“For me, downtime has brought me endless joy over the past year. With a busy lifestyle, it’s integral for me and it has been the one thing that has kept me going, often through relaxing or spending quality time with my six-year-old, Izobel, which usually consists of playing about with technical Lego!”

“I got a new puppy in March after losing my last dog, and the subsequent lack of walking and exercise that went with it were pretty miserable. Since getting a new puppy, I’ve found the enthusiasm to walk beyond what was needed and it’s really brought me a lot of joy this year.”

“The one thing that brought me joy in 2022 was my first ever fam [familiarisation] trip to Croatia as a result of a business partnership venture with a private island I have managed to secure. This was my first time in Croatia and I absolutely loved it!”

“DIY and making things for my home was the simple joy that got me through 2022. As a DIY and interiors writer, DIY is usually a big part of daily life, but this year I challenged myself to undertake creative projects on a much larger scale and to work with unusual and exciting textures and materials. 

“I started the year with a bang by microcementing my kitchen (it was a bit of a bold leap as I hadn’t actually worked with microcement before) and I found the process of sculpting the structure of the kitchen by hand (on a tiny budget) so rewarding and empowering that it spurred me on to try more and more exciting projects.”

“As a child, I was always interested in martial arts and studied taekwondo. But money was tight and grading was expensive, so I was unable to continue to black belt.

“I reignited my love for martial arts when, on a solo trip to Thailand earlier this year, I booked myself in for a Muay Thai lesson at a top training camp in Koh Samui.

“Known as the “art of eight limbs”, the training was brutal, unforgiving, hard work and very humbling… I was instantly hooked. As soon as I came back to the UK, I looked up classes and started going regularly and the mental, emotional joy it has given me is incomparable.”

“Music, particularly Afrobeats, brought me a lot of joy in 2022. This year I really tried to celebrate every little thing. From a promotion and new family members to business achievements. I partied more than ever before, which to an introvert like me was like discovering a whole new world. I made amazing memories with friends, enjoyed the music, danced, met new people and really cherished the present moment. It’s been my most joyful year to date.”

“Introducing my teenage children to reruns of the IT Crowd on Netflix has brought me a lot of joy this year. It’s been nice to have a shared TV moment we could all connect to and laugh at.”

“This may sound really fickle, but a simple joy that got me through 2022 was attending Notting Hill Carnival in costume. I had never played mas before (‘playing mas’ is being part of a band/truck in costume) and it was on my bucket list of non-career activities to accomplish. 

“The joy of anticipation in the months leading up to August, taking care of my body in the build-up, and doing something completely out of my comfort zone gave me nervous excitement. For me, it qualifies as the simple joy of being carefree and happy after a two-year pandemic. The nostalgia from the event still gives me warm fuzzy feels to this very day!”

“Going to the gym every day kept me sane post-Covid, and I absolutely loved it. It’s something that gives me pure joy whenever I’m in that space and I feel motivated and invigorated just by being there.”

“My one joy has been being able to travel again. It’s such an important part of life for those who are able to do so, and having this freedom has brought so much joy to my life and really made a positive impact on my year.”