The Art of Finding Joy
Hi friends! I hope you’re doing well and having a great week so far.
I thought this topic would be fitting for my first official post, and I hope you all love it.
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Joy. One of those things that seems so simple, but often isn’t.
I’ve never been a winter person (I know this seems off topic, but just stay with me here). For someone who lives in Upstate New York, this is kind of a huge problem. But it’s true, I’ve never been a winter person.
For me, the thought of winter has never been an easy one. Sure, I love the holidays, but once January hits, so does my seasonal depression. It happens every year.
But this past fall, I made a promise to myself to do everything in my power to find joy in every moment, in every season. It wasn’t easy, but boy has it been life-changing. I successfully made it through an entire Northeast winter (yay!) by finding joy in every single day.
This post is about helping you find joy in every season, every season of life, and every single day. A post I wish I had over the past few years. Here are my tips on the art of finding joy.
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Start a gratitude journal.
Finding joy always starts with finding gratitude. Journaling has changed my life (more on this to come in a separate post!), but it can be so daunting at first and can feel really… well, stupid to be completely honest. But I promise it’s worth it.
To dip your toe into journaling, I recommend starting a gratitude journal. A gratitude journal is exactly as it sounds: a journal about what you’re grateful for. When I first started my gratitude journal entries often looked like this:
I am grateful for my family.
I am grateful for my health.
And that’s great! But as you continue to write, you discover more things you are grateful for. Things you didn’t even realize you had or appreciated. You start looking for the good. Over time, my journal entries have changed as I’ve learned to appreciate the little joys in life.
I am grateful for the health of my friends and family.
I am grateful for another day of life.
I am grateful for waking up to sunshine this morning.
I am grateful for the colors and smell of springtime.
I am grateful for a home in which I feel safe and protected.
Just start, I promise it will be worth it.
2. Change your mindset.
Okay, I know you’re rolling your eyes at me, but hear me out.
It’s the law of attraction, and it’s all in your mindset. If you think you’re having a bad day, you will have a bad day. If you think the world is out to get you, you will feel like the world is out to get you. You have to change your mindset.
Instead of “Today is a bad day”, try “That was a bad experience, but today is a good day”.
Instead of saying “This situation sucks”, try “This situation is preparing me for something better”.
Instead of saying “I will never find love”, try “I will find a love that is meant for me, when I am meant to find it”.
Life is too short to be unhappy. If you can’t find joy, make it.
3. Do things that make you happy.
Do the things that make your heart sing. It’s that simple.
Picking up fresh flowers every week, treating yourself to your favorite drink, driving with your windows down scream-singing along to your favorite playlist, whatever it is that makes your heart sing, do it.
You are the sole person in control of finding and creating your own joy, so do whatever it takes to make that happen.
4. Start looking.
Joy can be found in everything, you just have to look. It’s found in the way the clouds float across the sky, the way flowers unfold in their own timing, and the sound of laughter. It’s found in the warmth of a hug, the feeling of sunshine on your skin, and the smell of rain. It’s found in the simple fact that you are alive and breathing at this very moment.
The second you start looking for joy, you find it. You just have to start.
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Love, Anne