6 Ways To Create Joy
With the demands of day-to-day life and all you need to accomplish, you might wonder where joy exists, particularly if you feel dissatisfied with aspects of life, your career, or are experiencing any form of struggle.
I believe that we cannot just sit and wait for joy to appear. Or go day-by-day hoping for happiness. We can’t afford to wait until ‘life settles down,’ for retirement, or for our next summer vacation to experience joy. Nor can we keep life on pause while waiting for someone else to create joy in our lives.
There are times when we need to take control and create our joy. There is hope in choosing to create joy– and we could all use hope. Joy doesn’t have to come from something extravagant, and it doesn’t have to cost anything at all. Joy lives all around us if we look closely enough, in the frosty winters of the north and the humid summers of the south. The lens through which we view the world and our circumstances can impact how we find joy, but I promise you that each of us has the potential to create our happiness. I’ve been on a journey to foster joy for the past two years. I’ve allowed myself the space to explore and grow, veering from the path I was already on and despite simultaneously experiencing struggles along the way. I committed to joy, and I look forward to sharing my journey through my blog as it’s ever-evolving.
6 Ways to Create Joy
- Honor Your Emotions
In my most un-joyful moments, I value allowing myself to feel my emotions. We need to experience our feelings, that’s the human side of us, and there shouldn’t be any shame in doing so. By closing ourselves off to feeling our negative emotions, we may also unintentionally close ourselves off to feeling positive emotions. However, I always strive to move purposefully to a place of gratitude. I engage in a practice where I start expressing gratitude for whatever comes to mind–– the glimmering stars, my dogs, favorite song, or fuzzy socks. I start small and expand my list by acknowledging all that I feel gratitude towards–– my family, friendships, our home, the ability to provide for my family, vacations, and other experiences. Engaging in this process almost always moves my energy from a negative state to a more positive one. It’s not foolproof, and it’s something I continue to grow as a habit, but it’s beneficial. Each time I practice this strategy, I find that I return to a positive state more quickly than before.
2. Move Your Body
Prioritizing time to move our bodies is essential. Maybe you enjoy going on long walks, running, strength training, or yoga. Moving our bodies releases endorphins and lessens the stress we experience. The less stress I feel, the more I feel joy. I select a time in my day and dedicate it to moving, which is a sacred time for me. There’s no excuse regarding time because it falls near the top of my list of priorities. Without my health, I can’t do everything else to the best of my ability. The simple act of moving can be one of the most beneficial things we do for ourselves to impact our overall health positively.
3. Engage in Goal Setting–– Then Go After Them
Let’s stop looking at what everyone else is doing, reflect on who you are and what you want your unique life to look like, and then set goals to help you attain that. No one has your voice or the same experiences you bring to the table, so go after whatever drives you. Move your life in the direction you envision it going. You can create specific goals, or maybe your goals are theme-based. Almost all of my goals are centered around joy and remaining present—joy in my home, work, friendships, and life. Overwhelming myself with too many goals can feel draining; I’ve been there in life and don’t want to return. Setting small goals and accomplishing them helps build confidence and brings satisfaction, encouraging us to achieve more of our dreams. Just remember that you’re capable of anything and go after those lofty goals!
4. Create Boundaries
Boundaries might determine how much we are willing to extend ourselves. You might say no to something to protect your own time or energy. Or, you might block off time in your calendar to avoid feeling overscheduled. You can build time into your day, week or month to engage in activities that bring you joy and stick to your plan. Boundaries might even be the lines we draw regarding activities or people who impact our emotional energy. Protecting ourselves and maintaining our health is essential to the process of inviting and retaining joy in our lives.
5. Connect With Your People
Take note of who feeds your soul or who saps your energy. Create opportunities to connect with those who uplift, support, and inspire you. If you can’t be in person, set up a time to Zoom, chat over Voxer, or Facetime. In today’s world, there are so many possibilities for how we can remain connected.
6. Celebrate and Express Gratitude
I can not speak enough to the power of celebrating and expressing gratitude. Doing so requires us to be present in the moment. When we are too focused on the upcoming, we easily overlook what’s before us. In other words, becoming too preoccupied with the future can steal joy from the present. Take a pause and a deep breath. Observe your surroundings and reflect on how far you’ve come. Instead of looking at what’s ahead, embrace the moment to look at all you’ve accomplished or what you’re gifted in life.
Each of the above requires us to engage in self-awareness to foster joy. We need to know our own heart and soul, what inspires or drains us, and how we can move forward during challenging times. Self-awareness will help us make the act of creating joy a habit, leading us to a more fulfilling life. I hope you’ll join me in the journey of creating joy in every opportunity possible. Life is too short to spend it any other way.
