Back to joy

I was listening to a podcast, and the host discussed dialectical therapy. In her talk, she referenced that before going to therapy, she had a battle with substance abuse. She mentioned that she took drugs for a quick relief from the stress. It got me thinking. You go to substances, drugs, alcohol, and unhealthy relationships that provide a quick fix of pleasure but then long-term guilt and often deadly consequences. What if we instead went back to those things that brought us joy? For example, I went to a thrift store and purchased an old jack in the box. A toy that brought up memories of my youth. Feelings of joy came over me. I can return to that jack-in-the-box or any memorabilia that evokes happiness. We all can. If you need to cope. Perhaps consider selecting what can bring you joy but doesn’t need to be hidden or can lead to negative consequences.