By now y'all know: we got new music from Beyoncé! She dropped RENAISSANCE on Friday, just Act 1 of her three-part series. If you've been keeping up with the blog, you know that I've been following the 'Road to Renaissance' since she dropped her single "Break My Soul" last month. Now that new music is finally here, I've been able to sit back and watch the overwhelming impact Beyoncé is having on people.
I have never seen Black women blossom the way they do when Beyoncé shows up. Playing her music, watching her perform, and even just saying her name brings joy to their spirits. And when you zoom out to look at the big picture, Beyoncé seems to have this effect on everyone. Men (especially Black men) love her, women of all shades adore her, and children grow up with Beyoncé as part of the soundtrack of their lives.
Feeling so much joy from RENAISSANCE's release prompted me think about how important it is to experience these joyous moments. We are in the middle of two (count 'em) TWO pandemics, a global recession, a climate crisis, and growing military violence. Chaos and dread have become a part of our everyday lives, weighing us down and draining our spirits. But then Beyoncé drops an album and suddenly some of that pain is lifted. Suddenly, people have a reason to dance and sing and avert their attention from negative things, even if just for one moment. This is the power of one person's joy and their ability to spread it to all corners of the world.
Joy is so powerful and so infectious that I started to think of ways that I could spread more infectious joy as well. I don't want to keep this joyous feeling to myself. I want others to experience the joy of being moved to dance, sing, smile, and breathe deeply. None of us are Beyoncé, but we all have the power to snuff out darkness by casting light through joy. Each of us has the power to not only nurture joy in our own spaces of darkness but to also spread joy to others who may be struggling to do the same. In a world clouded with sorrow, joy is one of the few things that brings light.
The good thing is it honestly doesn't take much effort. I gave it some thought and came up with a list of 10 things you can do to spread joy where you are right now.
It can look like...
Holding the door for someone else
Giving someone a compliment
Encouraging your colleagues
Greeting someone cheerfully
Thanking others for their assistance
Tipping service people well
Giving what you can to those in need
Cheering people on
Volunteering to help others
Being kind!
It doesn't matter that you start small—it just matters that you start. Spreading joy is one of the quickest ways to experience joy yourself, making for a brighter and lighter day. There's enough negativithy to go around, so let's treat joy the same and spread as much as we can. In a time of despair make this a renaissance of joy!
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