Reclaiming Joy as a Form of Rest

How prioritizing joy disrupts grind culture & fuels sustainable liberation

Good morning,

Before we begin, pause.
Breathe deeply.
Feel your shoulders release the tension they've carried. Allow your body to settle into the present. You deserve this moment.

Yesterday, on Day 62 of our 100 Days of Community, we gently explored how reclaiming joy is foundational liberation work—an active rebellion against a society profiting from our exhaustion. Today, (9:30 am est live) as we move into Day 63, we deepen this exploration. We're unpacking rest—not as passive withdrawal, but as a revolutionary choice that disrupts oppressive systems, nourishes our capacity for sustained transformation, and reconnects us to our joy.

Because liberation isn't solely about resisting oppression; it's also about reclaiming our inherent right to joy, rest, and abundant, unapologetic pleasure.

This free offering is part of our ongoing weekly rhythm, providing accessible reflections each Monday. On March 26 and March 28, our paid community will journey even deeper into these liberatory conversations:

• March 26 – Liberated Visioning: How to Dream Beyond Survival
  (Reclaiming imagination as a tool for personal & collective transformation.)

• March 28 – Becoming Someone New: Identity, Evolution, & Self-Trust
  (How to honor the person you’re becoming without clinging to old versions of yourself.)

Each of these deeper dives offers practical, actionable, and profound insights, inviting you to expand beyond survival into a life rooted in thriving and transformation.

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Reclaiming Joy: Your Birthright, Not Your Reward

Have you ever noticed how often joy is positioned as something we must earn?

Supremacy culture conditions us to view rest, pleasure, and joy as commodities we receive only after sacrificing our health, relationships, and inner peace on the altar of productivity. Joy becomes transactional—an afterthought we might "reward" ourselves with once we’ve accomplished enough, produced enough, or suffered enough.

But what if joy was not a reward, but your inherent birthright?

Imagine, just for a moment, that joy is as vital to your survival as breath. Imagine what it means to fiercely reclaim pleasure, rest, and joy as foundational acts—not secondary luxuries.

When you consciously prioritize joy and rest, you're engaging in radical resistance. You're undermining the oppressive narratives of supremacy culture at their very roots.

Radical Joy & Rest: A Revolution Against Supremacy Culture

Joy and rest actively disrupt several oppressive pillars of supremacy culture:

• Sense of Urgency:
  Supremacy culture demands relentless speed and productivity. Prioritizing joy means slowing down deliberately. It disrupts urgency and allows space for reflection, intentionality, and deeper connection with self and others.

• Perfectionism:
  By reclaiming joy without conditions—joy that’s imperfect, spontaneous, and unearned—you reject the myth that you must always meet an impossible standard to be worthy of rest or happiness.

• Individualism:
  Choosing joy is also an act of community-building. Your pleasure and rest naturally ripple outward, encouraging others to reclaim their joy too, breaking down isolation and affirming collective wellness.

• Progress is Bigger, More:
  Joy and rest disrupt the narrative that we must always be expanding, producing, and accumulating. Instead, they teach us satisfaction in simplicity, pleasure in presence, and abundance in enoughness.

This is where profound work like The Nap Ministry by Tricia Hersey becomes essential. Her teachings remind us:

“Rest is resistance because it disrupts capitalism and white supremacy. Rest is reparations. Rest is our human right.”

Rest, joy, and pleasure aren’t frivolous—they’re sacred. By reclaiming them, we begin healing not just individually but collectively, too.

Wisdom from Nature: Spring, Joy, and Cycles of Renewal

Nature offers profound teachings on joy and rest as essential to our cycles of liberation. We have just crossed the threshold of the Spring Equinox, a sacred moment of balance between darkness and light—a gentle reminder from the earth herself that renewal is deeply intertwined with rest and joy.

Consider how Spring arrives: After the quiet slumber of Winter, after months spent resting beneath the soil, seeds courageously break open in joyful rebellion, reaching toward sunlight. Flowers bloom not because they’ve earned it, but because joy and beauty are their natural birthrights. Trees blossom freely, unapologetically celebrating their own renewal without shame or hesitation.

