Some days feel like they’re pulling you in every direction. Dishes in the sink, emails piling up, the kind of noise that’s not loud but still manages to wear you down. And then, in the middle of it, you stop for a cup of tea.

Not because you have the time, but because you need the pause.

That’s where this little idea came from. I started noticing how different things felt when I slowed down enough to actually enjoy something simple. A warm cup held with both hands. The first sip. The way the steam curls in the sunlight. It made me think, what if this is what joy really looks like?

Not the big moments. Not the “finally got everything figured out” kind of joy. Just small, steady things. Things you can hold.

That’s the heart of what I’ve started calling the teacup theory.
Joy isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s quiet and ordinary, and that’s what makes it powerful. You don’t have to chase it. You just have to notice it.

For so long, I thought I had to wait for joy. That it would show up once everything in my life was more secure, or more successful, or more… together. But the truth is, we can live in that waiting space forever. There’s always going to be something unfinished, something uncertain. If we keep putting off joy until the “right time,” we’ll miss the only time that’s actually real, now.

So I’ve been teaching myself to reach for joy in small ways. Nothing fancy. Nothing that needs a tutorial or a perfect photo. Just everyday things that make me feel like myself again.

Lately, that’s meant:

• Sitting by the window with nothing but a cup of something warm
• Writing down one good thing before bed, even if it’s small
• Letting a slow song play all the way through without picking up my phone
• Folding laundry while watching the trees sway outside
• Choosing a mug that feels special, even on a regular weekday

These aren’t life-changing on their own. But they add up. They slow me down, just enough to breathe. Just enough to remember I’m allowed to enjoy being alive, even in the middle of uncertainty or chaos or exhaustion.

What The Teacup Theory Is Really About:

• Joy doesn’t have to be earned or waited for
• Small, quiet moments are just as meaningful as big ones
• Slowing down helps you notice the good that’s already here
• You don’t need to fix everything—just hold one good thing at a time
• Ordinary rituals (like making tea) can become grounding practices
• You’re allowed to create softness, even when life feels hard
• Being present is enough

It’s not just about tea, or quiet mornings, or romanticizing life for the aesthetic. It’s about practicing the kind of presence that allows us to feel again. To actually experience the little joys we usually rush right past. To create softness in a world that can feel so hard.

So if you’ve been feeling overwhelmed or disconnected lately, try this: don’t fix everything. Don’t make a big list. Just pause. Notice one small good thing. Hold onto it for a moment. Let it be enough.

That’s your teacup.

And you can come back to it any time.

Autumn

P.S. If you’ve been enjoying this post, I think you’ll love my new book, The Cottagecore Project — it’s a gentle guide to slow living, creativity, and building a life that feels like home. You can take a look at it here.