Enjoy Yourself to that One

When is the last time you experienced joy? A few minutes ago. A few hours ago. A few days ago. You don't remember? The yoga tradition tells us that joy is our natural state of being. Joy is present within us at any moment. We can light up with joy whenever we choose. Do you believe this?

If you're grief-stricken or mourning, you may have lost sight of your true joyful nature.

The holiday season is supposed to be full of joy, right? Oh, tidings of comfort and joy. Joy to the World! Yet, if you are suffering from a loss of a loved one or you’ve lost a part of yourself, you feel disconnected. You feel alone. Your joy light may be temporarily burned out. You’re in the dark. I get it. We've all been in those dim places.

When the joy lights go out, it’s tempting to look for a quick spark - a piece of chocolate, an intense workout, a favorite song, a hug, a call to a friend. And in some cases that may be exactly what you need. But how do we keep our joy glowing rather than just flickering every now and then?

First, no matter what's going on, you've got to believe in your inner joy. It’s in you and it is sustainable. How do you become a believer? No, not just because I said so. Because you've felt it before. You know it's true.

Think of a time when you felt lit up from the inside. When have you radiated joy for more than a passing moment?

Try to recall a fond holiday memory.

The holidays weren’t always dark. Let’s hope.

Last week, I shared one of my seasonal favorites, touring holiday lights. "Enjoy yourself to that one". That's what my mom would say as we toured the holiday light displays. The ones with blow up figures staggering, lights flashing, music blaring, sent my nervous system on overdrive. I cherished the simple ones- white lights, strung delicately with care.

These made me smile from the inside.

When our joy light goes out, reflecting on fond memories can turn us on for a bit. Though if we want to sustain the glow, a daily joy practice is the next step. Instead of searching for bursts of high intensity joy once or twice a day, delight in small, frequent, repetitive moments of joy to keep your light on.

Here are some of my favorite "Enjoy yourself to that one" practices. Try 1 or 2, or create your own.

1. Upon waking, sit or lay in silence for 1 minute
2. When your feet touch the earth, offer an expression of delight for the day ahead.
3. After you brush your teeth, flash yourself a sparkly smile.
4. Before breakfast, take 3 deep breaths, preparing your body to receive your food.
5. When you leave home for the day, spread your arms wide and take in the expansive sky.
6. Before you turn on your computer for the day, silently say, "Joy is my way".
7. Between 2-6 pm, step outside, kneel down and touch the ground.
8. After dinner, hug, call, email or text someone who makes you glow.
9. Before you get into bed, take 1 minute to reflect on a blissful moment in your day.
10. Right after you lie down, take 5 deep "ah" breaths. Sweet dreams.

Want to post these in your home, car, office? Click for here for your FREE joy card!

Can you imagine what would happen if you enjoyed this sequence every day? Would your spirit be more blissful?

I would love to hear from you after a week of enjoyable moments.

Let's connect and enjoy each other: kristen@seeyourwellbeing.com