Sophia Howard - Joy Advocate & Somatic Healer

Hello friends,

I met Sophia Howard in one of the communities I belong to and was immediately struck by her innate wisdom, an impression that grew stronger as I had more opportunities to chat with her one to one. I love that she’s supporting a different way of living in a clear and intentional way. Please meet Sophia…

Sophia, tell me briefly about your background prior to founding the ‘Had Enough?’ Newsletter and Room For Joy

In which dimension? I joke, but I say that because the journey that's led me into the world of minimalism, trauma healing and joy advocacy has taken so many magical twists and turns and led me to where I am today - helping people declutter their minds and spaces.

Most importantly, I feel that growing up in a cluttered and chaotic environment drew me to this world. Learning from my parents that life was about busyness and accumulation led to a cycle of stress and disorder in my adult life.

When I realised I'd 'Had Enough' myself, I let go of my career and relationship and headed to India in early 2020. Since then I have been backpacking solo over the last 4 years through Asia, Europe and Latin America.

Carrying my life on my back gave me a very clear picture of how much weight we are all carrying, both physically and mentally. The experiences showed me the freedom and clarity that comes from letting go of excess. I realised how often life is not about adding more things to fix the problems we face, but often more about letting go of something.

All of that being said, the turning point came when I realised the power of embodying 'enough' in a world obsessed with more. This ignited my passion for helping others find the same harmony and joy through minimalism and decluttering their minds and spaces.

These realisations have become the foundations of my next project: 'Room for Joy,' an in-person and virtual decluttering and professional organising service to empower individuals to let go of excess and create more balance in their physical and mental space.

Give me the elevator pitch for ‘Had Enough?’

In my newsletter 'Had Enough?', I promote minimalism, curiosity, and restoring balance through the art of decluttering our lives of unnecessary excess. Embracing the shift from busyness and commodified happiness to authentic and collective joy. It is built on the principles that we've had enough, we have enough, and we are enough. True joy is now or never and it's time for change.

And in more detail?

'Had Enough?' emerged from my deep personal journey towards intentional living. Recognising the overwhelming pressures of society to constantly buy more, do more, and be more, I created this newsletter to help others reclaim their time, bodies, and joy from the pressures of commodified happiness in our society. Through engaging content, 'Had Enough?' encourages readers to embrace minimalism and curiosity, fostering a balanced and fulfilling life.

The journey does not stop there. My next venture, 'Room for Joy,' was inspired by the profound impact of decluttering not just physical spaces, but also mental and emotional clutter. It takes a holistic approach to well-being, combining professional organising with somatic healing techniques like the Triple Vagal Method to help individuals release trauma from their bodies. This initiative is dedicated to fostering simplicity, joy, and intentional living, empowering people to shed emotional and mental burdens and create harmonious, balanced lives.

Both 'Had Enough?' and 'Room for Joy' strive to deconstruct societal pressures and redefine success, especially within minority communities. By helping individuals focus on what truly matters, these initiatives aim to create lives that reflect genuine needs and values rather than societal expectations.

What inequity were you trying to address, and why is this important?

I've become acutely aware of how the rat race and existing systems manipulate us into believing that we need to constantly buy more, do more and be more - to never recognise that we're good enough as we are. It takes us out of living in the present and always waiting for joy an harmony to come to us 'one day'. This realisation has led me to understand the importance of deconstructing these pressures and decolonising / redefining success. Especially amongst minoritised communities who have been taught to aspire to a colonial narrative of success and joy. The majority of our issues stem from what we have been sold as the dream and I believe the process of unlearning/redefining begins with decluttering the excess and focussing on what matters. So that we can start to co-create lives that reflect our true needs and values, rather than societal expectations.

How’s it going? What has the response been?

The response to 'Had Enough?' has been positive. Readers have expressed an appreciation for the focus on letting go of the rat race, minimalism and intentional living, finding it both refreshing and informative. The feedback has highlighted a collective resonance with the message of reclaiming joy and redefining success. People are eager to move away from the relentless pressures of consumerism and societal expectations, and they are finding value in the practical tips and deep reflections provided in the newsletter.

This has spurred me to launch 'Room for Joy,' integrating decluttering and professional organising with somatic healing techniques, and I look forward to the holistic approach to well-being and being honest about our 'stuff'.

What’s next?

Building on these foundations of my newsletter, my next venture, 'Room for Joy,' aims to further support individuals in decluttering their minds, bodies, and spaces. Where I will be offering in-person and virtual decluttering and professional organising services.

I am hoping to integrate this initiative with new training in somatic healing using the Triple vagal method to help declutter and release trauma from the body. 'Room for Joy' is dedicated to fostering simplicity, joy, and intentional living, enabling individuals to let go of physical, emotional and mental burdens to create harmonious, balanced lives.

In relation to racism, what is your vision for the future?

My vision is one where minority communities and the whole of society have fully decolonised their definitions of success and joy, free from the oppressive narratives that have historically marginalised us. I envision a world where we recognise our inherent worth and live in the present, no longer driven by the manipulated belief that we need to buy more, do more, and be more to be enough.

In this future, the systems that perpetuate racism and inequality are dismantled, and replaced by structures that honour and celebrate the diversity and richness of all cultures. The process of decluttering—both physically and mentally—serves as a powerful tool for unlearning harmful societal expectations and reclaiming our true needs and values. By focusing on what truly matters, we can build lives and communities rooted in authenticity, equity, and collective well-being.

My work through 'Had Enough?' and 'Room for Joy' aims to contribute to this vision by empowering individuals to shed the excess and trauma imposed by a racist and consumerist society. As we declutter our lives, we create space for joy, healing, and environments where everyone can thrive free from the burden of racial prejudice and systemic oppression.

Is there anything I haven't asked you that you'd like to add?

I would like to emphasise the importance of community healing and collective action in achieving the vision I’ve described. Meaningful change happens when individuals come together to challenge and reshape the systems that perpetuate inequity and injustice.

I believe that self-care and healing are integral parts of the journey towards social change. 'Room for Joy' not only focuses on decluttering physical and emotional spaces but also on nurturing holistic well-being through practices like somatic healing to release ancestral and complex trauma. By prioritising our own healing, we empower others to contribute more effectively to the collective effort of dismantling racism and creating a more joyful society.

I am excited about the potential for innovation and creativity in this work. As we challenge existing norms and redefine success and joy, there is an opportunity to envision and build new systems that prioritise authentic joy and environmental sustainability. This journey is dynamic and ongoing, and I am committed to continuously learning, growing, and evolving alongside the community I serve.

How did Sophia’s approach land with you? Please connect with her on her website, on LinkedIn and via the Had Enough? newsletter.

Thanks for reading,

Sharon

Note: poll feedback is private - if you’re happy to share your thoughts in public, then please also leave a comment.

© Sharon Hurley Hall, 2024. All Rights Reserved.

I am an anti-racism educator and activist, the author of “I’m Tired of Racism”, and co-host of The Introvert Sisters podcast. This newsletter is published on beehiiv (affiliate link).