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I Took the Road I Didn’t Know
A Joy Quest story about discovering that courage doesn’t always make the fear go away The other day, I had a mammogram appointment in Devon. Not exactly a Joy Quest. But I’ve been trying to get better at looking at days that already have obligations attached to them and asking whether there might be room for something enjoyable too. I had a couple of things to do before my appointment, so I left early. First stop was Tomahawk. I needed to drop off an ear swab from Gizmo at the vet to make sure his ear infection was finally gone. From there, I was heading to Calmar. For apple fritters.…
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The Cinnamon Bun, the White Buffalo, and Turning Around
A Joy Quest story about what happens when you stop long enough to look Earlier this week, my husband had to go to RedDeer for a minor surgery. Not exactly the beginning of an adventure. But I’ve been trying to look at ordinary days differently lately. One of the things I’m learning through my Joy Quest is that I don’t necessarily need to plan an entire day around finding joy. Sometimes I can look at a day that’s already happening and ask: Is there something here I might enjoy? So while we were in Red Deer, I decided we might as well add a small Joy Quest. Breakfast. More specifically,…
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When the Road Disappeared
I thought we were going scouting for a fishing spot. We packed our fishing rods, just in case we found a place worth casting a line. Mostly, though, it was an excuse for a drive. Those have become some of my favourite days. We drove for what felt like forever down lease roads that wound through the Alberta bush. The farther we went, the quieter everything became. I noticed something that would have been impossible a few years ago. I was enjoying the drive. Not trying to make it productive. Not thinking about what I should be doing instead. Just looking out the window. The trees. The changing light. The…
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I Went Fishing to See If I Actually Liked It
Sometimes the biggest catch isn’t the one at the end of your line. One of the questions I’ve been asking myself during my Joy Quest is surprisingly simple. Do I actually like this? It sounds like an easy question. For me, it isn’t. Fishing was something my family did while I was growing up. For years, I assumed I liked fishing because… well… I went fishing. But after realizing how much of my life had been shaped by survival mode, I started wondering how many of my preferences were actually mine. How many things had I carried into adulthood simply because they belonged to the people around me? So when…
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Why Curiosity Is Becoming My New Religion
A couple of years ago, if you had asked me what I believed about healing, I could have given you an answer. Actually, I could have given you several. I had spent years reading the books. Taking the courses. Collecting certifications. Learning the language. Like so many women searching for healing, I wanted to believe there was a path. If I learned enough, practiced enough, understood enough, eventually I would arrive somewhere called “healed.” I wasn’t trying to fool anyone. I genuinely believed I had found something worth sharing. But underneath all of that certainty was a woman who was barely holding herself together. I just didn’t know it yet.…
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The Apple Fritter Worth Driving Two Hours For
A few years ago, I don’t think I would have driven two hours for a cinnamon bun. Not because I didn’t enjoy cinnamon buns. Because I couldn’t have justified it. There was always something more practical to do. Laundry. Groceries. Work. Emails. A house to take care of. Someone who needed something. A day spent driving for the simple pleasure of trying a bakery felt… unnecessary. Maybe even a little irresponsible. At the time, I thought that was just who I was. Practical. Responsible. Efficient. I didn’t realize I had spent most of my life measuring every decision by its usefulness. That realization didn’t come until much later. It came…
