What's On Your Joy List?
Let's replace the Insta year-in-review with a joy list please! I'll go first...
I wanted to send this note to you all while in a chalet in Switzerland on a snow-covered mountain. All the nature and altitude was filling me up with pure joy, appreciation for life, peace and hope for 2024. (Also occasional dizziness.) My plan was to shoot for hitting the send button on December 30th or 31st but it was almost impossible with the kids around. On the 31st while I tried to write, my son reminded me that it’s New Year’s Eve and we’re supposed to spend time together. Damn those kids for keeping me in check sometimes. So I put the devices down, played board games with him, and couldn’t be more thankful for his reminder.
Then I returned to Paris and moved slowly into my week and this new year. (If you follow me on Instagram then you know I also ran off to Nashville for a few days.)
In reality it doesn’t matter if I sent this in 2023 or 2024…I am just grateful to share it and look forward to seeking out more joys in this New Year. Happy New Year!
Last month
wrote a post title What’s On Your Happy List? and I knew immediately that I too wanted to make a list. Except I am more interested in seeking joy than being in constant pursuit of never ending happiness. (Minor detail because her list seems pretty much like her joys to me.) I enjoyed thinking about what should be on this list but then started to get a bit too philosophical and long winded about it. Then posted a Tuesday Thread that focused on people’s favorite things of the year and a little aha bing went off in my head. Instead of overthinking it and trying to think of a broad general list, I feel inspired to look back on the year and make a list of what brought me joy the past year. It’s a nice end of year wrap up and can be short and snappy.Below is my list but I encourage you to copy, paste and share in the comments if you want, or document in your journal. Use the same prompts, add your own, etc… but the point is taking stock of what brought you joy in 2023. It’s similar to a win or gratitude list and can be as big, small, detailed, or as simple as you want. Also don’t confine yourself to when or how you write this list. Write it late January or even February if you want.
I hope you all had a lovely transition into 2024.
Bisous xx, Ajiri
Film: Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris plastered a smile on my face from beginning to end.
TV: Grace and Frankie…I want to have friendships like this as I age.
Book: Inhaling Robinne Lee’s The Idea of You while laying around a pool this past Summer. Also laying around the chalet dog earring
’s new book.Exhibition: The drapery and beautiful dresses in the Azzedine Alaïa x Madame Grès expo at the Fondation Azzedine Alaïa.
Restaurant: I can’t believe it took me 12 months to finally get to Kubri and it was worth the wait. It’s now in my top 5 fav restaurants. Coming back from Summer break and feeling like a kid returning to school when meeting up with my girlfriends at Dar Mima on the roof of the Institute du Monde Arab.
Bar/Cafe : I was a bit bummed that one of my favorite cafes on my street was sold to new owners, but I have gotten to know the new owners and love them as much as the previous ones. Paris is full of cafes but I do love my local spots. Also I loved sitting with my friend David at Bonnie, which is a pricey spot but one of the best views of the city.
Travel: I travel so much and every single trip brought me immense joy. My trip to Lac d’Annecy is pretty high up on that list though because I love solo travel.
Meal that I cooked: An oxtail stew with rice and peas on the side that tasted so delish my kids started arguing over who would finish the pot. I need to try this again asap!
Meals/Parties: Dinner party hosted by dear friends Lindsey Tramuta, Lauren Collins and Aline Asmar D’Amman. Felt surrounded by so much love in Aline’s chic home.
Apéro moment: Hosting an apéro in Paris for all my friends to meet my wonderful agent, Leigh, while she was in town visiting .
Concert: Alexis French concert in London with my daughter.
Simple moment: Reading in a chair on the Lac d’Annecy on a sunny day.
Moments: too many to limit to one so will list a few that quickly come to mind: my book JOIE coming out this Spring, a book tour that took me across the US and allowed me to spend time with family and old friends, reconnecting with an old childhood friend who I haven’t really spent time with since she moved to Nigeria when I was 12 years old, a wonderfully hilarious game of charades with parents from my children’s school while we were on vacation together in Rayol-Candel-sur-Mer, cracking up with my friend Monique while on beautifully luxurious vacation in Monaco and Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, booking a house for vacation in August only to find my friend Ximena was also on vacation 20 minutes away, a week in Como with my friend from grad school in an insanely chic house that was totally overrun with too many children and lots of late night chats and laughs, and any weekend spent at my friend Nessy’s house with again way too many children running wild…ok will stop because I could go on listing so many moments that brought me joy this year.
Discovery: Realizing that I love card games and learning Onze, even though I keep forgetting the correct rules. Someone needs to make a youtube video!
Purchase: A few new favorite red lipsticks since Fenty discontinued my signature Ma’Damn color.
Message that brought me joy: Every single email, DM, text, and message from strangers sharing how my book touched their hearts and inspired them.
Quote: “The true secret of happiness is taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.” - William Morris
Person: Again I can’t name one so… two groups of friends that started as just chat groups and have grown into my closest friends in Paris. From sending each other articles, to being sounding boards, and girls who are always ready to meet up and talk, go see shows, try new restaurants, or pop by and help for a photo shoot or dinner party.
What would you add to your joy list? Love to know in the comments! For sure there are more prompts we can add to this list. I am also thinking 2024 might be the year I document my joys daily as opposed to a gratitude list.
Posts to expect this month and next for subscribers: Chic hotel bars and restaurants in Paris, how to mix and match when styling the table, day trip ideas, retreat 2024 dates and thoughts, and whatever floats in my head that might bring you joy and inspiration.
Yes to all of this! But of course, I'm particularly excited you loved Kubri :) and I say we have a chic gathering at least 2x a year if not more. My joy list: an alarm clock which is helping me reclaim my brain from my phone first thing in the morning; reading nights at home so that I skip streaming binges; and if I'm lucky, more time in Italy this year.
Listing our joys even if they are in the midst of our difficulties is such a powerful practice! Thank you!