Newsletter for January 23, 2026
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#100! 🥳 Happiness, Defiant Joy, and a Milestone...
Can we just take a second to celebrate? This is the 100th edition of this newsletter! Yipppeee!! 🥳
Whether you’ve been with me since Issue #1, or this is your very first time opening an email from me, thank you for being part of the It’s Bizzy community. Writing these to you every week has become one of my favorite rhythms, and I’m so grateful you’re here.
Fittingly, for this milestone issue, I’ve been reflecting on a word that keeps showing up in my thoughts lately: JOY.
It started when my friend Becky Shipos mentioned the difference between happiness and joy on our January podcast. Since then, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. Why does happiness feel so fleeting while joy feels like an anchor?
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines joy as:
A feeling of great happiness or pleasure; delight.
A state of great happiness; bliss.
A source or cause of delight.
But as I’ve sat with this, I’ve realized that while happiness often depends on our "happenings" (things going exactly our way), joy is something much deeper.
In fact, I just sat down with the incredible Stasi Eldredge for an upcoming episode of the podcast, and she speaks about something she calls "Defiant Joy." It’s the kind of joy that chooses to see the beauty and the light, even when the world feels heavy or the "crops are failing," as Maia Wojciechowska once wrote.
Before I go, I want to hear from you: In honor of our 100th newsletter, tell me—what is bringing you JOY right now? Is it a "bundle of joy" in the family, the "pride and joy" of a new hobby, or just a quiet moment of peace?
Hit reply and let me know. Your replies help make sure these emails keep landing in your inbox (and they truly make my day!).
Wishing you a weekend full of the "good stuff,"
XO
Bizzy