How to Cringe Your Way to a Joyful Life
We often hear about creating a life we love or manifesting our dreams. But let’s be honest: how often does that carefully crafted vision actually bring us happiness? For many, it can feel like, *WTF, this isn’t what I thought it would be.
I’ve been there. When I moved to the countryside, I clung tightly to my identity as a city girl. It was like I needed to prove to myself and the world that I hadn’t changed. Spoiler: I had. And that’s okay.
The Cringe Work
What helped me navigate that uncomfortable shift was something I now call "the cringe work." It’s the work of questioning the identity we’ve been told we are—and even the identity we’ve told ourselves to be—in order to embrace who we actually are.
Becoming a mother brought this into even sharper focus. The balance between who I was, who I’m becoming, and what truly matters now is an ongoing journey. Motherhood invites you to question everything—and in doing so, it shows you what fills your heart.
Even today, I catch myself trying to figure out this mythical thing called "balance." What does it even mean? I’m not sure, but I do know this: whenever I feel lost, I return to one simple question.
The Questions That Guide Me:
1. Where do I feel relaxed?
2. Where do I feel at peace?
3. What does this activity make me feel?
Sometimes, the answers surprise me. Reading a book in solitude might feel like bliss one day, while a camp BBQ with friends might bring joy the next. What I’ve learned is that it’s not about sticking to one identity or way of life. It’s about *choosing in the moment* what fills your heart.
What Brings Me Joy, I Choose Now
This isn’t a one-time exercise. It’s an ongoing practice. Life shifts, and so do we. The activities and spaces that once brought us joy might not anymore. That’s not failure; it’s growth.
So ask yourself: where do you feel most alive? What makes you smile effortlessly? And instead of clinging to what you think should bring you joy, choose the things that actually do. Right here. Right now.