SHIFT YOUR MINDSET TO DISCOVER MORE JOY
What are some great ways to discover more joy in your life? What are some small ways that you can discover joy even in difficult times?
We often forget the importance of small behaviors that have the power to change our perspective every day. I have found in my own life that with just a few small changes my life can improve dramatically. I can begin to discover more Joy in my own life every day by just making a few improvements.
Shift Your Mindset To Discover More Joy?
I want to challenge you this month to shift your mindset to seeking Joy in life. Currently, around the world, we are all struggling with various challenges related to the Coronavirus and adapting to a lifestyle that we are not used to. My challenge to you is to seek joy in your life despite the current circumstances.
Why Is Joy Such A Struggle?
Joy is something that is a constant struggle for many of us. We feel that joy can only be found if things are perfect and if we have everything we think we need. Well, my question for you my friends is this? What is it that we really need to be joyful in life?
I believe true joy comes from not achieving and attaining everything in life you have ever wanted. I believe joy is found in the simple moments of gratitude and contentment. The moments where we do not receive anything more than what we already have and we reflect on the blessings in our life.
What Brings Me Joy?
Some of the happiest moments in my life and the ones I remember the most are the simple moments enjoyed with my family and friends. Joyful moments I can remember the most are…… the moment I met my husband, the time spent together with him, the countless memories of time with friends.
I love to travel and one of the biggest reasons I love to travel is not the fact that we have so much money to spend and we are living it up on vacations. What I love the most about traveling is visiting places I have never been to and enjoying the simple beauty of nature.
Traveling is not the only way to discover joy in new experiences either. In fact, there is beauty all around you every day. My challenge to you is to enjoy the simple things and reflect on the blessings around you all the time.
Go to a park, find a scenic view nearby and spend a few moments reflecting on the simple beauty surrounding you. I believe you will discover the same thing I do if you allow yourself to really appreciate all the beauty of nature.
Ways To Discover More Joy In Life
Spend time with those you love
Get into nature
Prayer or Meditation
Focus on self-care
Get creative
Find something or someone that inspires you
Do something special for someone else
Visit the beach or another happy place
Find ways to serve and bless others
Look for a job that is meaningful and you are passionate about
Find a hobby that can bring you purpose
Read a good book
Playing games with friends and family
Spending quality time with others
Touch – Massage
Go take a walk outside
Uncluttering your life
Allow yourself to rest
Remember what you have to be thankful for
Secretly help someone
Spend time with children
Set some future goals and plans
Can’t visit your happy place. Why not google one instead? You can find a webcam online to experience so many locations around the world. For me, this is a beautiful beach scene. It’s not exactly like being there but it definitely brings me some joy. This is the website I have been using recently to imagine I am in my happy place.
Some quotes on Joyful living that might inspire you
“The Joy that isn’t shared dies young.” Anne Sexton
Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with.” Mark Twain
“Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm and our intelligence aglow. “ Helen Keller
“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.” Henri Nouwen
“Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be filled with joy.” Anonymous
“The healthiest response to life is joy.” – Mark Twain
"Ask God, “Lord, what is separating me from joy?” Ask him to replace your contingent joy with courageous joy. Ask him to help you anchor to the firm rock on his shoreline. Ask him to show you the joy that cannot be taken. He will. He will stir a revival of contagious joy in your heart.” -Max Lucado
You can find more of my favorite joy quotes in this post here
My life and the challenge to find joy
I have to admit that finding joy over the last 10 years of my life has been very complicated. Despite the challenges though I have made it my mission to spread more joy and encourage joy in your life. In making this my mission I have found myself even more challenged in my own life.
Don’t ever think that I have a joyful life all figured out and that it comes easy for me. It doesn’t. It does, however, get easier over time as I work at pulling myself out of the depression that tends to set in. Each time I shift my mindset I begin to rise above the pain and rediscover joy.
I want others to look at my life and see joy. I want the pain in my heart and in my eyes to lessen as I seek joy and spread it to others. I want pure joy to radiate from me and I want the life that I live to be remembered as one that challenged others to seek joy in life.
In my struggles, I have been challenged to seek God more and to surrender my life to Him. I have found true joy in trusting Him with my future and giving up control in areas that I always previously struggled with. I have discovered that shifting my mindset to joy is possible and it is empowered through my relationship with God.
Final thoughts
I hope some of these ideas today will help you to reignite the joy in your own life. No one and nothing has the right to steal your joy. Do not allow your present trials, your job, or your relationships to rob you of one of your most precious possessions…..which is a joyful heart. Living a more joyful life can change your life entirely and enrich everything you do. Pretty soon you will discover that the simple everyday moments are all moments where joy can be cultivated.
