Are you Choosing to Activate Joy in your Life?

There is a wellspring of joy within all of us that is our inherent state of wholeness. At times, the feeling of joy arises spontaneously when we see a newborn baby, take a walk in nature, spend time with a friend or simply do something we enjoy.

Joy is that great feeling of pleasure, happiness and love felt as you open the heart. It’s sensed all over the face and body, like a glow of sunshine. Joy is one of the most wonderful feelings we can experience. There is a lively, cheerful, light and happy heartfelt stirring that radiates throughout the whole body and mind.

Too often our mental, emotional and physical pain and suffering acts as a barrier, trapping the treasures of our joy from being free. When we are in reaction mode, we identify so intensely with our pain and suffering that we forget that we are so much more than our pain. Joy feels more like a trickle than a fountain.

The perception of our inner state determines the quality of our experiences. When we have negative thoughts about our lives, we become critical, resentful, fearful, anxious, guilty and get stuck in a pattern of negative thoughts and feelings. We believe these are our truths and cannot see our inner treasure from the barriers we have created over time.

In order to step out of the circular pattern, make the choice to identify the barriers that prevent you from experiencing joy and take responsibility to improve your life. Allow your thoughts and feelings to come to the surface and be known by you instead of avoiding them or blaming others for your circumstances. Take small steps to empower yourself by taking action in changing what you can. Find peace by accepting what you cannot change.

Become an active participant in your own joy and choose it
every day–it doesn’t just happen. Access more joy by being in the
present moment and noticing all the blessings around and within you. Notice the simple things in your life that cheer you up and make you smile. Feel gratitude for any small blessings that you become aware of during the day, every day.

When fears, doubts, judgments or any other kind of negativity come into your window of awareness, PAUSE and notice them. We have a tendency to dismiss or avoid unpleasant thoughts and feelings hoping they will go away and never return. The key is to acknowledge and accept every part of you with compassion and learn to tolerate the unpleasant sensations. Over time, this very simple but difficult process will transform the barriers so that you may have more access to your joy.

When your intention is to cultivate more joy in your life, not only will you help yourself but everyone around you will also benefit. As you embark on the journey to accessing more joy you will resonate with others on the same journey.Are you Choosing to Activate Joy in your Life?