Making Joy a Priority
By Breanne Szabados
Has anyone else been having a tough time getting back into the swing of things so far this year? After the holidays and with all of the anxiety around the ever-present pandemic, it seems like ease and peace have been in short supply so far this year. Things feel heavy in a way that is often difficult to shake. I suggest we all try to prioritize joy in our lives as a way to counteract all of the heaviness that is so prevalent right now.
Here is a little ritual/practice that can help you tap into ways to find more joy every day. Take a moment for yourself with a journal, a pen and maybe a warm cup of tea or coffee. Light a candle, take a deep breath and tune into yourself. Free write for as long as you would like, writing down everything that comes to mind that brings you joy. It can be foods you like, people you like spending time with, books, time in nature, etc. This is your list and as you open your mind and just let your pen freely write, you should have a pretty extensive list of things that bring joy to your life. For the next week, pick one item from your list that brings you joy and work it into your week. If it helps, schedule it in your calendar so you block off time to have this joyful time for YOU. You can even do this every week for the rest of the year! I guarantee that making time for joy will shift your mindset, ease some tension and stress, give you something to look forward to and will bring some much-needed lightness to a heavy time in life. I also find that it inspires so much gratitude for me when I look at my joy list and see so much abundance. So many things that bring me joy, most of them seemingly small things, but big on impact. I also love to observe that when I do this exercise, the majority of the items on the list are free, most aren’t even things or possessions, but instead are people I love, getting out in nature or experiences that bring me deep feelings of joy and contentment. Sometimes, we just need the reminder of the vast abundance that is so present for all of us. We just need to slow down and take a moment to pause and acknowledge it.
My challenge for you this week is to take a few minutes to make your joy list. Then, pick one thing you can schedule into your week from that list to give yourself some beautiful moments of joy this week, this month, this year.