Here’s the thing about JOY – it’s both within us and everywhere all around us but it is not always obvious, not always jumping up and down with bells and whistles and yellow streamers to show us the way. Sometimes what is ours to do is to unabashedly turn toward the gentlest inklings of its presence with our whole heart, mind, and spirit. The French word for sunflower is girasol which literally means to turn toward the sun. Knowing the sun is there, even if it is sometimes hidden behind clouds, requires both great faith and true commitment, both great gusto and true grit. And when we do pivot toward that which is good and bright and life-affirming it is our Joy Intelligence™ guiding us like a compass to our True North.
Yes, joy will most certainly come and surprise us by tapping us on the shoulder now and again. Still it helps if we are awake, alert, and accessible enough to notice the tap or nudge or whisper or shout, paying attention and responding with open arms and playful feet ready to skip to a new beat and follow where joy leads. Something else worthy of our consideration. It’s easier to take notice of external JOY cues. And yet, the more we are aware and recognize the things that are external, the easier it becomes to ignite or simply access the joy within us.
So, while we want to make sure that we are on the lookout for the joy-making carpe diem opportunities all around us, ultimately it is our internal Joy Intelligence™ that is guiding us as we move through the day. Cultivating our JQ™ is the surest way to live our best, most satisfying, most fulfilling lives.
Something else about sunflowers worth mentioning. On gloomy days sunflowers will turn toward each other. Maybe that’s because nature, in her infinite wisdom, knows that there is comfort and strength and encouragement and JOY in numbers? So, one mighty way to make oneself exponentially more available for joy, even when sunshiny guideposts aren’t illuminating the way, is to hang out with right-hearted and bright-minded companions. Fun and frolic build and expand in the great good company of others. So, while you are on the lookout for joy, be on the lookout for those willing to join in and add to the hoopla, whether through happenstance or by design. This is another way to invite our capacity for our innate Joy Intelligence™ to grow and expand.
How else can we tune in to joy and living JOYELY®? I believe that there are as many answers to that query as there are grains of sand that one can sift through to discover the infinity of treasures that the gift of life holds for us. Listen to music and sooner or later there will be words that float toward us on a song and we are drawn to sing (or dance) along. Or look up at the sky and be startled into awe by a bird or butterfly in flight or the delight of night, complete with falling stars to wish upon. Anything/Everything from a delicious meal to a game of catch to a batch of cookies straight from the oven or an unexpected hug or moment of absolute quiet or raucous revelry. And what about all those conversations, pre-planned or spontaneous, that fill your mind and expand your heart beyond its current boundaries? All these opportunities spark our Joy Intelligence™ and magnify our attentiveness to JOY all around us and within us. Don’t be surprised if this special mindfulness grows into a great, big, contented smile that spreads across your face and, more importantly, within your heart.
Reinforce your JOY quest. While you are on the lookout and honing your detective skills, you might keep a daily journal so that you can record what made the day wonderful or beautiful or joyful or abundantly full of moments that awakened your senses or opened you to a new possibility or reawakened an old spark.
Joy is here for the taking and we are the meaning makers who get to decide what we allow into our orbit and what we choose to say about it. A dear friend recently said to me, when I was going through a challenging moment with someone, that I get to be the gatekeeper of my life. I get to decide what I welcome in and when it is time to shift my mindset to also let whatever (or whoever) drags me down and depletes my energy drift away (or be shown the proverbial door).
So let’s also consider the elephant in the room. In the pursuit of joy, what are the energy drains that can drag us down and leave us depleted? I recently saw a cartoon of a woman sitting at her desk. The caption said, “Today I am crossing things off my list. I haven’t done them. I just don’t want them on my list anymore.” Amen!
How about you? In your quest for more joy, is there something on your must do list that might no longer serve you? How can you be of service to your Self by letting it go and getting into the JOY-full flow of the Life that is being called forth from within you and all around you?
Remember: we humans are WIRED FOR JOY, with built-in heart, mind, and gut antennae to pick up signals anywhere and everywhere. How about if we take note and explore what happens when we tune in more broadly and deeply.
Did you know that smiling makes other people think you’re smarter, kinder, more confident and better-looking?
That’s the finding of research conducted by Robert Zajonc, Ph.D. of Stanford University, who concluded that a simple smile can have a profound effect on the way we feel–and on how others feel about us. What’s more, it can intensify our own personal feelings of well-being.
found on Facebook which is a delightful place to scroll when you are looking for joy sparks.
Here is a comfy blanket that can remind you to BE on the lookout for JOY every time you wake up or go to bed.
In your quest for more joy, is there something on your must do list that might no longer serve you?
Be of service to your Self by letting it go and getting into the JOY-Full flow of the life that is being called forth from within you and all around you.
It’s not always what or where you think
it might be a message floating your way
on a random vibration of birdsong
or a catchy tune on the airwaves
when you find yourself singing along
or perhaps it’s in an old book
like the one I looked at today
about ridding oneself
of the illusion of perfection
in order to become whole
and it got me to consider
what a beautiful goal
which then prompted this poem
or there were those comfy pjs that arrived
as a gift just when I need a lift
out of the doldrums of the flu
and feeling pampered by something
new was the perfect remedy
to indulge my senses more gleefully
and of course there’s that great big
bear hug that sneaks up from behind
and takes one by surprise
just when a break is needed
from the turmoil of the roiling
vicissitudes of life
or what about the yummiest
chocolate chip cookie recipe ever
showing up as the perfect antidote
to a droopy frown when an inner
cookie monster is having a meltdown
or when ivory tower assumptions
have gotten way too high
to see the loveliness of clouds
that are part of even the bluest sky
there is so much that happens
when I remember to look past
the immediacy of exactly how
I think things should be
from the heart, mind, and pen of Minx
©2024 Minx Boren. All rights reserved.
We humans are WIRED FOR JOY, with built-in heart, mind, and gut antennae to pick up signals anywhere and everywhere. Yet all too often, we forget to tune in.
Welcome to JOYELY, where JOYELY Ever After is not just a dream, it’s our lifestyle.
© 2024 JOYELY. All Rights Reserved.