The Joy of Creation (& Sharing Your Joy) (2024)

Greetings my loves!

Did I eat a gummy before sitting down to write this? Perhaps.

Full send! Let’s do this!

There are few things as rewarding to me as sharing joy. The high I get (heh) from someone else feeling joy because of something I shared with them is incomparable.

This shared joy has essentially been my muse, and the driver for most of my creation. Sharing joy is my raison d’être and my purpose here, I think, in this lifetime. As such, I’ve continued to write, podcast, photograph, post, and generate content.

You know that feeling when you bring someone to your favorite restaurant of all time, and they get to experience your very favorite food, and they love it as much as you do? That first bite you get to re-experience vicariously. The look on their face, their gleeful experience… you get to feel that with them. You know how amazing that is, to share the gift of that joy?Or when you share your favorite movie (or song!) with someone and they love it just as much?

Imagine getting to do that more often, in more ways. It’s why I’m a writer. It’s why This Is Fine! exists. It’s why I post TikToks among a sea of Gen Alpha youths.

If there’s something I love… something that has added joy to my life, made my life better in some way… everyone's going to know about it. Consider me a universal, pro bono hype girl. A publicist gratis for anything and everything imaginable, from amarena cherries to Angèle to astrology to Angelique Noire perfume.

The joy I experience from others also feeling joy technically precludes me from being considered altruistic, which begs the question — is altruism the goal? (whoa, this edible ain’t sh*t) I wouldn’t want anyone to be deprived of joy, least of all when helping others. I won’t get too into the philosophical weeds here, but my half baked hot take (heh) is that selflessness and altruism aren’t actually what we’re aiming for.

“Stoner Carrie Bradshaw has entered the chat” — Cheyenne

Whether it’s a beauty product, a place to eat, a travel destination, a health tip, a spiritual practice, it’s going to be shared, via some kind of creation. In this way I feel generative more than I feel like I’m “working” — even if sharing, in any instance, is something that pays me.

There are so many barriers that keep us from being generative and creative, and from sharing. Take podcasting and TikToking for example. I have so many friends who have incredible stories to share through their hilarious and engaging personalities and POVs. But what I hear most often is “there are already so many [insert medium here… podcasts, TikTokkers, writers, authors, artists, musicians].” And like, fer sher. There are! But people keep writing, keep speaking, keep sharing. There’s a voice for every listener, and a writer for every reader. There are billions of songs, but musicians keep making more every day. There are billions of books, and writers keep on writing.

If fear of being a small fish in a big pond is keeping you from being generative and creative, consider how valuable small fish are in the delicate balance of an ecosystem. That metaphor is a little off, but you get it!

If you’re worried about being cringe or you’re afraid of judgment, try to remember that many of the celebrities people worship are semi-hot theater kids who made it big (what’s up theater kids). Everyone’s cringe until they’re not.

And no one is immune to judgment… Most of the time judgment comes from the judge’s own insecurities and projections. Don’t let the inevitability of other people’s (sometimes objectively incorrect) opinions inhibit your ability to contribute to the world while you’re here.

Imagine if all of us got super hype on sharing joy with everyone, and we came at it from a truly happy place. What kind of collective shift might we experience if everyone could influence their own communities to be 1% happier? I’m thinking seismic tbh.

As the old sports trope goes (OK wait I googled it, it’s a Babe Ruth quote lol), don’t let the fear of losing keep you from playing the game. And as Nike says, just do it. CREATE. Share your joy!!

Stella turned 6 this past week and yes I’m fully sobbing over the passing of time and her sweet little life. Send her some love; she’s currently having a dream about eating or nursing and is making weird mouth noises while I write. Classic Taurus amirite.

I launched the astrology page of my website, so you can now book mini readings with me! More astro events to come — both virtual and in Paris.

Venus is in Taurus as of today (!!) so I will be indulging in my fairy princess energy (more than usual)… thank you for your understanding. All things Venus: beauty, music, art, romance, delicious food, indulgent self care treatments, luxurious fragrance and candles, lush bouquets and home decor, dance… you get it. INDULGE IN IT! Mars moves into Aries tomorrow, and Mercury is direct. Vibes.

