#95😂 Practicing Joy is an Act of Resistance
Finding power when it seems like you have none.
Welcome to Tech Atypically 👋, your weekly blog for navigating the challenges of ADHD and being in the tech industry.
I am an ADHD and product management coach helping you change one belief and take one action each week.
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Part 9 of the Finding Happiness Series
🦋The Takeaways
Belief: I am powerless to change the world around me.
Reality: Practicing joy is an act of resistance against power.
Action: Create moments of joy to invite others to join the resistance.
⭐️Introduction
Apologies for the three-week absence. I had two weekends in a row of different illnesses, and it’s been hard to find time to write.
Today's newsletter is inspired by the Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl halftime show and comedian Josh Johnson's viral response. I've been feeling powerless since the change in US Presidency in January. I've tried to hide my head in the sand and ignore the news but I didn't know how to fight back.
However, these performers reminded me I have a power no one can take away. The power to practice joy.
😵💫The Belief - Powerlessness Is Overwhelming
I have been stressed out the last few months. As someone with a mixed-race, multi-lingual, and neurodivergent family that works in Tech, it seems like nothing is safe. Not my family, not my job.
I'm scared that I or one of my family members will be harassed for speaking Thai or Spanish in public. Or the color of my skin and large body will threaten someone while I'm running in the morning. These aren't abstract fears. These are real things that have happened to me and my family members.
I'm scared my family and I won't get access to our ADHD medication because the US Secretary of Health believes in “wellness farms” over medication as a solution.
On top of all this, I worry if my wife or I will lose our jobs in the ever-turbulent Tech industry. Two weeks ago, during a family vacation to Legoland, I was notified by co-workers that several people I work closely with were let go. I had to ask my wife to step away from the family to call co-workers to find out if I still had a job.
I still have a job (hurrah). I'm not one of the tens of thousands of people in the US who have lost or will lose their jobs this year.
I swing between being angry watching my friends worried, to feeling hopeless there’s nothing I can do.
🤝The Reality - Joy Is Revolutionary
You and I have more power than we realize. We may not be able to change the world but we can change what's in front of us.
As Josh Johnson said in his response to Kendrick Lamar's performance: "One of the most revolutionary things you can do is just have joy." He emphasized that joy is not the same as happiness – it's deeper, more deliberate, and more defiant.
Johnson also noted that "the only way to stop black history from going away is to make more of it all the time, make new history." This applies to all marginalized communities. When we engage in joy, we're not just making ourselves feel better – we're creating moments of resistance that tell the world: you can't take this from me.
For those of us with ADHD, this reality is especially important. Our brains already operate differently. You and I already living proof that there's more than one way to experience the world. Our joy, when we practice it, isn't just personal – it's a reclamation of our right to experience life on our terms.
It’s an act of resistance.
🛠️The Action - Create Moments of Resistance
Here's how to practice revolutionary joy for yourself and the people around you:
Practice Joy
What's something you've always wanted to do for yourself but have put off? Maybe it's learning an instrument, taking a dance class, or going to a restaurant you’ve always wanted to. Use your privilege (i.e. tech money) to do things that bring joy to yourself and others.
For me, it’s been supporting a local electrical company to make home improvements. I’m so very grateful to meet them and the technician they sent out.
Make New History
Create traditions and memories that reflect your values. It can be small like setting up a monthly meet-up with friends at their favorite restaurant. Or simply creating art that reflects who you are or a story you want to tell.
This newsletter is my way of making new history. I’m writing my story to let others like me they’re not alone and don’t have to hide who they are.
Invite Others Into Your Joy
Joy is contagious. When you practice it openly, you invite others to do the same. Share your joyful moments. Talk about what brings you joy. Create spaces where others can experience momentary freedom from fear.
Last week, I encouraged a good friend to practice joy by buying tickets to psychOdelphia. Which in turn reminded me to buy tickets for Summer Con (I love Star Trek and Psych)
✨Conclusion
In times like this, you have to remember you still wield the power to practice joy and create new history for yourself. No one can take that away from you.
The more we practice that power, the more we invite others to do the same. We may not be able to change the world today but, if one person joins you in practicing their joy with you, that gets us closer.
So, what small act of joy will you practice today? What moment of resistance will you create? What new history will you make?
For more reading the Super Bowl show check out this NYT piece.
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⏭️Next Week
Lies that loneliness tells us.