Welcome to the 5-Day Joie Challenge
Every day a new challenge to schedule joy into your day.
Tomorrow we embark on this exciting journey together, challenging ourselves to experience joy every single day. Whether it’s a tough week with back-to-school, back-to-work, or the post-Labor Day hustle, we all deserve—and need—to carve out moments for a bit of joy.
Last week, I shared a bit of the above quote by C.S. Lewis in a post about the lessons I’ve learned from hosting retreats. This quote resonates deeply with me and is one of the inspirations behind this challenge. It serves as a powerful reminder that if we want joy in our lives, we need to actively seek it out and make it a priority. Over the next five days, we will be doing just that—intentionally tapping into joy each day, even if it means scheduling it in.
Each day, you’ll receive a dose of encouragement and a challenge designed to bring you joie de vivre, without stress or guilt. These exercises are meant to be flexible—there’s no pressure to complete them within a specific time frame. Open each email whenever you’re ready—whether one a day, one a week, or even one a month. However, to fully embrace this experience, I encourage you to try doing it daily.
My suggestion: Start your mornings by reading the emails, taking out a journal, and jotting down your joy intentions for the day. I will always provide some suggestions, but you can seek joy in whatever form works for you. I hope that you will carry this practice long after the challenge ends.
And because joy is sweeter when shared with others, here are a few suggestions for you:
1. Forward this welcome email to a friend or family member who can join you on this journey. An accountability partner can help you stay on track and share the joys you discover each day.
2. Join me in the Substack Chat room to share your daily experiences.
3. Snap a picture of something that brought you joy and tag #joiechallenge and @ajiriaki or @madamedelamaison on Instagram. If you’re comfortable, I’ll reshare a few highlights daily. (You can also DM your photos if you prefer not to share them publicly.)
Thank you for being part of this challenge. I’m excited to hear how it encourages you to seek out and make time for joy in your day.
I watched a delightful 4 year old very
happily walk my dog. What a joy.
I shared freshly picked figs from my garden with my friend and her mother, who is 92! And her mother shared her freshly baked fig cookies from a recipe that I shared with her last year. A joy and a blessing to have, such a beautiful Grandmother in my life.