This is my world, this is my way, this is what keeps me alive and sustains the sparks of happiness that life gives me every day.
What is Joy?
When was the last time you felt numb, complete, appreciative? Joy is an emotion that occurs within us when we feel an appreciation for the constants of life, such as nature, freedom, relationships with people, our day to day accomplishments and unconditional love.
Joy is an emotion that can actually rule our daily lives. We must develop and teach ourselves joy, much like the process of getting physically fit, healthy.
Embracing this emotion can definitely change the way you feel life, and I say feel because joy is a feeling, a sensation of stillness that puts you in front of your inner self and gives you a sense of satisfaction.
I used to think that happiness was the key of living but I didn’t realize that happiness is an emotion that is aroused in us when we achieve something, when we get a gift, when we buy our first home; it’s dependent on our circumstances occurring in accordance with our wishes and desires.
I was so committed to be happy that became an obsession. I use to celebrate all my accomplishments daily (I still do!!), to give and expect surprises, to find the positive and good in all things and to smile even when I wasn’t happy. Happiness is a natural reaction to circumstances and episodes that can happen daily however it sparks and goes. it is not sustainable 24/7.
Let me share something powerful with you today. It was a freezing morning in December, I woke up early, put my running gear on and left the house for my Saturday run. When I look at the car panel it was -15 degrees outside and for a second I thought: are you crazy? As always, committed to my run I kept going. I reached my favourite trail… suddenly the sun came up and when I looked around all I could see was icicles, frozen ponds and ice all over. It was slippery however I decided to keep going. When I reached the river surrounded by rocks and mountains the sun was reflecting on the ice and everything became colourful, shiny, stunning to my eyes. I felt like I was on “wonderland”. At that moment, my heart started pounding fast, I felt warm from inside, the appreciation and gratitude for Mother nature was overwhelming. I felt pure, true joy and I couldn’t stop, my energy was so high, my 5 senses became so clear and for the first time I felt deeply connected with myself and nature. THAT IS JOY!
This moment will stay with me forever and from that I learned that living with joy, appreciation for life and the simple things matter.
Don’t take for granted of the simple moments in life, of a kiss, compassionate words you hear from people. Open your heart to live with joy and discover one of the most powerful ways of living. Embrace joy, your life will be fulfilled with peace, health and beautiful surprises.