What if losing what you love could actually help you find joy in unexpected places?

I wanted to share a personal story with you today… one that taught me about resilience, adaptability, and the unexpected ways we can feel joy in life, even when things seem dim.

When I was 15years old, I faced an injury that completely disrupted my life.

At the peak of my prime in dance, I couldn’t walk, let-a-lone dance and compete like I was. I couldn’t enjoy the sport I loved, and suddenly, the activities that once felt like second nature were out of reach.

At first, it was incredibly frustrating and disheartening. I felt like I’d lost a part of myself and struggled to find my footing in a world that suddenly felt restricted. And then it ‘got worse’ with a diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Glandular Fever/Epstein Barr Virus and Fibromyalgia… all at once.

I had surgery on the aftermath of injury at 19 years old as my body wasn’t healing properly. In the meantime, my case was being trialled at Court so that I could put a stop to the person involved in contributing to the injury continuing to hurt young athletic girls (she had a past full of doing wrong by those under her physical care & so I had to take a stand for all of us!)

So, for young active girl, this was a scary position to be in. I was depressed and frustrated to be not only going through it all but not knowing if I would ever be the same again. The girl that once had so much going for her.  

One afternoon, during quiet time sitting in nature to try to clear my mind, I noticed the sunlight dancing through the leaves and the way the breeze felt against my skin. I took a deep breath and allowed myself to simply be present in that moment. That simple act of noticing… I mean really noticing, brought me a spark of joy I hadn’t expected or experienced in such a long time during my road to recovery.

In that moment, I decided something. I chose to deliberately look for happiness in my life despite what was going on around me. I began experimenting with other ways to connect with myself and the life I was born to live. I couldn’t work so I used my time to follow what I felt would feel good for the day.

I started painting small abstract pieces, not worrying about the result but simply enjoying the movement of the brush across the canvas. I remember one day, when I was sharing my little paintings with a neighbour, seeing the genuine delight in her eyes and it reminded me how connection can spark joy as much as any activity I used to do.

This wasn’t about trying to be the same as I once was anymore, but how I can BE from here NOW. I chose to let go of what I thought I should be and started to discover who I could become while inviting that girl that always had so much going for her along for the ride.

Being a girl who used to only daydream to herself, I also discovered the joy of deep, meaningful & inspiring conversations. I began to learn how to get comfortable to open up to close friends, exploring stories, dreams, and future aspirations. Even though it always looked like I had many friends, these moments of connection gave me a sense of fulfilment and closeness that I hadn’t fully appreciated before my injury and illness.

Through all of this, I realised something powerful: joy isn’t limited to the things we think we need or the things that we do. It can be found in small moments, in creativity, in connection, and in presence.

Even when life takes away what we love, it often gifts us new perspectives and opportunities for growth. And it is closely related to WHO we truly are, not what we think we should be.

As actor Matthew McConaughey recently shared in his interview with The Diary of a CEO, His father taught him a lot about possibility. He used to say to Matthew when he’d say “I can’t”… “you’re sure you’re not just having trouble?”. This is a wonderful and gentle reminder that “can’t” doesn’t have to mean ‘impossible’. It often just means we’re facing a challenge. Challenges invite us to explore, adapt, and grow in ways we might not have imagined. Watch the whole interview here – https://youtu.be/QMzxNfX-uAg

I wanted to share this with you as a reminder that even when life appears to take away what we love in the moment, it can open the door to discovering joy in unexpected places.

Sometimes, the detours teach us more than the path we originally envisioned.

Sending you love, resilience, and encouragement on your own journey,
💜 Angela Joy x