Life is about creating more JOY, right? The dictionary defines JOY as “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.” That sounds great, doesn’t it? But how exactly do we go about obtaining this level of happiness?
Before you keep reading please know you can now watch Hanni share her thoughts on this topic on our YouTube Channel.
Busting the myth of a JOYFUL life
So, the myth that so many chase on a regular basis is that the house, car, clothes, the neighborhood you live in, your paycheck, etc. will bring true and lasting JOY. I certainly fell into this trap, as I believe many of us do. It required some serious soul searching to uncover what it truly means to be happy and how this is most certainly an inside job.
The news is full of celebrities that fell into this trap as well and many learned too late that the fame, fortune and “stuff” would not bring true and lasting joy.
To find the true inner essence of JOY we must go within and cultivate more JOY in our lives on a daily/consistent basis. In addition to a feeling of increased happiness, there are countless other benefits to experiencing more JOY in our lives.
Benefits to living a JOYFUL life
● Improves Physical Health
When we are JOYful, our whole body benefits, especially our heart and mind. Research shows that joyful people experience less chance of having a heart attack, lower cholesterol, decreased stress levels and longer lives.
● Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle
Being JOYful promotes a range of lifestyle habits that are important for overall health. Happy people tend to eat healthier diets, with higher intakes of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
● Makes You Look and Feel Younger
Happier people are ageless. Their skin tends to be more resilient, which allows them to look much younger than they actually are. The skin will also repair itself more easily, helping to keep their biological age appear lower.
So now that we know the benefits of adding JOY to our lives, let’s focus on HOW we do it.
5 key steps to taking your JOY to the next level
1. Live Your Passion Day to Day in Your Work –
“Just follow your joy. Always. I think that if you do that, life will take you on the course that it’s meant to take you.” —Jonathan Groff
When we wake up every day doing something we love, we are naturally joyful. Knowing that we are living from a place of passion and purpose “lights the fire” under us. It gives us a deep sense of peace and fulfillment to know we are moving in the right direction.
So many of us are working in jobs just by default not because we’re really passionate about the line of work. Ask yourself, what lights you up? What gift can you give back to the world?
2. Focus on Self-Care and Connecting to “Who You Truly Are”
When we understand the essence of who we are, we are far less likely to do things that aren’t in alignment with our highest and best self. All of us have wounded parts that need care and soothing. We do this best by loving ourselves and loving the parts of ourselves that hold fear, anger and shame. When we start to let go of these shadows that are inhibiting us, we begin to move towards greater authenticity in our lives and thus greater JOY.
When we are seen, heard, loved and valued for who we truly are we begin to feel an inner sense of peace and satisfaction. That is not to say we won’t hit some roadblocks along the way, but the awareness of these limiting beliefs is what’s key.
3. Give Generously of Your Time, Talents, Words and Actions
“What you give comes back to you tenfold,” - Brenda Bence
There’s no greater JOY than knowing that you added value to someone’s life, no matter how big or small.
Recently, I was at an intersection where a young man had a sign out asking for a donation. I thought about it for a second and wondered what he might do with the money I gave him. I then went on to think, he is someone’s brother, son, maybe husband and perhaps he really needs the money. So, I reached into my wallet and handed him $20.
Later that day, some random order of about $150 of groceries showed up on my front doorstep. What? How did it come back to me that fast?
Of course, I did not give the money with the intent to receive anything back but this is just the way it happens. We are often rewarded for giving from the heart and expecting nothing in return.
4. Do Things You Love Everyday – Have FUN
Loving the things you do is what makes for true JOY and happiness. So often, our day to day living can feel like a chore rather than a life of deliberate creation. It’s all about connecting to fun things we did as a child that we effortlessly enjoyed.
Things such as playing with your kids, singing, dancing, playing outside, getting together with friends and going for long walks in nature. something you can control day to day. These things feed our soul and we get excited about doing them daily.
I love to walk/run in nature, so I make a point of doing this every day. In my family, we love to sing our favorite songs while driving in the car. Do what you love daily and you’ll naturally cultivate more joy.
5. Connect With Others and Build Relationships
This is key for long term joy and happiness. Research into the impact of social behavior on health and longevity has been going on for years. Study after study concludes that humans are, simply put, social creatures who require connections with other humans in order to thrive.
Our Founder, Hanni Berger is so committed to spreading joy by connecting with others that JOYVIAL will celebrate its second annual JOY DAY Friday, October 2, 2020, 12:00 Noon. This will be a day to show others they are seen, heard, valued and appreciated. We have several prominent guests scheduled for our LIVE virtual event including the following:
Jeanne Artime, CEO SHRM Atlanta
Karen Houghton, Vice President Atlanta Tech Village
Camye Mackey, Chief People, Inclusion and Diversity Officer – Atlanta Hawks
Jeff Hilimire, CEO of Dragon Army
For more information and to register for this exciting event, click here.
Want to lead a more JOYFUL life? If so, click the 'Contact' button in the top right corner or simply send us an email to info@joyvial.com to schedule your free discovery session.
Remember, at JOYVIAL, we are committed to helping you live your healthiest, most JOYful life. For all the latest health and wellness tips and to get inspired, following along with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
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