Chaotic Joy

Chaotic Joy

If you want more joy and connection in your life, join me weekly as I share what brought me joy, what challenged me, and what trouble I'm up to.

2024 is coming to a close. Whether it’s the impending realization that I did not get nearly the amount of stuff done that I wanted to get done, or if it’s because the election results have me questioning how to best proceed with my writing, I want to try an experiment for the rest of the year.

On the stellar advice of my nemesis, play expert Jeff Harry, I will be reflecting daily about what has brought me joy, fun, or play; what challenges or difficulty I’m working through; and sharing more about my daily life (and not just the highlight reel). In return, I hope to hear about the daily happiness, suffering, and minutiae from my friends, readers, and random people on the internet.

Connection and community is how we’ll make it

I want to deepen how I show up to and for people. I want to connect with people out of joy and brightness in addition to the slog and suffering of life.

I’m no longer a follower of the Christian myth, but one tenet I took from my time served was the idea of rejoicing with those who rejoice and mourning with those who mourn. I’d like to think it freed me from a lot of comparison and envy, and taught me how to be a good friend.

Well, for the rest of the year, not only do I want to continue living this way for others, I’d like to start doing so for myself. Part of being a good friend to myself will be to rejoice for myself when I rejoice and to mourn for myself when I mourn. This seems redundant, but I guess I want to be more mindful of my life instead of just muddling through.

I want to pay attention.

Dialing up the chaotic good

I want to spread joy.

I refuse to allow the people who voted for hate and death to rob me of my shine.

I want to revel in the absurd hilarity and sorrow of being human. I want to love and remind folks they are loved and deserve good things in their lives.

I want to pursue my joy and wholeness, even as I am honest about the challenges and frustrations of my daily life. I refuse to squish myself back into what white supremacy claims is an acceptable Asian. (You might even say that I’m doubling down on being a Brazn Azn.)

Are you sick and mad of being sick and mad? Do you long for deeper, kinder connection with other humans? If so, then, join me in this grand adventure of chronicling the chaotic joy in our lives. The easiest way to do so is to sign up for my newsletter.

Until the next “Chaotic Joy” post, let’s make good trouble.

Author

Virginia Duan is the entertainment editor for "Mochi Magazine," a freelance writer, and an Asian American author who writes stories full of rage and grief with biting humor and glimpses of grace. She spends most of her days plotting her next book or article, shuttling her children about, participating in more group chats than humanly possible, and daydreaming about BTS a totally normal amount.

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