JOY~I’ve been pounding that message for months now.
How can you look at this little girl playing with bubbles and not feel joy? Do you remember when you or your kids jumped for joy when blowing bubbles? I can just hear the squeals of delight.
My granddaughter goes crazy over bubbles.
Assume for now that the little girl in the picture is your young ‘un. And you are having a joyful day.
Now, let’s take a moment for a reality check I got recently. I was jumping for joy (not really) when I smelled burning rubber in my kitchen. See photo below. Do you jump for joy when you smell burning rubber in your kitchen?
That photo is of my stove top after my air fryer bumped into the temperature setting and turned the stove on. I’m not even going to try to explain this. I just know burning rubber—which is part of an air fryer—really stinks. And it gets your attention very quickly.
So, how does the gross air fryer picture relate to the photo of the beautiful little girl?
It’s all joy! Even the air fryer.
I moved quickly to get the fryer off the stove top. No need to call the fire department. Yay! Joy!
It took a LOT of body strength to clean that mess up. Yay! Joy! A free upper-body workout.
My stove still works! Yay! Joy! Money saved.
My dog and I are fine. Yay! Joy! She was thrown for a loop when the smoke detector started screaming and smoke appeared.
But we made it through the pandemonium and we found . . . Joy!
Here is my challenge for you today.
Grab your coffee or other beverage of choice and just sit in your favorite special place. For me, that’s sitting in my sunroom, watching Mother Nature at work.
What do you see? Give yourself at least 10 minutes to just sit. Listen, observe, etc. Just be.
I am sure I will find joy in that time that will far outweigh the benefit of having an air fryer. Come to think of it, I will turn to the “Buy Nothing” group in my neighborhood and see who has one they would like to unload.
While I’m at it, does anyone want a sliding barn door with hardware? Free while supplies last.
Life isn’t always adorable little girls playing with bubbles. Sometimes the air fryer kicks in to remind you of what you do have.
Here are some great resources to help you focus on happiness and joy while working through the reality of life:
😊What Makes You Happy? This interesting short piece may give you some new perspective on happiness.
😊Action for Happiness Here is an entire website devoted to action that you can take to increase your happiness, full or in-depth articles such as “Cultivating Happiness,” “Raising Happiness in Challenging Times,” and “Find Authentic Happiness.”
😊Positive Psychology Strategies for Increased Happiness A scientific, no-nonsense approach to increasing your happiness.
My challenge to you for this week is to go out and do something purely for the joy of it. Might I suggest blowing bubbles?
Fear can be a killer. It can shut down your ability to problem solve and can keep you locked in a state of inaction. It is also a total bummer. Here is how to stop fear in its tracks so that you can keep living on the brighter side of life.
Have you ever heard of the concept of “the Gap” and “the Gain?”
The concept of the Gap can be illustrated by a millionaire who thinks $3 million isn’t enough. He/she has to get to $5 million and then more. That’s the Gap. It keeps you pushing and reaching, never satisfied with what you have.
Focusing on the Gain however, well, that is where you can find increased happiness, and even increased performance. Read on to see how.
Part of being prepared for the unexpected and pivoting well lies in communicating clearly and effectively with your team. How well do you communicate during a crisis? Find out by taking this free quiz.
The Courage to Be Happy: Discover the Power of Positive Psychology and Choose Happiness Every Day
Based on the teachings of philosopher Alfred Adler, this book tackles the practical and philosophical challenges of choosing happiness in the midst of chaos, trauma, and the deep brokenness of our world.
Purchasing one of the links below returns a small portion of the sale to MentorLoft.
From the publisher: The Courage to Be Happy reveals a bold new way of thinking and living, empowering you to let go of the shackles of past trauma and the expectations of others, and to use this freedom to create the life you truly desire.
Plainspoken yet profoundly moving, reading The Courage to Be Happy will light a torch with the power to illuminate your life and brighten the world as we know it. Now you can discover the courage to choose happiness. Get The Courage to Be Happy here.
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