My first article for GLAMOUR is now live, and it’s a feature on … drumroll… FRAGRANCE! I’m so f**king hype to be writing more perfume content. Go read it here. Yes, I sniff tested/huffed my way around perfume shops and the grands magasins in Paris to report on this hard hitting topic. Guerlain’s bergamot was my favorite.

Speaking of perfume…

There’s more where that came from! Will be making more perfume content on TikTok, stat. All that, alongside fit checks with Stella. Compelling content!

Stuff I’m Loving Lately

I’ll be launching the “shop” part of my website soon: an editorial curation of my favorite finds and my must-have, desert island products (my desert island is going to receive a cargo container shipment of products, apparently). In the interim, here’s some stuff I’m obsessing over currently.

Hey Harper Bikinis. Ok so this is a sleeper hit/surprise for me — apparently this is a waterproof jewelry brand, but I just found their swimwear while searching for a new set for an upcoming trip to Malta (!!). I snagged a frilly hot pink bikini (SHOCKING!) and it’s incredibly flattering. Seriously impressed!

Seasons. That’s all. I really love springtime. Big fan. (the below is a reel, you should click on it for the vibe)

My “Glass Hair” Must Haves. Alright so I’ve been having a great hair season lately, with healthy, shiny, soft hair. For context, my hair is dry naturally — fine to medium follicle.

• L’Oréal Elseve Huile Extraordinaire Plus Qu’un Shampooing. This is (unfortunately) only available in France/the EU as far as I know. For my American readers, pick this up next time you’re here. It’s under five bucks, and I swear it’s the best shampoo… it’s part mask, part shampoo, so nourishing, and makes my hair so silky soft.

• Davines Oi Liquid Luster. This post-shampoo rinse is an absolute must-have in my shower routine. Particularly my “everything shower” (IYKYK). Davines is one of my fav brands as you all probably know, and this glass-hair-in-a-bottle takes 20 seconds to rinse through your hair in the shower, in between shampooing and conditioning. It’s a salon treatment you can give yourself at home, and soooo worth it.

• Oribe Royal Blowout Heat Styling Spray. The final touch in this routine: heat protecting shine spray for a perfect blowout. Since moving to a location with actual seasons and temperature changes, I’ve been blowdrying my hair a LOT more, and I’m trying to protect my hair from damage. This happens to also impart a supershine effect while you’re drying.

Perfume Round Up. OK here’s what I’ve been loving this past month…

• Guerlain Cuir Beluga, Angelique Noire, and Musc Outreblanc. This is a tie, because I’m obsessed with all three… especially the latter two worn together (a milky white neroli musk mixed with a fresh amber green floral vanilla). Gonna have to do a deep dive onto some of my fav Guerlain scents soon.

• Montale Arabians Tonka. Yo I got a test strip of paper OVER A WEEK AGO and it’s still SO STRONG on that paper. I originally smelled this on a taxi driver in Rome and was like, signore, you smell SO GOOD. He said he had spritzed one spray, eight hours prior. I then smelled it on my French friend here and was like sis what are you wearing it’s heavenly… it was also this.Saffron, amber, sugar, tonka bean… everything I wanted Baccarat Rouge 540 to be, but so much better.

• Chanel Paris-Venise. This one has been on my wish list for a bit, because it’s just such a lovely and light fresh summer scent. The Les Eaux collection from Chanel really slaps — Paris-Paris is a gorgeous rose-citrus-patchouli, and I have a small bottle of Paris-Riviera for some floral citrus neroli. The Venetian iteration is a creamy orange tinged vanilla white floral with some soft musk and iris. Not grandma powdery… still very fresh and young.

Aight that’s enough for now.

Next episode: adult hobbies. Many of you know I’m an adult hobby evangelist. Next newsletter, my sermon. Let us pray.

love you all bunches! happy venusian season of TAURUS!

Xx

Dominique

PS… what are you creating next? tell me in the comments. or don’t! it’s your world.