Little moments of joy can help our bodies recover from the physiological effects of stress, and indeed they can help us find meaning and purpose in difficult times.
Joy is a form of resilience!
Studies have shown that cultivating an optimistic outlook is key for building resilience and finding more JOY in our life.
As Voltaire reminds us at the end of Candide, "We must cultivate our own garden" of joy. The garden represents the cultivation and propagation of joy, which despite all their misery, the characters choose to embrace.
In fact, research by psychologist Barbara Fredrickson reveals that if we allow ourselves to experience small moments of joy, such as buying ourselves a bag of sweets, we will be more likely to see the bigger picture when solving difficult problems, as well as coming up with creative solutions.
Fetell Lee said that we need to become a joy detective! We need to start keeping a joy journal to note down all the times during the day that we experienced joy.
- who were you with?
- what sensory experiences were present?
- what was happening?
- record the details
- the more specific, the better
- what was the silliest thing that happened to me today :)
Fetell Lee said that "we have hypersensitive fingers and all we give them to do is tap away on a keyboard." SO TRUE!
It is so important to focus on the senses. How to keep our senses Alive? (sight, smell, touch, sound, taste)
People express joy in different ways. Some express themselves externally and for others the expression of joy is more inward-focused.
Some people need to remove themselves from the ordinary distractions and noise of everyday life in order to feel an inward joy. In silence and meditation the focus is turned inward instead of outward.
All I need to do is turn my awareness inward and focus on a quieter energy during the breeze at dawn. Rumi said "The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don't go back to sleep." I never miss the breeze at dawn.
The breeze at dawn helps me focus on gratitude instead of focusing on the loss.
Indeed there is a plan to create joy in every area of our lives. We need to make a list of all the tiny actions that make us feel more joy on a daily basis.
Think of how you can create uplifting moments in your day.
No comments:
Post a Comment