance. We create.
We keep going.

And that kind of joy? That’s terrifying to a world built on our oppression.

So yes—living unapologetically every single day is an act of rebellion.
Wearing your hair however you want. Saying no. Saying yes. Starting over. Choosing softness. Resting when they say grind. Laughing when they expect you to fold. That’s joy. That’s resistance.

If you’re reading this and you feel numb, disconnected, or just tired—let me talk to the soul inside you for a second.

Real is when you stop bullshitting yourself and finally look in the mirror.
Say something kind to the person staring back.
That’s where joy begins.
It’s already in you. It’s always walked beside you.
You just forgot how to see it.

So today?
Smile wide and real.
Blast your favorite song.
Light the damn candle.
Say no and mean it.
Say yes and savor it.

Your joy is sacred. Guard it. Feed it. Let it shine through everything that tried to dim you.

Now let’s be clear—defending your joy is sometimes necessary.
But if you have to fight for it every damn day?
It’s time to reassess your surroundings, your lifestyle, and the circles you’re pouring into.

Work. Relationships. Social experiences. All of it.
Start stopping. Feel the energy.
How do you feel when you leave a certain place? How do you feel when they walk into the room?
Pay attention.

Because fighting for joy is not normal.
joy is your divine right.
Peace should not feel like a battlefield.
But let’s be real—mankind loves to fuck shit up.

Now let’s talk about Black joy.

Black joy is disruptive because it’s pure.
Because even in moments of adversity and powerlessness, we rise.
We learn. We create. We innovate.
We make shit look phenomenal.
We hustle. We move. We become.
We find joy no matter what. And that? That’s true strength.

Find your joy however you find it—just be authentic.
Let it fill you. Let it recharge you. Let it heal.

Living unapologetically every single day?
That is rebellion.

And to anyone feeling numb, tired, disconnected? Here’s the truth:

Real starts when you stop bullshitting yourself.
Stand in front of the mirror and speak something kind to the person staring back.
That’s where joy begins.
You are the maker.
The creator.
Joy has always been there.
Peace has always walked with you.

We just get too distracted to notice our own bliss—even when it’s right there in the smallest, most fleeting moments.

But guess what?
It still counts.
It still matters.
And you still deserve it.