Where Do You Find Joy in Your Life?

Where is your joy? What do you find joyful? Is your life filled with joy?

These are not trick questions. These are questions we all should be able to answer quickly and with confidence!! We all become so busy and frenetic in our lives that often we forget to recognize what makes us smile, what makes our hearts full, what makes us truly joyful!

When is the last time you noticed the sun shining through the clouds? When is the last time you stopped and picked a dandelion? When is the last time you rode in your car with the windows down and the wind blowing through the open windows and tossing your hair wildly around your face? When is the last time you hugged a child, held the hand of an elderly person, tried to catch a bubble floating through the air from a bubble wand being waved through the air? Little things.....little moments.....big results....big "joy".

Recently I had one of those days where it was difficult to find the "joy" in things happening around me. A friend was in the hospital, I had learned of another whose mother had just been diagnosed with cancer, a work project had gone awry, an unexpected bill (a very large one) appeared in my mailbox, anticipated travel plans needed to be canceled......every have one of those days?

In the midst of the chaos of the day I stopped to pick up my youngest child.....of course I was late....... she climbed into the car and I (with forced cheer in my voice) asked her "How was your day?" With a click of her seat belt buckle she sighed and said, "Mom, my day was great! I got picked to read in science class, the teacher asked me to help with a special project, I played tag on the playground with three of my best friends, the hot lunch today was yummy, AND I got all of my spelling words right!"

Wow! Her statement went through me like a lightening bolt.....of course!! All of these little things in my daughter's day are what made her feel like the day was great! The simple things throughout her day put a smile on her face and made the day "great"! Where were my "great" things of the day? Had I even considered them? Had I even considered the numerous things that made my day beautiful and fulfilled? The co-worker who held the door for me as I walked into the building, the hand-written thank-you note received from a friend, the fresh hot coffee in the breakroom, the soft rain falling on the new flowers outside the window, the anticipation of a long walk with the family dog when I got home, reading a book with my children before bedtime, feeling their warm hugs as they were tucked into their beds.......these are truly the things that were making my day "great" and I had let them go by unnoticed, unappreciated, unrecognized.

The everyday small things in life are truly our "joys". If we spend all of our time searching for the big joys we miss the ones that really add up. Where do you find joy in your life? Do you see it every day? Remember the little things.....remember the little things that truly matter....and you will have a joyful life!


Glenna Sanford
Speaker/Author/Life Power Coach
glenna@glennasanford.com