Joy Is a Dangerous Rebellion

For many of us, joy is a dangerous rebellion.

Why?

Because joy is wild.
It has no reins.

It bubbles up without asking permission—
without checking who’s watching,
or whether it’s appropriate,
or whether it might make someone uncomfortable.

Joy is proof of desire.

And desire has a terrible reputation.

We’ve reduced it to sex, when in reality, desire is a survival instinct.
Desire feeds us.
Keeps us warm.
Moves us toward connection.
Gets us out of the cave.

If we weren’t wired with desire from birth, we wouldn’t be here.

And yet—

Desire has been vilified so hard that people are now afraid to admit they want anything at all.

Which is… ridiculous.

Because if no one wanted anything,
we’d still be huddled around a fire,
eating roots,
afraid of the dark.

Now—watch what happens when someone experiences joy.

Watch the raised eyebrows.
The whispered commentary.
The tsk, tsk, tsk.

Watch people react to someone singing or dancing to their favorite song.

“Look at her shaking her a$$.”

(And yes—I loved the Bad Bunny halftime show.
I’m a Spanish speaker. Former teacher.
I know the lyrics and the cultural context.
That wasn’t chaos—that was rhythm, pride, and pure expression.
Muy bien, Benito. 💃)

Watch a touchdown celebration.

“Too much.”
“So attention-seeking.”
“Just hand the ball to the ref.”

Watch what happens when someone loses weight.
Gets promoted.
Starts a business.
Feels proud.

“I don’t want to hear about it all the time.”

That’s not neutrality.

That’s people shutting down joy.

Here’s the deeper truth.

True joy isn’t giddy.
It isn’t sparkly.
It doesn’t come and go based on how the day treats you.

True joy is an abiding gladness.
A settled sense of I’m okay… even here.

Joy lives inside contentment, purpose, and connection.
It shows up when life is meaningful—not perfect.
It stays when things are hard.

Happiness reacts to circumstances.
Joy comes from within.

It’s rooted in gratitude.
In grace.
In faith.
In remembering you’re connected to something bigger than this moment.

Joy isn’t something you chase.

It’s a resource you carry.

And for people who haven’t tasted joy in a long time?
That kind of freedom is terrifying.

Because if you can find joy in daily living,
you don’t need their approval anymore.
Or their permission.
Or their rules about what’s “too much.”

That’s how bad leaders operate—they create followers.
Good leaders create more leaders.

And I’m done with people who are quick to disapprove.

I’ve worked too long on clarifying my values, passions, and purpose
to wait on someone else’s permission to live joyfully.

This life is too short for that.

This Week’s Invitation

Notice where you’re shrinking your joy to make others comfortable.
Where you’re dimming yourself to avoid commentary, judgment, or raised eyebrows.

And if you’re ready to strengthen your relationship with your joy—
to protect it, trust it, and let it lead—

That’s the work we do inside Season of Self.

It’s not about comparison.
It’s not about performance.
It’s about personal leadership, self worth, and spiritual resilience—
especially for high achievers who’ve learned to survive without joy.

No pressure.
Just a standing invitation.

If you enjoyed this post, join my inner circle of people on a mission to design a life they don’t need to escape from!