You Deserve Happiness—Yes, You

It’s Been a Lot. You Still Deserve Joy.

Dear Friends,

Let’s just be honest: the world feels heavy right now. The news scrolls like a dystopian novel. Prices climb, rights get rolled back, and many of us are quietly managing more than we let on. Whether it’s caregiving, grief, burnout, or just plain exhaustion—it’s a lot.

So this is your reminder:

Take care of yourself. Not just because it’s nice. Because it’s necessary.

This isn’t about bubble baths and fancy candles (though hey, no judgment if that’s your thing). It’s about fiercely protecting your well-being in a world that will drain you dry if you let it.

• Go outside. Even if it’s just to stand in the sun for five minutes.
• Drink water. Not coffee. Not wine. Water.
• Say no to things you do not have the energy for. No is a complete sentence.
• Laugh like you mean it. Seek out the weird, the funny, the joyful. Watch a movie that’s beneath you. Dance in your kitchen. Read the comics. Play with your dog like you’re both five years old.

We need more joy, not less.

There’s a lie floating around that says self-care is selfish. That taking time to rest or laugh or chase something beautiful is indulgent. But the truth is: you can’t pour from an empty cup. You can’t show up for your family, your work, or the causes you care about if your spirit is running on fumes.

Taking care of yourself isn’t a luxury. It’s a quiet act of rebellion.

It says, “I still believe I matter, even when the world forgets.”

It says, “I deserve to feel peace, even in chaos.”

It says, “I’m still here. I’m still trying. And that counts.”

So yes, the world is tough right now. But that’s exactly why you need to rest. Recharge. Reconnect with the things that light you up from the inside out. There is no trophy for grinding yourself into the ground. There is no gold star for suffering in silence.

You are allowed to seek happiness. You are allowed to feel good. You are allowed to protect your peace like your life depends on it—because in some ways, it does.

Here’s your permission slip to do whatever it takes to feel more human and less like a machine on autopilot.

Because joy is not frivolous.

Because hope is not weakness.

Because you are still worthy of a life that feels good inside your skin.

Let the world rage on. You’ve got flowers to plant. Books to read. A body to move. Friends to hug. And a life to live—not just survive.

Take care of yourself like you’d take care of your best friend.

Because you are someone’s best friend.

Because you are your own.

Stay strong. Stay soft. Stay stubborn about joy.

With heart,

Julie Bolejack, MBA