Returning to Joy: The Art of Slowing Down and Remembering Yourself

When Joy Feels Out of Reach

There are seasons in life when joy feels distant—when even the simplest pleasures seem dulled by exhaustion, stress, or a lingering sense of disconnection. Maybe you’ve been moving through the motions, tending to everyone else’s needs, or simply trying to stay afloat in a world that rarely pauses. I’ve been there too—caught in that quiet hum of burnout where joy feels like something to find rather than something to feel.

It’s in these moments that the work begins not in striving, but in softening. Joy doesn’t always arrive through effort—it often returns when we slow down enough to listen, breathe, and allow the body to remember what aliveness feels like.

The First Step: Slowing Down to Breathe Again

When life feels overwhelming, the most healing thing we can do is to pause. It might sound simple, but slowing down is radical in a culture that glorifies productivity. Start by connecting with your breath—steady, gentle, and present. As you breathe, allow your awareness to soften into your body. Notice where tension sits and invite space around it.

From here, you can begin to engage your imagination through sensory visualization. Picture a place that feels safe and nourishing—maybe somewhere you’ve been before, or a landscape your heart longs for. What do you see around you? What sounds fill the air? What scents linger? How does the light, heat, or brisk air move across your skin? Is there a taste, a texture, a rhythm that feels familiar and grounding? Let this imagery fill you until you begin to sense the edges of peace returning.

These sensory anchors remind the nervous system that safety and connection are available, even when life feels chaotic.

Returning to Gratitude

Once you’ve reconnected with your breath and body, begin to layer on gratitude—a quiet, consistent practice that shifts perspective and gently reopens the heart. Try starting each morning by acknowledging one thing, however small, that supports you. It could be the warmth of sunlight filtering through your window, the comfort of your morning ritual, or the steady rhythm of your breath that never leaves you.

Over time, this ritual of reverence begins to rewire the nervous system. Gratitude becomes the doorway back to joy—not forced or fleeting, but a deep remembering of what it means to be alive and supported by the world around you.

An Ongoing Practice of Presence

These practices aren’t quick fixes; they’re invitations. As someone who has walked through burnout and the fog of depression, I’ve learned that reconnecting with joy isn’t about chasing light—it’s about learning to sit in the dim and trust that warmth still lives there. Through breath, visualization, and gratitude, we slowly return to ourselves—one gentle moment at a time.

Hey I’m Chelsea Saunders,

a trauma-informed somatic coach, Reiki master, and sound therapy practitioner based in Los Angeles. I help people reconnect with their bodies, desires, and relationships through experiential, embodied practices like coaching, Reiki, breathwork, and sound.

If this story resonates with you, explore my services to see how we can work together — online or in person.

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