Finding Joy

Enjoying a sunny January day in Charleston

So today's post is a bit of a ramble, but hopefully y'all will bear with me. :) Lately I have been thinking a lot about finding joy and recognizing these good moments as they happen instead of just plowing through life.  For a long time, I was that person who thought okay if I can just get this done I will be happy. Whether it be getting an A on an assignment, losing weight, saving money.... whatever. I'm sure we all have things we struggle with and think, "if only I didn't have (insert your problem here) THEN I would be satisfied." It also goes the other way with thinking that if you just buy one more pair of shoes or game or whatever you will be happy.

Unfortunately I am here to break some hard truth to you, no thing will ever make you happy in the long run. Ultimately you can choose to be happy, and it starts by allowing yourself to be okay, right here right now. For me personally this means quieting my mind and reveling in the small everyday things. When I feel joy, that bubbling up, laugh for no reason, content joy I actively take a moment to stop and feel. I say a pray of thanks and I let the sensation envelop me.

Now, I am not a 100% full of joy person. I have bad days, annoying days, cranky days and moderately okay days, but often we focus more on the negative days or the things to be fixed instead of the joyful days and the things that bring us joy.  I find joy in cuddling my dogs, writing a blog post (even if no one reads it ;) ), feeling the warmth of the sun, watching a good TV show, having a good nap and dancing around to my current favorite songs. I know these actions bring me joy and when I get that feeling I try to consciously focus on it so I can remember the joyful days.

**animals find joy in just about everything they do, even yoga!

My advice to you: the next time you get that in your gut happiness feeling, take a moment to revel in it, let it envelop you and let it overwhelm you. Lord knows enough bad things or feelings can do the same to us... See, now I feel joy just writing to you all about it!

Have a great rest of the week!