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Yes! You are going to learn a new term, concept and mental habit today! Stay with me! It’s neither hard nor complicated, yet totally worth it! We live in a world that is so negatively distracting! Let’s flip that script and bring back MORE JOY into our lives! If we haven’t realized that yet, here is a major reason why. Joy is a powerful metric for making decisions that empower and enrich our lives. The most important decisions we make in life require a lot of ENERGY. They are decisions that greatly impact our lives and the lives of those around us. Yes, our decisions DO impact others…because we are inter-connected, precisely how we were made to be. Can we ask ourselves a few questions? Are our decisions aligning properly with our authentic selves? Ultimately guiding us toward our unique purpose? The purpose God and the universe intended for us? What He invites us to be? Our higher calling? Because we are all uniquely made. There is no one like us. And, with Him and thanks to Him, we have everything we need to be what we were meant to be…Think about that for a minute! Important is an understatement, this is our LIFE! Let’s make a quick distinction here. Joy and happiness may SEEM synonymous, but they are not! Here’s why. Happiness manifests as a passive state, fleeting and dependent on external circumstances. While Joy emanates from WITHIN, transcending the realm of sensory gratification. Unlike ephemeral, sensory pleasure, Joy represents deeper, lasting fulfillment, the ultimate pursuit and realization of life’s purpose. Joy gives us the confidence that “all is well”, regardless of what is going on (or going wrong) around us. It is the opposite of worry. It greatly impacts our overall well-being. Our OVERALL WELL-BEING! So we’ve established that Joy is really important to have in our lives. Joy and health are so intricately connected we must pursue BOTH, deliberately and daily. Having good health, along with MORE JOY are what’s going to equip us with the energy we need to make these intensive decisions. Decisions that prioritize what will give us the most fulfillment in life! The brave decisions we get to make to have OUR best life! And here’s a <NEWSFLASH> It might not be about making a lot of MONEY!!! Can we be open to that? How does it all connect…here’s my stab at it. Joy and Health>more Energy and Clarity>more Connection to Source of Self>better Intuition and Knowing>Guidance of Authentic Self to Purpose> Life filled with Purpose, Fulfillment and Joy! Wow! Seems like Joy begets Joy! Who doesn’t want that? So how do we get more Joy? This is where VORFREUDE comes in! Ok, ok, what is Vorfreude? It is the German term that describes the joyful, intense anticipation that comes from imagining future pleasures. Vorfreude directly translates to “pre-joy” or “anticipation joy”! Exactly what I meant in my last “Things I Have to Have: The Anticipation of Spring” (go to article here). Vorfreude captures the emotions experienced before positive events and happenings, The pure sense of delightful expectation before a holiday, a vacation, a family reunion, a hot date, even simply a great meal! How do we USE vorfreude to get more Joy into our lives? By intentionally savoring these moments of anticipatory Joy. Here is a quick list of several ways to increase and foster a more joyful mindset. Surely there is one or two we can run with here! -Take note of ONE joyful thing each day. -Have a morning affirmation for this. -Ritualize routines, like enjoying that cup of coffee, or establishing a special greeting when walking in the door. -Anticipate more everyday occurrences: what 3 things can be looked forward to tomorrow? -No more automatic mode: consciously look forward to walking the dog or weeding that section of garden. -Have a better feeling thought: change the negative thought to positive. A dreaded overnight can be considered an adventure or a break! -Savor moments of anticipation by being present in them, having gratitude for them, and for what they will bring. -Write down plans. It builds excitement for them! -Treat ourselves to something new, an experience that’s not usual. -Schedule and look forward to physical activity. -Cherish the beauty of nature! Now is an amazing time! -Be creative and expand horizons. There is personal fulfillment in doing new things. -Find happiness in others’ Joy: A sibling’s success or a friend’s upcoming trip. -Make time for silence. It’s a time for re-wiring. Look forward to these sessions. There’s much needed peace in them. If we can UP our Joy-factor by intentionally creating and savoring these moments of anticipation, we will CHANGE OUR LIVES! From there…I truly believe…the rest falls into place. We will be more aligned with our authentic selves and our genuine purpose, experiencing fulfillment like never before! Following our purpose and path will guide us to what’s truly meant for us…and for our best lives… |