7 unexpected ways that experiencing joy will greatly change your life
A few years ago, I created a Morning Ritual that I do first thing, pretty much every day.
I do it to get clear on what I think, how I feel and what I want. And most importantly, I do it to get in some quality time with my BFF (i.e. my intuition) and get insight on the best way to handle things that are happening in my life.
Then a couple of weeks ago…I added another step to my Ritual. I now also write down ONE thing that I’m going to do for myself THAT DAY that will bring me joy. And then I do it.
It's so easy to get sucked into doing all the things we need to for work, for home, for our relationships...and even things we think we should do for ourselves.
It’s also so easy to forgo doing something JUST BECAUSE it gives us some pleasure or feeds our soul. As if doing so is frivolous, self-indulgent or not important enough to make a priority.
But friend, I’m here to tell you that it IS important to add fun to your life…on-the-regular.
Inspired by the positive changes I felt by doing one thing every day for myself, I started a seven-day challenge on this in my Spark Your Bravery online community.
We held each other accountable, cheered each other on, shared pictures of our One Thing…and we had FUN.
If you’re not in the group and feel like you missed out, don’t worry—I’ve got you covered! Here are the biggest takeaways on why having fun and experiencing joy is SO important:
Experiencing joy raises our energy levels, reduces stress and makes our lives feel more fun, free and easy
Having fun shifts the way you view and handle situations (pay attention to how you feel before and after your activity)
Doing something fun grounds you and opens you up to new ideas and perspectives when you’re feeling stuck or confused
Pleasurable activities immediately boost your mood and leave you feeling inspired, while increasing your productivity and helping you enjoy your work
Giving ourselves what we need can bring us joy! By considering what YOU need and what will bring YOU a little happiness, you disrupt the cycle of focusing on the external things, and shift your awareness INTERNALLY, which gives you answers to some of the challenges you're facing
Adding pleasure into your life helps counteract the exhausting, stressful, frustrating feelings you get from a challenge you’re experiencing, and gives you some hope and energy to keep going
Noticing what brings you joy is the way to create a vision or dream for yourself, and doing it helps you live your life on purpose
Still need some convincing? Try it for yourself. For the next 7 days, I challenge you to do one thing each day not because you “should”, but because it will bring you joy. Start today and pay attention to what changes for you.
Then let me know what you notice. I’d genuinely LOVE to hear about it!