This week’s blog is about being joyful. To be clearer, this week’s blog is about living a life filled with joy. I came up with this topic a few weeks ago, as I was struggling in my own life to find what made me truly joyful. I was in a funk, feeling stuck and to be honest, a little down. I think we all go through phases of life where maybe things seem a little bleak. Even in those times, joy is always a possibility and an option for us. What does it mean to be joyful or to live a life filled with joy? For me, it’s not even the happiness to sadness ratio, but rather, a deep sense of fulfillment, purpose, and passion. I don’t expect to be bubbling over with happiness 24/7, but I do hold myself to a high standard of choosing joy in every moment. This is a practice. Today, writing this blog, I feel joy, and it makes everything else feel brighter. I’ve written down a few steps for you guys if you too, are in search for a joy-filled life. You can check them out below:

Step One: Awareness. The act and intention of wanting to add more joy to your life brings you that much closer to contentment and joy. Awareness brings change, and so if you’re feeling like you need a joy boost, notice it so that you can call it in.

Step Two: Gratitude. Feeling a sense of deep gratitude and thankfulness for what is, always brings me joy. If you’re feeling down, stop and think about what in that moment you can be thankful for. There is always something to be thankful for, remember that, and feel it deep in your bones. Joy bubbles up in your soul when you are grateful.

Step Three: Meditation. My meditation practice has brought me immeasurable joy. Taking time to sit with myself and my thoughts on a daily basis, connects me to spirit, releases stress, allows me to surrender, and gives me a sense of confidence and inner-strength. If you don’t already meditate, I highly suggest adding it into your life as a way to add more joy to your life.

Step Four: Mindfulness. Are you aware of how often you choose the negative over the positive? We live in societies that breed us to be skeptical, aggressive, or insensitive. Try to choose the opposite. Choose faith, ease, and compassion. You will feel lighter and you will make everyone around you feel lighter. Joy ensues.

Step Five: Self-Care. Take care of yourself. When you feel good, you’re joyful. That may sound trite, but it’s true. Don’t let yourself be too busy to remember that you are worth every second of self-care and self-love.

Step Six: Excitement. Make your life exciting. Envision a life that gives you butterflies. Take a class that sparks a creative fire inside you, plan a trip to a place you’ve always wanted to explore, go eat at a restaurant that you’ve always wanted to try. Your life is an adventure, so treat it as such. Allow yourself to dwell in the possibility—joy will soon follow.

I’d love to hear your ideas on how to be more joyful! Reading your comments every week bring me joy- I love them! Please keep in touch in the comment section below!

Love, Michelle