The Joy You Make

By: Steven Petrow

From award-winning Washington Post columnist Steven Petrow, a guide to finding joy even during life’s most difficult times

We all know what it’s like to experience the disappointments and sorrows of life. Unexpected challenges like layoffs, divorce, illness, and the death of a loved one can leave us hurting and isolated. Add to that the unending anxiety we feel at the state of the world—political strife and global upheavals—and we end up with a recipe for . . . joy? 

Yes, says journalist Steven Petrow, who has lived through all of those things, and arrived at a surprising conclusion: Joy is always present—in our everyday routines, in ties to those we care about, even in our grief. It may be easier to see and feel it during the good times, but we can learn to find joy even in the darkest days. All we need is a road map—and now we have one.

In The Joy You Make, Petrow explores the many expressions of joy and shows readers how to find, cultivate, and share it. He takes us on a journey from the darkness of the Arctic to a frenetic cancer ward in Manhattan, a trip that includes his parents’ deaths, the breakup of his marriage, and his sister’s cancer diagnosis. Combining his personal experiences with research and expert interviews, Petrow asks (and answers) the question: “What if there was a way to find the joy in everything?”

Come join him on his search, and make it yours.