Dear Lighthouse Friend,

I used to think intention was everything.
Set the goal.
Make the list.
Follow the plan.

But there’s something older than intention.
Something quieter…
and more honest.
It’s called longing.

Longing is the ache before the strategy.
The soul’s whisper before the map is drawn.
The part of us that remembers what we came here for...
​even if we’ve never had it.

It took me years to name my own longing.
Not just to help or heal…
​
​But to belong in a space where brilliance and breakdowns could live side by side.​
To create a home for joy and elevation...
not just recovery.

That ache became Joy-Based Living.

And it’s why I believe this:

We need both.
Longing opens the heart.
Intention builds the path.
​Together, they become transformation.

That’s what the 12 Practices of Joy were designed for:
To help you turn your deepest inner knowing into embodied community.
To give your longing a landing place...
and your intention, a rhythm.

🌱 Ready to root your longing in something real?​
Here are two ways to join us:

✨ Get the 12 Practices e-book​
Your guide to building relational, emotional, spiritual wellness—on your terms.
​joybasedliving.com/store​

✨ Join our Patreon community​
We’re not just “talking” about wholeness. We’re living it... together.
​patreon.com/joybasedliving​

Thank you for being here.
Whether your longing feels loud or just a flicker...

It matters.
It’s wise.
​And it’s welcome.

With love,
​Debbie Happy Cohen​
Founder of Joy-Based Living