How to Feel More Joy
Have you ever had one of those days when everything clicks into place and feels like you're flowing from one thing to the next? It's pretty magical.
When you feel confident in yourself and open to possibility, that's when unexpected opportunities appear. That's when the true magic happens.
But what do we do when we feel stuck? Like when joy feels far away or unattainable. What do we do then?
Invite joy into everyday moments.
How the heck do we do that??
When you’re checking email, offer yourself a thank you when you’ve tackled a difficult response.
When you’re drinking your afternoon tea, pause for just a moment and close your eyes. Feel the steam on your face, breath in the scent, notice how the cup feels in your hand.
When you get home, before you leave your car, take 3 deep breaths to transition yourself out of work mode and into home mode (so you can stop thinking about that meeting you have to lead tomorrow and instead feel warmth at seeing your kid/partner/cat).
Joy doesn’t have to be this big emotion. It can come to us in simple moments.
You can feel joy when the other driver at the stop sign waves to give you the right of way. You can feel it when you pick up your favorite pen. You can feel it when you see your BFF’s vacation photos because the smile on their face is so big you can’t help but smile too.
It used to be rare when everything clicked into place for me. Most days felt like a struggle and a fight just to do all the things on my to do list. Worry and fear were always at the back of my mind, plaguing me with endless chatter.
When I was a junior in high school I had one of the busiest springs ever! I was on the swim team, in a musical, and junior year had the most homework. It was my second season on the swim team, so I was a part of the Junior Varsity (JV) squad. But the thing was the JV team practiced later in the day and conflicted with the rehearsals for the musical I was in. So I asked the head coach if I could come to the varsity practice instead, he said yes. That time still holds some of my best memories from high school.
At swim practice I got to share a lane with Becca and Lisa. I wore swim fins most of the time because they were so.much. faster than me. Lisa and Becca were super sweet about having me in their lane. They were positive and welcoming, and didn’t mind that I was slower than them, we made it work.
On top of that Becca and I were in the same musical, so we went from swim practice to rehearsal. That meant that Becca and I spent so much time together. Her positivity and optimism rubbed off on me. She's a joyful, fun, and open human being. She encouraged me in the pool and in performing.
I found moments during rehearsal to do my homework. I got good grades. I felt good about myself. I found a way to do my favorite sport and sing and perform.
Even though I was so super busy, I found joy in all of the things I did.
Journaling Prompt: When were you filled with joy, optimism or positivity?
P.S. If the word joy doesn't resonate with you, that's ok! What word does feel good to you? It might be happiness, peace, ease, or something else entirely. Explore which word resonates with you.
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I want something different for next year. I’m not one for setting resolutions, I gave up on them years ago, I don’t really see the point of trying to make a change that won’t stick.