Hey, joyful humans!

Thank you so much for being here.

Do you ever look in a room and think, "I wonder how the couch would work in this spot...", or, "What if we moved the table over here..."?

I've been in that mood lately, but with this newsletter. We changed our name to The Joyful Human Club back in October, which was totally the right call. We're a club—a community of folks who, despite their struggles, believe in the unshakable power of joy.

But, because we're a club, I want to evolve this space to create more connections than just in this one-way communication tool.

I'm thrilled to announce that the newsletter is moving to a new home next week - Substack! 🎉

If you haven't heard of Substack, it's a newsletter/blog/social media platform dedicated to long-form writing. I've only heard good things from its users, and after tooling around and seeing other writers' content, it feels like a great place to host our weekly club meetings (this newsletter).

In terms of how you'll receive the newsletter, that will never change. You'll still get a weekly email from me on Wednesdays, but it'll look slightly different. But, if you choose to read the newsletter on its website, it'll be much more interactive. On Substack, you'll get to...

• Comment, like, and share the weekly newsletters with others. Rather than needing to reply to my business inbox (which you still can!), you can also share your thoughts right on that week's newsletter.
• Join our community chat (Yaay! Remember when I tried to start this same thing on Discord? Yeah, much easier on Substack.)
• Read more from me than just this newsletter. I'm treating this Substack as our HQ, but with this space giving 2009 Tumblr vibes (IYKYK), I feel inspired to write more, and there will be space for me to do so and share!

Friends, this is what joy is: leaping into the unknown, with only the excitement and nerves to latch onto because you don't know how it'll go. I'm not letting go of my current email system, so in the worst-case scenario, we come back here and collect it all as data. But, first, let's see if we can create new magic and connections in a space where I think we could make more friends.

This week, see if you can find some of your own magic in the unknown. Who knows, it could lead to bigger and better things.

PS—To help everyone get settled in our new home by next week, I will work on unpacking my stuff (posting previous editions of JHC) so you can come in without skipping a beat. I'm 99% sure that I know how to publish a post without it going to email, but if it comes to you, my apologies! See the progress of our page here.​

Song of the Week

Work It Out - Joe Jonas

We love new music from any Jonas brother, so believe me when I tell you this was an absolute TREAT to find for y'all.

Best lyric? "Even baddies get saddies and that's the hardest truth." AIN'T THAT THE TRUTH.

Work It Out Joe Jonas PREVIEW   ​

Find this song and all the others on the ​Joyful Beats playlist​ on Spotify!

Good News Wednesday

Check out the good news around the world! In our fast-paced world, it’s important to remember “the helpers.”

• Check out these wild 'super corals' found on the coast of the South Pacific that can withstand extreme heat, offering hope on climate change for scientists.
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• After the UK ruled that the legal definition of a woman excludes transgender women, Charithra Chandran and Nicola Coughlan from Bridgerton spoke out in defiance and helped raise over $100,000 US for Not A Phase, a U.K.-based nonprofit that provides resources and peer support groups to trans people nationwide.
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• Two critically endangered Galapagos turtles hatched in the Philadelphia Zoo! Their parents are almost a century old!
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• Prescribed burns help save forests. These firefighters successfully controlled a 60-acre prescribed fire that could protect the Rocky Mountain National Park for the next decade.
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• In a wildlife protection win, China will remove Guilingji, a traditional medicine containing pangolin ingredients, from their shelves. Pangolins are adorable, but endangered.
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• EU lawmakers are removing forever chemicals from children's toys!
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• We ❤️ conservation - endangered sea turtle populations are showing positive signs of recovery in over half of the world!
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• Everyone watches women's sports—The PWHL drew in over 120,000 fans across its 2024-25 Takeover Tour, playing in nine different cities across the US and Canada.
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• After the Trump administration cut funding to the UN World Food Program, children's entertainer and activist Ms. Rachel donated two million meals!​

Find more good news at Good Good Good!​

Book of the Week

​Paper Doll: Notes from a Late Bloomer - Dylan Mulvaney​

I really enjoyed this one! It's a lovely memoir from Dylan, who shares her highs and lows of her first 100 Days of Girlhood and all its wild stories. If you've been following her journey since it started or want to learn more about one trans woman's experience, I highly recommend it!

Book Synopsis

When Dylan Mulvaney came out as a woman online, she was a viral sensation almost overnight, emerging as a trailblazing voice on social media. Dylan's personal coming-out story blossomed into a platform for advocacy and empowerment for trans people all over the world.
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Through her "Days of Girlhood" series, she connected with followers by exploring what it means to be a girl, from experimenting with makeup to story times to spilling the tea about laser hair removal, while never shying away from discussing the transphobia she faced online. Nevertheless, she was determined to be a beacon of positivity.
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But shortly after she celebrated day 365 of being a girl, it all came screeching to a halt when an innocuous post sparked a media firestorm and right-wing backlash she couldn't have expected. Despite the vitriolic press and relentless paparazzi, Dylan was determined to remain loud and proud.
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In Paper Doll: Notes from a Late Bloomer, Dylan pulls back the curtain of her "It Girl" lifestyle with a witty and intimate reflection of her life pre- and post-transition. She covers everything from her first big break in theater to the first time her dad recognized her as a girl to how she handled scandals, cancellations, and . . . tucking. It's both laugh-out-loud funny and powerfully honest--and is a love letter to everyone who stands up for queer joy.

Support the Joy

If you liked this newsletter and would like to show your support, please consider donating to the tip jar. I greatly appreciate your support!

Share the Joy

Are you enjoying being a part of the Joyful Human Club? It would mean so much to me if you forwarded this to a friend or colleague so we can share the joy!

If you’re that forwarded friend or colleague, join the fun today by ​subscribing here!​​

In gratitude and thanks,