Cultivating Joy

  Joy is a key part of a good life. A huge part of life is having fun and enjoying the experience that we were gifted with on Earth. There is joy and happiness to be found everywhere. I practiced this exercise and it helped refocus and center myself. I want to share it with you all in hopes it can do the same. List all of your recent moments of pure joy.  Look back and remember all the moments where your mind was not clouded by anything. When have you felt fully present and fully alive in the moment, without a thought flowing through your mind? I looked back and there were so many simple moments of pure joy. Laughing with my family, stretching, swimming, eating amazing food, exercising, cleaning the list goes on and on. In all of these moments I felt alive. After writing all of my moments down I categorized where my joy really centered from. For me there were a couple areas that really stood out to me. One being human connection. Having genuine conversation, or spending time with family and friends gave me a huge sense of joy. Also, focusing on my passions gave me joy as well. Engaging in what I loved to do really created a sense happiness inside. Joy is contagious, it will spread and manifest. When you can feel someone's passion or see someone's happiness it gives you joy. Focus on the joy that you have in your life, and find joy in the little things. It will enhance your life. Everyone is looking for happiness. You need to see it and feel it for yourself, it is all around you just have to take the time so see it, and appreciate it. When you find where joy comes in your life you can recreate it and do the same things again and again. Joy is attainable for everyone.    

Written by Anna Wilhelm