Elephant Joy

A short comic about keeping joy close

Just a short reminder this week! I have to keep reminding myself to not neglect the things that bring me joy. I’ve had my share of anxiety spirals lately, but what calms me when I’m down is going back to the basics of what makes me happy.

The pressures of life often distract us from the pursuit of our joys. In the face of everything, letting ourselves be happy can seem frivolous and unessential. It can almost feel like a social competition to see who is the most unhappy these days.

But I think giving ourselves permission to be happy is part of the work of keeping hope alive. I learned this from my dear friend Bridget, who was a source a joy for everyone who knew her during her too-brief time here.

Re-sharing a cartoon reflection from 2024.

We don’t live in a perfect world, but I wish you safe and I wish you joy.

Thanks for reading and being here.

3-panel motivational comic strip illustrating the power of doing more of what brings you joy, like making art. The panels show a cartoon girl with a bun drawing and elephant and seeing it come to life. The characters hug in the final panel that contains an affirmation. Titled "Elephant Joy," 2026. Original art by Connie Sun.

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🎈 Art prints are available in my shop. Today’s comic is available as a print. To request prints of my cartoons, you can reach me at connie at cartoonconnie dot com.

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