It might be hard for some to live up to a name like Joy.

But if you've ever witnessed an ounce of Joy Ofodu's energy—whether through her hilarious social media content, powerful presence in tech, or in the Shine app as our new host of the Daily Shine—then you know, Joy wears her name well.

The self-described influencial techie, storyteller and voiceover artist is the newest member of our Shine family—and we're thrilled you'll soon get to know her and her infectious energy as a part of your daily self-care routines.

"It means a lot to be able to reach Shine listeners in their private spaces this year and be brought along on their meditation journeys," Joy shared with us.

"I want you to know that I'm personally cheering each of you on, and growing through the same pains and wins with you," she explained in a message to the Shine community. "I'm deeply grateful that you've let me in and made my voice a part of your daily practice."

Read below for a bit more about Joy, the self-care routines that guide her, and more.

On what self-care means to her

Self-care is a holistic, ongoing practice of nourishing my body, mind and spirit. It's important for my survival; we can treat it lightly and reduce it to face masks and good food, but to me it's a deeper practice and prioritization of my health before my to-do list. It can only happen if I really believe I'm worthy of the care, which I do now.

On how her mental health care has changed over time

I haven't always spoken to myself in a loving way; I had a lot of love and enthusiasm for others, but I couldn't consistently retain it for myself, particularly as it related to my self-image. I wanted to be in other skin, with other hair, in another body and never felt like I was doing enough despite hyperactivity. My mental health improved as I learned more about my history, and my physical health and love for myself improved as I learned to rest.

"I want you to know that I'm personally cheering each of you on, and growing through the same pains and wins with you. I'm deeply grateful that you've let me in and made my voice a part of your daily practice." — Joy Ofodu

On the writing ritual that she turns to

I write and record a silly short form comedic video script every few mornings to reflect on my life. I let myself deeply feel the laughter that erupts as I dream through characters and even watch some old videos back, like reading through a journal entry, to remember and appreciate my journey.

On the tools she uses to self-soothe

I'm a drop-it-all-and-breathe kind of meditator. I try to focus on what's true, and what I need most in the moment. When I feel intense emotion, I really value immediate isolation and awareness of my body.

Otherwise, I look for physical aides to self-soothe: a massage, leisurely archery, some lavender essential oils or an old fashioned nap! I'm never above a nap.

On how she prioritizes easing into rest

I've tried to spend at least 30 minutes before bed without my phone and failed pretty consistently! Instead, I'll use it to have valuable or loving conversations with friends and family, and then listen to a guided meditation or breathing exercise to release tension in my body.

On taking up space

I've always taken up space by default and stood out like a sore thumb amongst the folks I grew up with; I didn't always love that and would either try to reduce myself by being overly humble, or lean hard into it by being deliberately loud, deliberately ready or enthusiastic to compensate for the moments when I didn't want to. Now, taking up space just means going where I'm treasured and striking a better balance between the default and the desire.

On what's bringing her joy

Right now, my joy comes from re-living and unboxing my childhood dreams. There are ideas and roles I had put under the bed or high on a shelf like "This isn't for me." or "I'm not this kind of person." Now that most of my goals related to career and education have been met, I'm deeply enjoying a constant state of play and reactivating old creative visions.

Make your mornings in 2022 a little more joyful and join Joy and listen to the Daily Shine every weekday morning in the Shine app.

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