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Microjoys: Finding Hope (Especially) When Life Is Not Okay
Bighearted and hopeful. Unflinchingly honest and healing. A profound compendium of intimate, inspiring essays and thoughtful prompts that will keep you afloat in difficult times and sustain you in the everyday.
Microjoys are a practice of uncovering joy and finding hope at any moment. They are accessible to everyone, despite all else . When we hone the ability to look for them, they are always available. Microjoys are the hidden wisdom, long-ago memories, subtle treasures, and ordinary delights that surround A polka-dot glass on a thrift store shelf. A dear friend’s kindness at just the right time. The neighborhood spice shop. A beloved family tradition. The simple quietude of being in love. A cherished chai recipe.
Cyndie Spiegel first began taking note of microjoys during the most difficult year of her life—when she experienced back-to-back unprecedented and devastating losses—and she found that these fleeting moments of hope helped her move through each day with a semblance of comfort and a lot more joy.
Through beautifully written narrative essays and prompts, Cyndie shares the microjoys that have kept her going through tough times and shows us how we can learn to see the microjoys in our own lives. Microjoys don’t change the truth of loss or make grief any more convenient, but they allow us to temporarily touch joy, keeping us buoyed and moving forward, one moment at a time.
Microjoys are a practice of uncovering joy and finding hope at any moment. They are accessible to everyone, despite all else . When we hone the ability to look for them, they are always available. Microjoys are the hidden wisdom, long-ago memories, subtle treasures, and ordinary delights that surround A polka-dot glass on a thrift store shelf. A dear friend’s kindness at just the right time. The neighborhood spice shop. A beloved family tradition. The simple quietude of being in love. A cherished chai recipe.
Cyndie Spiegel first began taking note of microjoys during the most difficult year of her life—when she experienced back-to-back unprecedented and devastating losses—and she found that these fleeting moments of hope helped her move through each day with a semblance of comfort and a lot more joy.
Through beautifully written narrative essays and prompts, Cyndie shares the microjoys that have kept her going through tough times and shows us how we can learn to see the microjoys in our own lives. Microjoys don’t change the truth of loss or make grief any more convenient, but they allow us to temporarily touch joy, keeping us buoyed and moving forward, one moment at a time.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published February 28, 2023
158 people are currently reading
4155 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 147 reviews
February 20, 2023
"Microjoys exist because you deserve to touch joy, often." -Cyndie Spiegel
This book is literally a Both/And book. It's both the kind of book you can swallow and absorb in one sitting because it’s THAT good and that powerful ... and also the kind of book that asks you to take your time with it, to let the similarities of your life and mirrored “same, girl, same” realizations soak in. It's also the kind of book that you can put down to reflect, and one that you can pick up and flip open to any page, and have something beautiful to lean into.
A series of essays and missives, with short but meaningful "consider this" questions to her readers, this book from Cyndie is a journey ... and if I dare say, a pathway into seeing magic. Magic, through every day microjoys.
My favorite essays in this book? Glass Piggy Bank, Seema's Chai, and Better Enough. Autumn BBQ and On Twosday gave me chills, and the entirety of Part III had me nodding my head furiously and letting tears pool up.
Five stars (actually ... all of the stars, all of the glitter, all of the sparkles). I highly recommend!
This book is literally a Both/And book. It's both the kind of book you can swallow and absorb in one sitting because it’s THAT good and that powerful ... and also the kind of book that asks you to take your time with it, to let the similarities of your life and mirrored “same, girl, same” realizations soak in. It's also the kind of book that you can put down to reflect, and one that you can pick up and flip open to any page, and have something beautiful to lean into.
A series of essays and missives, with short but meaningful "consider this" questions to her readers, this book from Cyndie is a journey ... and if I dare say, a pathway into seeing magic. Magic, through every day microjoys.
My favorite essays in this book? Glass Piggy Bank, Seema's Chai, and Better Enough. Autumn BBQ and On Twosday gave me chills, and the entirety of Part III had me nodding my head furiously and letting tears pool up.
Five stars (actually ... all of the stars, all of the glitter, all of the sparkles). I highly recommend!
January 17, 2023
Microjoys is a surprisingly quiet read. It's not a fireworks kind of book, despite the gorgeous technicolored cover. It's a book that works gently on weary people, offering a way back to ourselves after grief and loss from right where we are.
