Behind Our Shine Bright Design
At Joy on Tap, all our designs are created as everyday reminders to inspire your limitless life. We are great believers that your space - along with the items you choose to fill it with - can really be a place of calm, a reflection of you, and a source of inspiration.
Even on your darkest and greyest days, our thoughtful messages are designed to offer a glimmer of hope and the vibrant colour in our designs are a powerful antidote to brighten any day.
All our products are selected to be ones you'll use or see every day so they stay at the forefront of our minds. This strengthens our self-knowledge, gives us belief in our abilities, and provides encouragement to keep going. 
To kick this series off, we want to share our thoughts about the message behind the design...
Do The World A Favour: Shine Bright.
At Joy on Tap we know what it's like to feel invisible, to lack purpose and hide our true selves from the world. It feels safe, protective and comfortable, but is also full of regrets, disappointment and comparison.
Through learning from others and listening to ourselves, we realised that each person has a unique part to play in making our world a better place. And if we aren't doing that then we're depriving the world of something really special.
The world needs you to shine bright, be yourself and take up the space you deserve.
One woman modelling this on a grand scale is - the most decorated gymnast in history - Simone Biles.
The Road to Our True Self isn't Always Smooth
When Simone Biles withdrew from the gymnastics competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the world was in shock. Her exit divided opinion: incredibly brave or unbelievably selfish.
Our view: BRAVE!
Simone's recent Netflix documentary Simone Biles Rising opens with her saying,
“I've always had really good intuition about things.”
We go on to see that Simone knew, better than anyone else, the power she held within her body. She knew that if the connection between her mind and her body wasn't fully functioning, she was in danger of serious injury or even death.
As she stood there in the light of that arena, with the whole world watching her every move, Simone made the courageous decision to trust her intuition and prioritise her well-being. Nothing could come above her mental health because she knew if she pushed herself too hard, she'd break.
Her public withdrawal highlighted how crucial it is to listen to ourselves, our minds and our bodies. We at Joy on Tap applaud her for her bravery.
The Benefit of Prioritising Yourself
Fast forward to the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. We all had another chance to watch the record-breaker Simone perform, win multiple gold medals and witness how much she was enjoying the events and supporting her team mates and opponents.
She took up the space she knew was hers and shone brighter than ever. She gave the world herself and inspired so many people to stand up for themselves, take up gymnastics or simply keep going.
If she had ignored her intuition in Tokyo, and went along with the expectations of others, would she have been at these Olympics? We will never know, but we do know that Simone Biles is a great example of giving yourself what you need to come back shining brighter than ever.
What is Causing You to Live Small?
Playing small or dimming our light looks different for all of us.
Sometimes the cause is out of our control: loss, death, grief, painful situations, disasters, health issues. We suddenly realise we are living small because of situations happening to us - the living small is a consequence of what we're dealing with.
Other times we are consciously making ourselves small to keep ourselves safe because of abuse, toxic relationships, neglect. In these instances if we were to stand up for ourselves or make ourselves bigger, then we would be putting ourselves or others at risk or in danger.
Or, we can simply find ourselves living small because life happens, we develop routines, we prioritise everyone else's needs over our own, and we get buried under the expectations of others. This is only worsened by the hundreds of messages of unworthiness, disbelief and unending opinions we hear daily.
No matter the cause, we want to encourage you to find small ways to play big and shine bright where you are.
Simple Ideas for Shining Bright
- Prioritise your needs and take a self-care day
- Say "No" to something people are expecting you to do that you really don't want to
- Talk to someone about a struggle you are going through
- Wear that outfit you have been saving for a "special" occasion on an average day
- Ask for a raise or promotion at work
- Choose the film for movie night
- Take a step towards the dream you've been imagining for years
- Do your make-up for no other reason than you want to
What is the one thing you could do to start shining a little brighter today?
Ask someone to listen to your heart.
Speak your mind.
Wear the red lipstick.
The world will become a much better place when we all start to break out of the small, and shine... BRIGHT!
We want to celebrate your wins - big and small. Tag us on Pinterest and Instagram with @joyontap_store using the hashtag #joyontap_store
**Disclaimer: some people won't like it, but that simply means you're doing you right 😉 None of us can be for everyone.
Joy on Tap Pick of the Week:
Get your everyday reminder to Shine Bright with our metallic prints.
Displayed prominently in your home or office, these eye-catching prints will serve as a constant reminder to stay true to yourself and let your unique brilliance shine.
Choose from gold or silver foil, 20 background colours and various sizes so you can make it perfect for your unique space.
Explore our Shine Bright prints here.
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