A Weekend In Stars Hollow and What it Taught Me About Joy

A Perfect Fall day in "Stars Hollow" come to life.

I just got back from the Gilmore Girls Fan Fest in Guilford, Connecticut, and it was pure magic.

If you’ve ever wished you could step into Stars Hollow, the tiny town filled with quirky characters, twinkle lights, and endless coffee, you can imagine what it felt like.

The streets were lined with shops that looked straight out of the show, the trees were glorious in shades of red, orange, and yellow, and laughter seemed to follow everywhere I went.

But somewhere between the coffee cart and the town Troubadour, something shifted in me.

It wasn’t just nostalgia that filled me up, it was permission.

Permission to be present. Permission to savor the moment. Permission to enjoy something simply because it brings me joy.

Like so many of us, I often fall into the rhythm of doing. Working, planning, checking off boxes. I save joy for “later”, for when I’ve earned it.

This trip reminded me that joy doesn’t have to be earned.

It can be a kind of self-care all its own.

Joy softens us. It restores what life drains out of us. It connects us to others, and back to ourselves.

When we practice self-compassion, we often think of soothing or comforting ourselves when things are hard. But there’s another kind of compassion too, the compassion that allows us to experience pleasure, play, and delight without guilt.

Joy softens the edges of our striving, it lifts us out of autopilot, and it reconnects us with our aliveness.

When we allow joy in, something inside us begins to heal.

That weekend reminded me that laughter and lightness don’t distract from our growth —they support it.

Now that I’m home, I’m trying to bring little bits of Stars Hollow into my daily life.

A slow cup of coffee in the morning. A walk just for the sake of walking. A few deep breaths before the day begins.

Joy doesn’t have to be extravagant or hard-won.

It can be as simple as holding a warm latte on a cool day.

As simple as the sound of a song you love or smiles between strangers.

Joy can be as simple as a warm cup and a quiet moment.

🌿 A gentle reflection for you:

What would your version of a “Stars Hollow moment” look like this week? A quiet cup of tea? A phone call with a friend? A walk under autumn trees?

Whatever it is, I hope you let yourself have it. Because joy—real, everyday joy—is nourishment too.

With love and gratitude, Erica 💗

I'm Erica Thomas, a psychotherapist and coach who helps people heal emotional eating through the practice of self-compassion. My course, Heal Emotional Eating with Self-Compassion, was born from my belief that food is meant to be a source of connection, not shame, and that learning to eat with kindness can change everything.

If you’ve ever felt caught between restriction and overindulgence, or longed to make peace with food and your body, my programs offer a gentle, grounded path forward. You can learn more or join the next session here:👉 Learn more about Heal Emotional Eating with Self Compassion.