Find Joy

The new year is approaching and many of us have the same looming thought in our minds. How will I find joy in this coming year? With events in 2020 creating so much heartache, separation, and sadness I can’t say I blame anyone for feeling this way, in fact I too have been feeling this sense of defeat. Certainly the future is unpredictable to us and the light at the end of the tunnel seems so far from our reach, but we can’t give up yet.

We are all wired differently, so naturally we will find joy differently. But, I wanted to write this article in hopes that I can reach out to any of you that are at a loss, that can’t seem to pick up the pieces this year. I see you and I feel for you. I think that finding joy begins within ourselves. We have to find a way to wipe away our thoughts, anger, misunderstandings, confusion, negativity, and so much more. We need to look past all of this and open up to the idea of being happy again.

If we can’t be open to excepting what we cannot change in our lives, joy will be difficult to build within ourselves.

Here are a few ideas of ways to support positivity and remove negativity :

Stretch morning and night even if it’s just for 5 minutes
Inhale & exhale deeply. Imagine the dark negative feelings in you being released when you exhale, and inhale the joy that you wish to possess.
Sit outside in the sun for 20 minutes, if you can’t be outside try finding a window where the sun can touch your face. Getting doses of vitamin D can boost your mood, especially in the winter.
Try eating a small salad with two of your meals everyday. Getting raw nutrients can really pick you up, especially through the course of the day.
Turn off the TV!! Put down the phone! Staring at these things puts your brain into auto-mode. You want to keep your brain thinking, creating, discovering and your eyes unstrained. Try taking a walk, or read a book when you feel the need to go digital.

Lastly, set yourself short term goals. Everyday for most of us is such a monotonous cycle. If you can set short term goals for yourself each week like anything in the above list, you will feel a sense of instant accomplishment that can boost your mood. Or maybe its, organizing that closet you always wanted to, or finishing a painting. Short term goals can sometimes be more rewarding then long term, especially now.