6 Steps To Practice Joy

From Expert: Sara Voyard

 

Oh, the powerful three-letter word J-O-Y. Joy is a word that has so many meanings for so many people. It’s a feeling we all want to enjoy but many times find it difficult to achieve. As a life coach and the CEO & Founder of SV Elite Coaching, I often work with clients that say, “I wish I could experience joy and be happier.” Or the classic, “I know I have what I need, but that feeling of joy is still missing”. Does that mean that joy is something we stumble upon or “find along the way”? Not even close! Joy is defined as “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness”. Just like happiness is a choice, joy is too. We choose to practice joy every single day of our lives (or not for that matter!). So how do we move from wanting joy to actually practicing joy in our everyday lives? Here are six simple ways. 

Photo credit: Bekka Mongeau from Pexels

Start your day with gratitude: 

First things first! When you wake up in the morning, take time to think of the many things you can be grateful for as you rise to another day. Research shows that gratitude leads to higher levels of happiness. Therefore, the two go hand in hand. Every time you can think of why you are grateful for being on this earth, you are significantly and consistently building your levels of joy. Now THAT’S called practicing joy!

Keep a “JOY Journal”: 

Find a journal that makes you smile and warms your heart when you take it out. Label it “JOY Journal”. As you’re going about your daily routine, jot down at least 3 things you acknowledge you should be joyful about. Did you barely avoid a traffic accident? Did a coworker invite you to lunch and pay for your meal? Did your mate have coffee ready when you woke up this morning? Did your kids actually wake up on time today? No matter how small that “something” may seem, it matters. The more you can write in your “JOY Journal”, the more deeply you are choosing to practice joy. 

 
Keep “Thank You” cards handy: 

One of the things I actively practice and recommend is to keep “Thank You” cards handy. Make it a habit to write thank you notes. The message inside can be sweet and to the point as long as it’s genuine. In this age of technology, this is even easier to do. Did someone go out of their way to help you at work? Send them a “Thank You” email for having being so helpful. For an added punch, copy their boss and thank them for having the kind of employees on their team that strive to go above and beyond. If nothing else, it will encourage the person to continue being kind with others, which is huge. Every drop of kindness served onto humanity brings us one step closer to true happiness and fulfillment. 

Surround yourself with joyful people: 

Yes, I know, you’ve heard this before! But how many of us can say we’re actually doing it? How can we realistically practice joy when we choose to surround ourselves with negative people? Indeed, we don’t NEED other people around us practicing joy for us to CHOOSE to do the same. However, I don’t think anyone can deny the effect the “energy” in our surroundings can have on us. Life presents enough problems for us to deal with. Don’t make it harder for yourself by choosing to keep negative company. Stick with the people you see making an effort to practice joy. Encourage them to continue. Ask them what their practices are and copy the ones that speak to you. Allow that type of energy to help create the joyful life you really want to have. 

 
Forgive (and forget?):

 If it’s one thing that instantly kills joy in our lives it’s resentment. Has someone done something to you that you feel you just can’t get over? Do you feel sick just thinking about it? If you do nothing else on this list, LET IT GO! Joy can’t find a place at the table when resentment is the main course. Most people will say forgive AND forget. But we all know…. It’s not easy!! Start with forgiveness. Once you’ve done that, start forgetting one day at a time. Forgiving is already a major step in the right direction. Take control and choose to let forgiveness lead you to joy’s doorstep. 

 
Practice joy with someone else: 

One of the best ways to practice joy is to do it with others. Find ways to enjoy someone else happiness with them. Since we all have the need for love and belonging, sharing positive experiences with others makes us feel joyful as well. Did your coworker get a promotion? Take them to lunch to celebrate it. Did a friend buy a new house? Take over a bottle of wine, sit with them on the floor, and visualize all the memories you will have within those four walls. In doing this you’re also teaching another person how to practice joy. You never know the kind of difference this can make in their lives.

Photo credit: T. Smith Subject: Sara Voyard

 

In case you find joy hard to experience, I hope this article has shown you that it’s easier than you may think. We often make things a lot more complicated than they really are. Practicing joy is a choice available to all of us and one we should all choose. Let joy be a small yet powerful word that defines your life. I guarantee it will change you, your mind, and your future for the better.