It's a book to meander through, to treat as a companion more than a quick read (although it is that, with short vignettes and deceivingly simple questions to ponder). The vignettes each end with gentle prompts to think, feel, journal, and spend time noticing.
Part memoir, part prose, part secular devotional, Microjoys is the reminder to come home to ourselves in quiet and mighty ways that so many of us are feeling called to right now.
It's a book to meander through, to treat as a companion more than a quick read (although it is that, with short vignettes and deceivingly simple questions to ponder). The vignettes each end with gentle prompts to think, feel, journal, and spend time noticing.
Part memoir, part prose, part secular devotional, Microjoys is the reminder to come home to ourselves in quiet and mighty ways that so many of us are feeling called to right now.
January 3, 2023
I read Microjoys on my way to NYC because to me, Cyndie is everything magical about New York. Crying in an airport lounge isn’t a normal thing for me, but Microjoys cracked open my heart and soul in a way that I needed. I couldn’t help but scribble notes in the margin as I read (again, not a normal thing for me) and noted so many ways I could stretch and shape the way I approach things. Microjoys is a necessary reminder that joy and pain permanently coexist and our ability to find that balance is a central element of moving forward.
nope-dnf
January 20, 2024DNF 9%. I just feel like this is way overly wordy. I'm in chapter 2 and it still feels like we are restating everything from the intro chapter that already felt unnecessarily long and repetitive. Like stop telling me what the book is and a thesaurus dictionary worth of rephrased platitudes and just get to the point already?
November 26, 2022
Filled with joy and hope...
January 4, 2023
4.5 ⭐ This book is best savored rather than rushed through, which was a welcome challenge to me as a compulsively ending-oriented reader. It reminded me of an afternoon I spent strolling through an open air market in Nice: the turquoise sea in the distance, sugared fruits scattered on tables, snatches of conversation I could only partially understand. But also, the city held a deep sadness, a palpable grieving that I felt more and more the longer I stayed. That is this book: there's an attentive eye to detail in Cyndie's life (no matter how ordinary or heartbreaking the topic) that begs the reader to be stubbornly, brazenly present in their own life with every sense... no matter how messy or complicated it can be to sit with all of it.
It was serendipitous timing that this was the first book I finished this year and I would recommend anyone who is looking for more magic in their everyday life and/or navigating grief to pick it up.
I was sent an advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
It was serendipitous timing that this was the first book I finished this year and I would recommend anyone who is looking for more magic in their everyday life and/or navigating grief to pick it up.
I was sent an advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
September 2, 2024
Glimmers is what I call microjoys but same thing.
This book is uplifting and validates that I’m doing something right when I do my best to find glimmers throughout my day. Whether that is a cat in a window or the bubbles that float in the air when washing dishes, glimmers can happen anytime and anywhere as long as we have the awareness to pay attention.
This book is uplifting and validates that I’m doing something right when I do my best to find glimmers throughout my day. Whether that is a cat in a window or the bubbles that float in the air when washing dishes, glimmers can happen anytime and anywhere as long as we have the awareness to pay attention.
Read
June 4, 2023This book found me at the library when I went to pick up a book on hold. The title and cute cover caught my eye, but what really grabbed my attention was the title, Microjoys: Finding Hope (Especially) When Life is Not Okay.
I immediately thought of 2020 and the chaos of the last couple years. I had big, audacious plans for 2020. I was turning 40 in August 2020 (planning to celebrate in Hawaii) and at a career turning point.
Instead, life had other plans. My dad fell ill and was hospitalized thousands of miles away from me. I made the trip to visit and enjoyed his company fir two days before life changed again. He fell into a coma, never to awake. We think he caught Covid, but no one knew what it was in January 2020. A funeral followed. I was a fatherless daughter. I remember leaving the hospital with my husband after saying goodbye to my dad and we sat on a bench. I sighed and told my husband that "I think the parent who loved me more is gone". My dad was no saint (like the author's father), but he was still my dad, the only one appointed and anointed to me.
2020 kept falling apart spectacularly for me, both personally and professionally. It's taken years to rebuild my career thanks to resigning at just the wrong time before a global pandemic in a state with code red lockdowns.
I highly recommend tgis book to remind us to look for the microjoys.
