Episode 27: Joy as Strategy: A New Tale to Tell

Send us Fan MailSeason 2 of Living in 3D Power is here! In this opening episode, Emma and I dive into joy—not as something we wait for, but as something we practice. Through laughter, reflection, and a playful Mad Lib activity from Sonya Renee Taylor’s Your Body Is Not an Apology workbook, we explore what it means to rewrite our stories and embody joy as resistance.I share what I discovered while pulling out old journals and sitting with my unfinished pages, and we talk about why so many of us confuse joy with happiness. Together, Emma and I lean into the guiding question for this season: “What would it look like if joy was our strategy, not our reward?”Chapters00:59 – What my journals and unfinished pages taught me01:52 – Why we confuse joy with happiness04:20 – What joy looks like as a strategy05:57 – Emma joins me for the conversation06:45 – Mad Libs & body positivity (Your Body Is Not an Apology)14:32 – Historical figures, dreams, and bravery24:14 – Struggles, apologies, and growing through them26:28 – Homework battles & puberty28:01 – The power of facial expressions29:32 – Spiritual habits and serving God32:37 – Centering marginalized groups32:59 – The “brown paper bag test” and colorism36:38 – Rewriting affirming stories through Mad Libs51:01 – Practicing joy as resistance52:59 – Emma’s closing wisdom & farewellResources & MentionsSonya Renee Taylor, Your Body Is Not an Apology (Book & Workbook)Sonya Renee Taylor, Celebrate Your Body (and Its Changes, Too!)Tracy M. Lewis-Giggetts, The Black Joy PlaybookConnect with Me:Instagram: @natural_inclinationYoutube: @naturalinclinationTikTok: Amber SessomsLinkedIn: Dr. Amber M. Sessoms, NCSPBluesky: @ambersessoms.bsky.socialFacebook: Natural InclinationWebsite: www.aninclination.comLike, Comment, Share, EngageIf this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who would love these conversations. Engage with the Curiosity Cards and ask the youth in your life about their experiences because you might be surprised by what you learn. Share your thoughts and reflections in the comments or on social media using #LivingIn3DPower. And, don’t forget to subscribe and stay tuned for next week’s conversation!