50 Things That Bring Joy in Midlife
For as long as I can remember — even through the toughest seasons of raising kids, navigating career challenges, being married, and losing my mom — there has always been this steady spark inside me…things that bring joy.
It’s quiet, but it’s constant. An internal joy for life. For love. For living. For the simple joys. For the ordinary things that make me stop mid-day and think, I’m so grateful I get to live this life.
Today, I felt it again.
I was going about a completely normal day when I caught myself smiling — almost giddy — thinking about the smallest, most ordinary things that quietly make this season of midlife feel rich. One by one, they started coming to me.
So I sat and wrote them down so that I could write this post.
These are 50 things that bring me joy in midlife.
The Joy of Alignment
When life fits better than it used to.
Midlife has made me more honest with myself. I don’t force what doesn’t fit anymore. There’s relief in that.
- Saying no without practicing the explanation so that it “lands” better.
- Leaving a party early because I want to.
- Wearing what feels like me — not what’s trending.
- Editing my calendar instead of filling it.
- Deleting an app, unfollowing someone, or unsubscribing without announcing it.
- Buying fewer, better things.
- Trusting my first instinct and acting upon it.
The Joy of Sensory Comfort
Because my nervous system matters more now than ever!!
I care more about how things feel than how they look. Comfort is no longer indulgent; it’s a necessity.
- High-quality bed linens and towels.
- Lighting lamps instead of turning on overhead lights.
- A quality cup of coffee, I actually sit down and drink.
- Matching pajamas with cozy socks.
- A clean house (and I will pay to make sure it happens). 🙂
- Good olive oil or grass-fed butter on the best sourdough bread.
- Clothing in natural fibers, instead of plastic.
The Joy of Enoughness
No more proving.
I don’t need everything to be upgraded, optimized, or impressive. Enough feels peaceful now.
- Repeating outfits.
- Keeping the same phone for years
- A simple meal that satisfies.
- Not upgrading just because I can.
- Being done with comparison.
- Letting my house look lived-in.
- Feeling content without a milestone attached.
The Joy of Selective Connection
Depth over volume.
I don’t need a wide circle. I want a real one. The kind where you don’t have to put on.
- A few dear friends who know my whole life’s history.
- Friends where time apart doesn’t change a thing
- Laughing until my stomach hurts.
- Dinner with four people instead of fourteen.
- Shared silence that isn’t awkward.
- Being fully seen, understood, and unjudged.
- Letting relationships evolve organically and naturally.
The Joy of Personal Rhythm
Living at my own pace.
Midlife has taught me that energy is finite. I protect it differently now. For example, I used to live for the weekend. Now I try to build a life I don’t need to escape from.
- Going to bed early without apologizing.
- Moving my body because it feels good — not because I “have to.”
- Walking without tracking steps.
- A Sunday with no reset, planning or meal prep, if I choose.
- Reading instead of scrolling.
- Leaving margin in my week and weekends.
- Deciding how I want to spend my evenings as an empty nester.
The Joy of Ordinary Beauty
I finally notice it.
Nothing about this is dramatic. It’s just attention.
- Clean countertops.
- Fresh grocery store flowers.
- A freshly made bed at the end of the day.
- The sound of the washing machine finishing a load.
- A beautifully styled bookshelf, with real books, in your personal, private space.
- A good rug under my feet.
- The way the house settles at the end of the day.
The Joy of Self-Trust
I’ve lived enough to know.
There’s a sureness that comes from experience. I don’t second-guess myself the way I used to.
- Not second-guessing myself.
- Saying, “That’s not for me.”
- Letting go of who I used to be.
- Dressing for comfort and confidence.
- Not apologizing for my boundaries.
- Speaking directly, not apologizing
- Being okay with being misunderstood.
- Understanding that joy was here all along. I just notice it now.
Maybe It’s Time to Write Your Own List of Things That Bring Joy
As I wrote these down, I realized something.
None of them are overly fancy or dramatic. None of them require a total reinvention. Most of them don’t cost anything. They’re small. Ordinary. Easy to overlook.
And yet, they’re the threads that hold my days together, and honestly keep me sane on the days when I feel like my life is a hot mess.
That steady spark I’ve carried through the years? It isn’t tied to milestones or perfect seasons. It lives in these quiet everyday moments — the way my home feels at the end of the day, a conversation with a friend that feels easy, the relief of choosing what fits at 6:30 am.
Maybe your list would look different. Maybe your joy shows up in early morning walks or evening strolls through the neighborhood. Or music in the kitchen. Or the way someone laughs when they’re really relaxed. Or the feeling of finishing something you started. Whatever it is, it’s probably already there.
It took me a while to realize…you don’t have to manufacture or create joy in midlife. You just have to notice it. For me, this is how to find joy in everyday life — not by chasing more, but by noticing what already feels good.
If joy has been hiding in your life and you need help finding it, check out my Joy Library and download my Where’s Your Joy Hiding Guide.
Take a few minutes and write your own list. Not the impressive version. Not the Pinterest version. The honest one. You might be surprised by how much is already good. 🩷
Want to Go a Little Deeper?
If this list of things that bring joy reminded you how much good is already here, you might love my post on gratitude and how it quietly reshapes the way we see our everyday lives.
It’s not about forcing positivity. It’s about training your eyes to notice what’s steady and good.
👉 Read it here: The Heart of Gratitude: How Science and Soul Rewire Your Joy
