How to have more Joy
Joy and happiness are states we are all striving for in life. Let us open our minds to the ideas of joy and happiness.
“Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.”
It is a common statement to say "When I am successful I will be happy!" “When I have a better home/car/relationship I will be happy Maybe it is financial or relief from physical illness. We see these obstacles blocking our joy. When in fact joy is a state of being not a destination. The definition of joy is a feeling of great pleasure and happiness or to rejoice.
Notice it states a feeling! Let’s break this down, what is a feeling?
A feeling is an emotional state, belief, or reaction. If we are seeking a state of joy. Then how could it be a destination? Joy is a state of being. In the act of liberating the mind on these points. Take a moment to work with these reflection points.
When is the last time that you can say that you felt the feeling of joy/happiness? Take yourself back to that state of being. Can you feel the sensation of the things externally of yourself that potentially created it, or did it come from an internal source?The goal of living a life with more joy is being able to take this state with you at all times, even faced with an obstacle to overcome you can hold that internal state of joy. This does require some practice! It is recentering in the moments that you are not in that state of joy. Reflecting on ways to open up avenues for more joy to flow into your life. This requires your dedication and commitment.
To be empowered we must understand that we create our reality, it is all filtered through our point of perspective. In order to shift our perception, we must understand that life is not happening to us it is happening because of us. Two people can experience the same event and react differently.
How it looks to create more joy is moment-by-moment choices.
Breath: Often the reason that we can not stay in the state of joy, is external situations take us out. This creates a chemical response in the body, our stress hormones are responding to the event. Using the breath to take deep inhales in through the nose and out through the mouth, for a few minutes. Calming the body and the stress response. This takes practice and eventually becomes an automatic response.
“The most important decision you will ever make is to be in a good mood”
Acceptance: There is no graduation day in life. Life will continue to provide us with lessons. Acceptance of this fact can help your state of joy. Accept that when there is an event, you can perceive it differently and see it as an opportunity to grow and become a better version of yourself.
“Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.”
Mindfulness: When we live in the moment more joy is at our fingertips. Playing with a pet, having a walk in nature, cooking a fresh meal. All of these things can be joyful. When we are not in the present moment, living in the past or future, worry and fear exist. I like to think of my mindfulness practice as being intimate with life. Living fully tasting the food, listening to music with my whole being, not half doing two or three things at once
Affirmation: Affirm to yourself the state of being you are striving for. Stating the mindset you desire actually rewires the brain, creating new pathways. This can take time. There is only more joy to gain and nothing too loose. Here are some examples
"I live a joy-filled life""I choose joy in every moment""I feel inner joy""Joy is in me at all times"Balance: Finding ways to bring all aspects of yourself into alignment. Your physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental bodies. Ensuring that you are nursing all the multitudes that you are. I go more into detail about this in the "Perfect Morning Routine Ebook"