Creating Joy in Your Life
May 20, 2020
The key to authentic happiness is leading a life with joy. Joy is created, not found. So if you have been looking for it. Stop.
Truth is that people need people. It’s scientifically proven. People like being around joyful people. Be the type of person that people like to be around by leading a life of joy. Sounds simple enough, right? You need to find a way to constantly create joy in your life to achieve ultimate happiness. Here’s four tips to start leading a life of joy:
1. Notice the Negative.
Try to make a conscious effort to notice when you are being negative. Are you that person who is constantly complaining? Here’s an idea, turn complaints into compliments. Each time that you catch yourself complaining, compliment someone. Now, the compliment doesn’t have to be directed to the person that you are complaining about, if you are in fact complaining about someone. Let’s say you catch yourself complaining about Suzy at work who is always running late to work and yet seems to be your bosses favorite employee despite her bad work ethic. When you find another one of her late days getting on your nerves, stop the complaint and talk about how awesome your colleague Jessica has been at her presentations and rocking the webinars. Focus on the positive people at your work. Don’t waste your energy talking about the negative person.
If you are a complainer, create a “Bliss List.” This is a list of topics that make you happy: kids, vacation getaways, your favorite television show, your favorite comedian or movie. This list are your “go to topics” to discuss in lieu of negative topics. When the conversation starts to go down a dark, negative path, switch the direction of the conversation and pull a topic from your “Bliss List.”
Another suggestion, create a “Complaint Jar.” Each time you complain about something or someone or have a negative though toward something, write it down, crumble it up, and toss it in the jar. At the end of the month, put a financial equivalent to the crumbled complaint, and put the money toward something nice for someone else.
2. Go Above and Beyond to Be Kind to Others.
Being kind to others is direct fuel for your soul. Fill your tank with acts of kindness and feel the joy overflow! This doesn’t have to be a financial act of kindness, in fact, the best act of kindness are free:
- Smile at a stranger
- Say hello to people in the elevator instead of ignoring them and staring at the numbers going up or down
- Write a letter or card to a dear friend. When is the last time that you received a random card from a friend? Most of my mail is bills, department store advertisements, and junk mail.
- Put flowers on your neighbors doorstep.
3. Feel GOOD Thoughts
Recognize when you are feel anxious or unjoyful. Ask yourself: what is the worst that can happen? Remind yourself that it is not so bad. Think about a difficult situation that you faced in the past and how you moved forward. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise. Remember how it felt when something fantastic happened to you and try to replace that anxious feeling with that fantastic feeling.
4. Change Fine to Fantastic.
Let’s face it. When someone asks us how we are doing, we simply say, “fine.” Maybe we aren’t fine, but we still say fine like word vomit. The word fine has lost its meaning. From now on, when someone asks how you are doing, you answer “Fantastic!” Even if you really are just “fine,” or perhaps you are less than fine. Put that fantastic feeling in the universe, and let it come back to you. It’s the law of attraction. Would you rather have fine things come back to you or fantastic things come into your life? In addition, if someone answers fantastic, the conversation begins … “Oh what makes you so fantastic?” As I mentioned, people need people, and BAM – joy is created.
