Joy Resources

Joy isn't denial. It's renewable energy.

This page is a curated collection of music, books, voices, and simple practices that remind us who we are, what we stand for, and how to stay grounded — especially during noisy, uncertain moments.

These are resources we return to when we need perspective, courage, or a little light.

Music That Lifts & Grounds

Songs that help reset the nervous system, reconnect us to joy, and remind us we’re not alone.

1. Light of a Clear Blue Morning — Dolly Parton (new release)
2. Here Comes the Sun — The Beatles
3. Lovely Day — Bill Withers
4. People Get Ready — The Impressions
5. Try a Little Tenderness — Otis Redding
6. Lean on Me — Bill Withers
7. This Land Is Your Land — Woody Guthrie
8. A Change Is Gonna Come — Sam Cooke
9. Love Train — The O’Jays
10. Higher Ground — Stevie Wonder
11. Put a Little Love in Your Heart — Jackie DeShannon
12. Smilin’ — Tommy Castro

Books That Restore Perspective

Books that offer wisdom, humor, resilience, or a wider view — without despair or cynicism.

Endurance & Moral Courage

For steadying yourself when the world feels unmoored.

Man’s Search for Meaning — Viktor Frankl
A testament to meaning as survival. Quiet, unbreakable strength.

Living in Truth — Václav Havel
Moral courage without theatrics. A guide for dignified resistance.

On Tyranny — Hannah Arendt
Clear-eyed thinking when systems wobble.

Joy as Resistance

Choosing humanity as an act of defiance.

Jesus and the Disinherited — Howard Thurman
Strength, dignity, and love under pressure.

All About Love — bell hooks
Love as a daily practice, not a platitude.

The Book of Joy — Desmond Tutu & the Dalai Lama
Grounded, sincere, and surprisingly practical.

Prevailing Against the Odds

Because progress is rarely loud — but it endures.

Hope in the Dark — Rebecca Solnit
Hope as something you do, not something you wait for.

On Tyranny — Timothy Snyder
Short, bracing, and stabilizing.

The Soul of America — Jon Meacham
A reminder: we’ve been here before — and prevailed.

Celebratory & Reclaiming Joy

Not just surviving — reclaiming life.

The Book of Delights — Ross Gay
Small joys, noticed and honored.

Bird by Bird — Anne Lamott
Permission to be human. Funny, tender, and honest.

The Gifts of Imperfection — Brené Brown
Wholeness without hustle.

American Ideals, Reclaimed

The promise, reclaimed from the margins.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass — Frederick Douglass
Dignified, fierce, and foundational.

The Fire Next Time — James Baldwin
Truth-telling that clarifies rather than condemns.

Democracy Awakening — Heather Cox Richardson
Calm, factual, restorative.

😂 Laughing Through It

Because sometimes the bravest thing you can do is laugh and keep going.

Let’s Pretend This Never Happened — Jenny Lawson
Unhinged, deeply human, and truly laugh-out-loud.

Me Talk Pretty One Day — David Sedaris
Observational humor that reminds us we’re all ridiculous.

Voices Worth Listening To

Writers, thinkers, and observers who speak with clarity, compassion, and perspective.

Heather Cox Richardson
Calm historical framing that lowers the temperature while sharpening understanding.

Michelle Obama
Practical resilience. Grounded dignity. Forward motion.

Brené Brown
Courage without performance. Vulnerability as strength.

Desmond Tutu
Joy that coexists with moral clarity.

Jon Meacham
History as stabilizer, not alarm bell.

Timothy Snyder
Short, practical reminders about democratic responsibility.

Rebecca Solnit
Hope as participation.

Small Practices That Help

Not self-optimization. Just simple practices that help bring the nervous system back into balance.

1. Two-Minute Reset
Step outside. Look at the sky. Name five things you see. Slow the breath. This interrupts spirals.

2. One Beautiful Thing
Each day, intentionally notice one small, specific moment of beauty. A shadow. A laugh. A patch of light. Write it down.

3. Read Something Older Than the News Cycle
Ten pages of a book written decades ago. Perspective returns quickly.

4. Move Your Body (Even Briefly)
A short walk. Stretching. Music in the kitchen. Movement metabolizes stress.

5. Send One Encouraging Message
Joy multiplies when shared. Reach out to someone steadying.

6. Protect Your Inputs
Limit doom-scrolling windows. Choose depth over volume.

7. Make Something
Cook. Draw. Sing. Plant something. Creation counters helplessness.

Joy is renewable.

These resources aren’t about escaping reality — they’re about staying present, connected, and capable of care. We’ll continue to add to this page as we find things worth sharing.