Friday Things // 11.20.20

The First Issue of The YAY Club!

Hi friends!

Since you’ve decided to get this message in your inbox, I’m going to just go ahead and assume straight away that you consider us friends. Even if we haven’t met in person yet — it’s done. We’re in this together.

With this being the first issue of The YAY Club, this weekly email from me to you, I thought it might behoove me to explain how this little email party was born. As many of you may know, I’m a writer and editor — by profession, and by heart. I really have no choice but to use writing to express myself. It’s a part of me like breathing, and always has been. It is, for me, the way to process the good, the bad and the messy of life. And this year? Well, I think we can all agree this year’s been one of the messiest.

It’s also left me feeling a bit… stale? On the creative front, that is, and feeling like I just needed a new project or opportunity to connect with people.

As for the name, well, I tend to default to optimism. “YAY” is my natural response to most messages I get! I get excited about things, from the most extraordinary to the tiniest victories, and I will automatically assume the best, digging with my hands to get that sunshine to peek through if need be. It’s my baseline, factory setting, and from conversations I’ve had with so many of you — in person, through Instagram DMs, and everywhere between — a remind of the bright side is something we all need. These days, sure, but always.

But, I don’t believe in glossing over the messy, or ignoring the pain that life can bring us. If you ignore it, it usually grows — it takes on a life of its own. In order for us to become better, and stronger, we have to push through that messiness until we find some semblance of clarity, and have peeled back to the sturdy layer of reslience within us all. At least, that’s my opinion! And that, my friends, is where words come in… and, I hope, this lil newsletter. 🤗

I am a top-of-mind rambler. I know that doesn’t work for everyone, but I sure hope it works for you. And I hope you’ll stay awhile, so we can talk about the things that matter to us on any given Friday. The weather, or the hardness of a holiday in 2020, TSwift lyrics, or the “So unprecedented!” label that’s been taped onto everything concerning this year… whatever. I’m here for you, and I want this newsletter to bring you some solace to know you are not alone. In fact, I’m here with ya, and I’m bringing whatever {probably obnoxiously neon} light I can shine your way.

Every Friday, I’ll be sharing a story or essay, blogpost style. Today’s is a little different, but now you know what to expect. 😻

In full disclosure, I meant to write this to you yesterday, so that we could start off our bright and shiny Friday with this message rarin’ to go, in your inbox within the early morning hours. But… it didn’t quite work out that way.

Yesterday, I was having a bad day. A day where I felt grumpy and gloomy and that feeling where you just want to wring out your soul because the details of the day somehow left it feeling musty and sticky.

We all have our STUFF, capital letters, that roll in each week (heck, maybe each day), and especially this year, it just feels even more complex than usual. And so, there was just no way for me to write how I wanted to with that cloud hanging over my head. So here we are, Friday afternoon (or maybe Friday evening where you are —having a glass of wine for me if so, puh-lease) and I’m committing to keeping my head up and enjoying that today’s Friday, despite the STUFF of yesterday, and even if all our days feel more similar than not nowadays.

So, from my YAY-ing heart to yours, let’s shake off the cobwebs and look for the brightness this weekend, in whatever form it may come for you. 💛

Happy FriYAY,

Joelle

p.s. if there’s anything you would like to see in future editions, shoot me an email, or drop me a DM on Instagram.