What’s JOY got to do with it? How to feel more Joy into your life.
On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your joy-ratio right now? Could you use some more joy in your life?
It can be so easy to feel low when you open up your news feed or grapple with the to-do list of the week. Life can feel like a slog, a series of struggles to overcome in order to get to the end of the day and have a moment of peace.
And maybe today you’re facing some sincere challenges that are creating stress and pushing you past your comfort zone. Is there room for a sliver of joy in all that you are up against?
The state of joy is so powerful and transformative, we all need and deserve more in our lives. From small moments to lives full of joy, here are some tips to move from struggle-street to joy’s-highway!
Joy is an emotion, a state of being and a divine frequency. Think of the purity of a baby or child when they delight in the simple things: a smile exchanged! A delicious taste! The wag of a dog’s tail!
The amazing thing about joy is that unlike so many things in life, it doesn’t need to be complicated. It’s a state of simplicity and it’s also very personal. What brings me joy might not be the same as you, so inviting this into your life might be another way of getting to know yourself!
Like any emotion, we find it most concentrated in the moment, accessing it is connected to our ability to be present and ready to feel.
What are you feeling in your body right now? There might be a range of emotions, which can make the joy switch hard to find. The pathway to joy can’t be forced, don’t be duped by the lure of Toxic Positivity, where we try to force a positive state onto ourselves. This can leave us feeling more disconnected then allowing ourselves to simply feel, even if the emotions don’t feel good in the moment.
Once we know the truth of how we are feeling and make space to support ourselves, there is more room joy. As with anything, the more we focus on something, the more we will experience it. For example, if you focus only on the colour green, you’ll start seeing it everywhere! What will happen if you focus on joy?
Meditation is an amazing way to connect with the love principles of the universe and gives us a direct plug-in to joy. While external, everyday parts of your life can bring joy (see my list below!) nurturing an internal position of this wavelength can really make it a steady part of your life. And what we foster within, we will manifest in our lives, so carve out space in your meditation practice to nurture joy and gratitude for life.
Want to get started now? Make a list of 5 things that bring you joy, big or small! Once you start thinking about it, you’ll notice them everywhere!
Here are a few of mine:
When my kids laugh together.
The first sip of coffee.
A moment of kindness between strangers.
Pumping my favourite music on my car speakers!
The way my dog flops down after a long walk outside.
A new bud on a flower bush.
What’s your list? May joy bloom forward in your day and your joy-ratio score a 10!