Every night, I ask my husband what was the best part of his day (limiting his response to one thing), but maybe I should broaden the question. What were your microjoys today? They are everywhere. Finding this amazing plant/tree that we enjoyed at our first home only to finally find one today after searching for 2 seasons. Or running into my husband's coworker at Home Depot and catching up for an hour since they were not limited to the demands of work.
Keep your eyes open for microjoys!
I immediately thought of 2020 and the chaos of the last couple years. I had big, audacious plans for 2020. I was turning 40 in August 2020 (planning to celebrate in Hawaii) and at a career turning point.
Instead, life had other plans. My dad fell ill and was hospitalized thousands of miles away from me. I made the trip to visit and enjoyed his company fir two days before life changed again. He fell into a coma, never to awake. We think he caught Covid, but no one knew what it was in January 2020. A funeral followed. I was a fatherless daughter. I remember leaving the hospital with my husband after saying goodbye to my dad and we sat on a bench. I sighed and told my husband that "I think the parent who loved me more is gone". My dad was no saint (like the author's father), but he was still my dad, the only one appointed and anointed to me.
2020 kept falling apart spectacularly for me, both personally and professionally. It's taken years to rebuild my career thanks to resigning at just the wrong time before a global pandemic in a state with code red lockdowns.
I highly recommend tgis book to remind us to look for the microjoys.
Every night, I ask my husband what was the best part of his day (limiting his response to one thing), but maybe I should broaden the question. What were your microjoys today? They are everywhere. Finding this amazing plant/tree that we enjoyed at our first home only to finally find one today after searching for 2 seasons. Or running into my husband's coworker at Home Depot and catching up for an hour since they were not limited to the demands of work.
Keep your eyes open for microjoys!
January 18, 2023
One way I know a book deserves a permanent space on my shelf, is if I find myself taking notes before the first chapter begins. I wasn't even through the introduction of Microjoys and already had half a page of profound words captured from the author.
The second way I know a book is a keeper: I physically can't stop reading it! I hadn't planned to spend my afternoon reading the book in its entirety, but once I started absorbing all the stories of joy and grief I couldn't stop. I loved the progression of stories and how they seemed to build on each other.
The author's description of microjoys as "a lotus flower resurrected out of mud" has left a lasting image in my mind. An analogy I never would have thought of and yet so accurate. As I laughed and cried through the stories and lessons learned, I had so many sparks of insight.
The prompts of reflection were the added icing that pushed my contemplation a bit deeper. With such an easy flowing book, I foresee going back again and again to gain new insights and wise reminders of how to endure and live a full life.
The second way I know a book is a keeper: I physically can't stop reading it! I hadn't planned to spend my afternoon reading the book in its entirety, but once I started absorbing all the stories of joy and grief I couldn't stop. I loved the progression of stories and how they seemed to build on each other.
The author's description of microjoys as "a lotus flower resurrected out of mud" has left a lasting image in my mind. An analogy I never would have thought of and yet so accurate. As I laughed and cried through the stories and lessons learned, I had so many sparks of insight.
The prompts of reflection were the added icing that pushed my contemplation a bit deeper. With such an easy flowing book, I foresee going back again and again to gain new insights and wise reminders of how to endure and live a full life.
January 17, 2023
This book is like a fine cup of Italian coffee- it is to be savored and enjoyed sip by sip. It’s one of those timeless classics that you’ll return to again and again, and each essay will still resonate and inspire year. I’m going to buy 10 copies and hand them out as gifts for everything- housewarming, hostess gifts, just because- it’s the kind of book that will melt your January blues away and have you smiling at strangers just because. Absolutely loved!
February 27, 2023
I read an advance copy of this book in one afternoon because I could not put it down. It's an easy read, not because the language is simple, but because it just makes so much sense. Cyndie's stories are somehow both incredibly specific and broadly universal. I laughed and cried out loud multiple times throughout. I now count Cyndie as a friend, and I am excited to tell her that when I ever meet her.
January 13, 2023
This book hit so right at just the right time! Understanding how to cultivate joy (Microjoys) in the midst of deep strife was exactly what was needed.
Cyndie’s stories are a beautiful balance of joy and grief, woven out of a tapestry of personal experience.
Cyndie’s stories are a beautiful balance of joy and grief, woven out of a tapestry of personal experience.
