It’s was perfectly cold and miserable mid winters day when I wrote this,  but I love this time of year. Against the back drop of heavy grey skies everything seems much more vibrant and alive with colour.

I find myself constantly stopping on my walks trying to capture the vibrancy and darkness with my phone’s camera, only to find myself disappointed with the results. (Although this could definitely be due to user error!) 

I used to be a mad keen photographer. Before the terrible trio, I would often take off for the rock pools or into the forests, or the city and spend an afternoon, just me and the weight of my camera in my hands. 

Recently the terrible trio, their cousins and mum, went out to the near by Conimbla National Park. We have had some amazing rain this year, so unlike last time we went out, the creek was flowing and the bush lands over flowing with lush beauty.

After successfully building a fire and cooking hotdogs, I wandered around with the kids and watched them as they hunted for frogs or tried to cross the creek on fallen logs. 

I started by taking photos of the kids, then I saw little mushrooms in the grass. So with my phone I started taking photos of all the tiny little mushrooms (100’s of photos!) and then I moved onto the patterns in the bark, the lichen on the rocks, the little bush orchid, the paper daisies, leaves that looked like wings and the yellow bush that had wicked thorns on it. 

And Bean joined in with me

As we drove home I kept thinking about how much fun the day was, and how I was brimming with joy from our day. And I realised that being out on an adventure with my camera was a huge part of that joy. The weight of the camera my have changed but the joy of exploring, fossicking and capturing moments of nature hadn’t changed a bit.

And I wonder thinking about this what else have I unintentionally stopped doing that has given me joy in the past. What did I used to do a year ago, ten years ago, when I was a kid that gave me huge amounts of joy?

I started a list (of course I did!) called WHAT IS JOY TO ME?

And I jotting down things that bring me absolute joy. Its a random list and still a work in progress, but it includes things such as:

• snorkelling
• watching the terrible trios dance concerts
• jigsaw puzzles
• my feet in the sand at the beach
• Mac and I eating out at a fabulous Asian fusion restaurant 
• Exploring new countries, towns and cities
• Art on every level (making, appreciating, learning)
• Meaningful catch ups with family and friends
• Summer thunderstorms

and after my ahah moment I have added photographic adventures..

And I wonder if you have thought about what is joy for you? Maybe you should start a quick list and try to do some things that bring you joy. What did you absolutely love doing as a kid or even a year ago that may bring you joy?

P.S this was written as earlier this month to my Studio Snippet Readers. If you want in on this with access to freebies and free shipping always sign up here.

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