“I Don't Always Have Joy (But I Could’ve If I Knew This! )”

Sometimes I find myself being negative and down is a default mode, a way of struggling through life to try and meet expectations of others. I found I must acknowledge that perhaps I'm being miserable because it's just a habit I've fallen into and that finding joy is hidden from me because my habit seems more real, respectable and serious than seeking joy. I have to ask myself why. Why do I think it's of more value to act serious and morbid all the time instead of being joyful and bright? I have researched ways to be more joyful and here is what I came up with...


 Decorate your home with joy reminders. Find positive and bright images, inspirational quotes and even the word "joy" to hang about your home to remind you daily that you strive to find joy. This will help to maintain your focus on the good and the manageable, while always seeking the joyful.  

Give up the things that reduce your sense of joy. This is very personal and the actions, behaviors and problems that inhibit your ability to find joy are something that you'll need to work out. However, some of the key things that help many people include:

• Learning to say no to things you don't enjoy but learning to say yes to things you'd love to try but have been too scared to or worry about what others will think.
• Killing the negative self talk. It drowns out joy and suggests that you're not allowed to find joy.
• Stopping complaining. Complaining is a form of bogging yourself down in constant negativity and making judgments.
• Ceasing to criticize yourself and by extension, others through your critical eyes. Joy doesn't reside within criticism.
• Stopping people pleasing. If you're the sort of person who pleases people just to fit in or not rock the boat, it's time to overcome this habit because it's a joy-killer.
• Overcoming the fear of failure. Fearing to fail drives a perfectionism and makes it harder for you to enjoy yourself.

 

Learn to deal with problems. Hiding from problems, complaining about them or making them bigger just makes the problem worse. Confronting the problem and dealing with it allows you to begin seeing an end to it, and allows you to accept the joyful aspects that are beyond the problem. In some cases, there is actually joy involved in solving the problem too, as you are doing something positive to fix things.

• Break down large problems into small problems. That way, they won't seem so overwhelming.
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•  Stay organized. Being organized in a busy life will help to remove sources of stress that can dampen joy. Make use of organizational tools that work best for you, not only at work or study but also for your personal and social lives. 

                                                   

   The Joyful Life

 Designer

  Life Coach 

   Tiffany King 

     TheEmpoweringGift@gmail.com