April 27, 2023
I didn't think this was a bad book, but to me it also didn't seem to have much depth or substance.The author has been through a lot and discusses briefly the loss and grief she has experienced, but the tone of the book is light and almost cheerful. That might appeal to some readers experiencing their own hard times, but it didn't have the gravitas I was looking for in my own grief. Despite that, the book is a helpful reminder to practice acceptance and hold on to any small joys that can help you through the dark times.
July 26, 2023
While this was okay, it wasn’t necessarily as inspiring to me as others’ works in this genre
October 13, 2023
This book is a true joy! It is an easy read with helpful, bitesize suggestions included in each essay. I enjoyed every one. (The suggestion to “always choose the impractical dress” made me smile. I hope to always remember to do that.)
I had the pleasure of seeing Cindi Spiegel discuss her book “Microjoys” at a recent book festival. I hadn’t read her book at that time but she was a delight in person and hearing her speak got me excited to read her book. The book quickly sold-out at the book festival so I ended up listening to the audiobook instead. Cindi narrates the audiobook and her voice is a joy as well. But I definitely want to get a copy of the book because it is filled with many helpful suggestions.
I want to thank Cindi for writing this book. I lost a loved one a year ago and I feel like this book came along at the right time for me. Grieving a loved one felt like like entering a dark, lonely place. I am glad Cindi included the subtitle to the book, “Finding hope (especially) when life is not okay”, because I may have overlooked the book otherwise. If I just saw the title, “Microjoys”, I would have thought this book was for already happy, go lucky people and not for someone grieving or dealing with other of life’s challenges. But the subtitle really resonated with me and got me to reconsider reading it. I’m so glad I did. The book is chock full of gems, like “Joy and grief are intimate dance partners in this lifetime, and if we want to dance we must also be willing to grieve.” Another gem is “Don’t allow the possible opinion of others to diminish your own sense of curiosity, lightheartedness and fun.” The book was exactly what I needed. Overall a terrific book!
I had the pleasure of seeing Cindi Spiegel discuss her book “Microjoys” at a recent book festival. I hadn’t read her book at that time but she was a delight in person and hearing her speak got me excited to read her book. The book quickly sold-out at the book festival so I ended up listening to the audiobook instead. Cindi narrates the audiobook and her voice is a joy as well. But I definitely want to get a copy of the book because it is filled with many helpful suggestions.
I want to thank Cindi for writing this book. I lost a loved one a year ago and I feel like this book came along at the right time for me. Grieving a loved one felt like like entering a dark, lonely place. I am glad Cindi included the subtitle to the book, “Finding hope (especially) when life is not okay”, because I may have overlooked the book otherwise. If I just saw the title, “Microjoys”, I would have thought this book was for already happy, go lucky people and not for someone grieving or dealing with other of life’s challenges. But the subtitle really resonated with me and got me to reconsider reading it. I’m so glad I did. The book is chock full of gems, like “Joy and grief are intimate dance partners in this lifetime, and if we want to dance we must also be willing to grieve.” Another gem is “Don’t allow the possible opinion of others to diminish your own sense of curiosity, lightheartedness and fun.” The book was exactly what I needed. Overall a terrific book!
January 11, 2024
3.75 ⭐️ I am a firm believer in finding the magic in every day moments and things. A cute snack, a special hair accessory, a fuzzy stuffed animal, a new outfit - all of these things make me incredibly happy. In this book, she calls them MicroJoys and I found myself vigorously shaking my head and saying “yep!” Whenever she would describe these tiny life sparks and how they changed her outlook on life (especially after loss!)
This book is perfect for someone who wants to be more appreciative of and ready for all the small things. It’s the small things that really add up to big things, ya know?
This book is perfect for someone who wants to be more appreciative of and ready for all the small things. It’s the small things that really add up to big things, ya know?
September 17, 2024
My husband gave me this book for my birthday while my mom was in the middle of a 5 week hospital stay. It was perfect timing for this topic.
I consider myself a positive person and I do try to find joy in every day. I enjoyed reading Spiegel's essays about her own worst moments and the "micro joys" she found there.
I recommend this book for those struggling through tough times or those who simply wish to enjoy more moments in life. It's a little sad but ultimately hopeful.
I consider myself a positive person and I do try to find joy in every day. I enjoyed reading Spiegel's essays about her own worst moments and the "micro joys" she found there.