The wisdom here is unmistakable: Nature does not question the necessity of rest, nor does it postpone joy until productivity has been proven. Restful dormancy in Winter nourishes joyful blossoming in Spring. These natural cycles remind us:

• Rest is preparation, not procrastination.

• Joy is essential nourishment, not frivolous indulgence.

• Renewal naturally follows rest, without shame or justification.

By reclaiming joy as an integral part of our lives, we mirror the cycles of nature, trusting that rest is foundational to vibrant, sustainable growth. We honor Spring’s invitation—to shed old narratives of shame and scarcity, and to blossom fearlessly into our own authentic joy.

Ask yourself gently:

• What parts of your life are ready to bloom as you honor your joy and rest?

• How can nature’s effortless cycles teach you to trust your own rhythms more deeply?

• What joyful blossoming have you been postponing, believing you must first "earn" it?

Let Spring guide you into remembering your innate right to rest and joy—recognizing that your liberation, like the earth’s renewal, comes not through constant exertion, but through intentional, joyful presence.

Reflection: Your Joy is the Work

For a long time, I too was caught in grind culture’s relentless cycle. Joy felt like something I had to justify. Rest felt indulgent, selfish even. I remember moments when I’d sit down with my coffee to enjoy the sunrise, immediately feeling guilty—shouldn’t I be working instead?

But over time, through intentional community and liberatory practice, I realized that joy wasn’t something I had to "fit in" around the work; joy was the work.

And when joy became central rather than peripheral, liberation felt less exhausting, less daunting, and more sustainable. I could continue to resist oppressive structures without depleting myself, precisely because I was fueled by genuine joy, rest, and connection.

Invitation to Deepen Your Practice

I invite you now into deep reflection and self-inquiry:

• Where have you internalized the belief that joy must be earned?
  (Who benefits from you believing that your joy and rest are negotiable?)

• How would your life shift if joy and rest were foundational rather than peripheral?
  (What becomes possible if pleasure is not something you chase, but something you embody?)

• What acts of joy feel radical and revolutionary to you?
  (How can these practices disrupt oppressive narratives in your life and community?)

These questions aren’t simple—they’re revolutionary. And as we journey deeper, paid subscribers gain access to weekly guided practices, actionable resources, and an intentional community dedicated to joy-centered liberation. Together, we move beyond theory into embodied practice.

If you're ready to embrace joy as a core part of your liberation, and to join a community dedicated to nourishing your personal and collective freedom, I warmly invite you to subscribe.

Join us today to reclaim joy, rest, and community-centered liberation.
(Scholarships available if finances are a barrier; email Scholarships@DesireeBStephens.com)

Radical Joy Practice for Today

Today, practice choosing joy deliberately:

• Allow yourself 15 uninterrupted minutes for joy—whether that’s dancing, sipping tea mindfully, journaling gratitude, connecting with a loved one, or simply sitting in the sun.

• Notice any resistance or guilt that arises. Acknowledge it gently, reminding yourself: Joy is my birthright. Rest is my revolution.

Moving Forward: Liberated Imagination & Authentic Evolution

Later this week, we deepen our liberation journey together:

• March 26 (Paid) – Liberated Visioning:
  Learn how radical rest and joy unlock our imagination, freeing us to dream beyond survival. We'll explore how collective joy fosters visionary liberation and transformation.

• March 28 (Paid) – Becoming Someone New:
  Discover how prioritizing joy and rest creates space to become your evolving self without shame. Honor the courage it takes to trust your journey and identity.

Each step you take toward joy and rest heals both you and the collective, dismantling supremacy culture’s grip and moving us all toward a world rooted in joy, community care, and sustainable liberation.

Remember: Your joy isn’t a reward; it’s your revolution.

Thank you for joining me on this path. Together, we rest, reclaim, and joyfully resist. Lear how to recognize and dismantle the 15 Pillars of Supremacy Culture

In solidarity, abundant joy, and collective rest,

Desireé B. Stephens, CPS-P
Educator | Counselor | Community Builder
Founder, Make Shi(f)t Happen