“Defiant joy set me free!”

Candace Payne, aka “Chewbacca Mom,” is known best for a two-minute outburst of laughter so delightful that it led to viral fame in 2016 and a bestselling book. But for the 39-year- old wife and mom, arriving at that moment of joyousness was no small feat: It was forged from the grit of poverty, insecurity and depression. Here, her inspiring climb out

of the darkness and despair

With her contagious laugh and everpresent smile, Candace Payne is one of those folks who seem like they’ve never had a bad day. The Texas mother of two, who laughed with abandon on Facebook Live over the simple joy of donning the Star Wars Chewbacca mask she’d bought for her kids, became a viral sensation when her video was viewed more than 200 million times. But there’s a darker side to Candace’s seemingly sunny story.

“The lady laughing her head off in that car has walked through serious struggles— from childhood trauma to poverty to self-harm to depression,” Candace shares with Woman’s World. But Candace was able to break free from the pain by making one decision: boldly choosing joy, no matter what.

“Choosing joy is a true act of defiance because the second we do, shame, fear and self-doubt no longer have any control over us,” Candace explains. “I’ve also learned that joy isn’t this far-off, lofty goal that we achieve only when life is perfect. No matter how bad things seem, joy is always available and can be found in the smallest things—like tacos, pug cuddles and Chewbacca masks.”

Here, she shares ways you can start your revolution of joy.