I recommend this book for those struggling through tough times or those who simply wish to enjoy more moments in life. It's a little sad but ultimately hopeful.
May 20, 2023
A good book on finding joys big and small throughout your life, even in the midst of sorrow and trials. While I enjoyed this book it felt more like a memoir.
April 11, 2025
I have read a few books based on this concept and resonate with this one the most.
January 18, 2023
Joyful and hopeful all at once.
March 12, 2023
Microjoys contain personal stories/essays of the author’s. Within a year during Covid she experienced many hardships and losses: her nephew was murdered, her mother passed away, one of her brothers had a stroke and heart attack, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, isolation during Covid, she moved out of the city. In these essays she tells stories and gives advice (boxes titled consider this). She tells her story and makes it a learning experience. She discussed loss, “you will break down and fall apart at the seams. Life will cloud over and never be as bright again. You will unlearn everything about yourself that you once thought was true. You will feel like you’re walking through molasses. You will forget who you were and barely recognize yourself except for pictures taken from the times before.” “You will heal, and some days will move you forward while others shift you ten steps backward. And though you will never be the same you may become just a bit more resilient, courageous, and beautiful because you were broken. You will be ok once again, and life will continue on.”
This was an inspirational book. I was so glad I read this book because I could relate to a lot of what she was saying and feeling. The quote I copied hit me with a lot of emotion because this is exactly how I feel after losing my mom almost a year ago. It was also a comforting book for me and made me not feel alone. The wisdom she gave is what I needed
This was an inspirational book. I was so glad I read this book because I could relate to a lot of what she was saying and feeling. The quote I copied hit me with a lot of emotion because this is exactly how I feel after losing my mom almost a year ago. It was also a comforting book for me and made me not feel alone. The wisdom she gave is what I needed
May 8, 2023
Grief is a given, it is yours. Her personal essays are good examples of gaining perspective after loss, and regaining access to joy and being present. If going through hard things is brand new to you, you may find this book comforting and the ideas original. As someone who’s been through it, this book wasn’t for me. Her stories exist in a safe space, with reframed platitudes we often use on people who are in the middle of going through a tough time. “Wear something fun and life will work out,” is the line that basically sums up this read for me.
March 8, 2023
Microjoys is the perfect book for my 2023. Having chosen delight as my word of the year is requiring me to slow down, explore, observe and savor the details of my life.
Microjoys is the pop of a bottle of champagne and the last bite of your favorite sandwich.
Microjoys is the pop of a bottle of champagne and the last bite of your favorite sandwich.
February 27, 2023
Like a note from a good friend, Microjoys is a gentle, uplifting reminder that in the midst of turmoil, fatigue, frustration and despair, we can find moments of joy, and the rainbow, is the incredible blossoming of joy when we pursue feeling all the feels.
June 6, 2023
A book about finding joy in the mundane, even when you are going through difficult times. The author uses her own stories to tell how to find joy. It was a quick read that left me with homework and lots of good take home messages. A book I would recommend to those who like self-help type books.
April 1, 2023
Read by the author, a hopeful collection of short essays. I appreciated that it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but I feel good for having listened to this book.
April 24, 2023
3.5 Stars. Good! Heartfelt, short chapters for you to read about Cyndie Spiegels microjoys and think about discovering your own.
September 13, 2023
Charming, but not not particularly impactful
August 26, 2023
I really enjoyed getting back in touch with finding the beauty in all things mundane; whether we like it or not, joy can sneak up on us in the most random places and we ought to honor it by noticing even in the midst of hardship. Spiegel's touching stories from her life were a very nice read and helped me visualize how complex we all really are. Existence is not this or that, it's this AND that, grief AND joy, really fucking hard BUT really astonishingly beautiful. I hope I can take some of these practices to heart and continue to find joy in the world's oddest corners in the unlikeliest of times. Frankly, more joy in the everyday would do us all some good.
October 26, 2023
Microjoys! After reading this warm, wise and comforting book by Cyndi’s Spiegel, I can’t stop looking for them. I listened to the audiobook and was wrapped in the author’s soothing voice—I didn’t want the book to end. Having sustained the loss of a loved one last year, I appreciate the attitude of gratitude that the book describes. In the darkest days of grief Microjoys can be hard to recognize, but as time passes, looking for them helps to propel one forward to continue living. Thank you Cyndie for this beautiful book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 147 reviews