Joy to The World
Why is it that Christmas is the only time of the year we hear about joy? Joy to the World plays on the radio (and over and over in my head). Christmas decorations display J-O-Y in big, bold letters. And Hallmark movies show us what it’s like to live the most joyous life of all. Yet how many of us stop to really experience joy during this time?
How about instead of joy to the world, we start with giving more joy to ourselves? I know, that may sound a bit selfish but it really isn’t. Research has proven that happiness is contagious. The more joy you experience, the more you will spread it to others. Likewise, our level of happiness is influenced by those around us, including our social networks. Having a happy friend and or neighbor can increase your happiness over 34 percent.
“A joy that is shared is a joy made double.”
Here are some ways to add more joy to your holiday season, and throughout the year:
Pay attention - slow down and stop to notice what’s happening around you. Use all of your senses.
Smell the evergreen trees. Smell the cookies baking. Smell the food roasting in the oven. Light the cozy candle and enjoy the smell of relaxation.
See the bright lights. See the stars in the night sky. See the decorations. See the smiles on the children’s faces.
Feel the cool winter breeze. Touch a snowflake. Feel the warmth of the hot chocolate. Cozy under a warm blanket and feel the comfort.
Hear how quiet it is outside. Hear the snow fall and the wind blow. Listen to the holiday music. Listen to the laughter in the hustle and bustle.
Taste the cookies. Taste drinks with friends. Enjoy the flavors of the season and the tasty holiday treats. Savor the coffee.
Be grateful - take a few moments each day to appreciate all the things you have. Research shows that just two minutes of gratitude each day is equivalent to an antidepressant.
In the morning - with a warm cup of coffee, take a journal and write down all of the things you are grateful for. This is a great way to start the day on a positive note.
Before bed - make a list of all the things you were grateful for that day. Notice how you feel while doing this and notice how joy starts to fill inside of you.
Choose joy - make a conscious decision to focus on the positive things. Joy is an emotion that can be controlled by our thoughts. If we choose to think about things in a positive way, more joy will build inside of us.
Combine a positive with a negative - if you know you are going to be doing something that is unpleasant, try combining it with something enjoyable. For example while sitting in traffic, instead of getting frustrated, decide to make your time in the car fun. Listen to your favorite music or podcast. Start an audiobook. Or just sit in the quiet and enjoy the moment.
Drop the distractions - make a conscious effort to be in the moment. Distraction is a thief of joy. Cutting down on distraction will help reduce stress and make your time more enjoyable. One simple way to cut distraction is to shut off your phone notifications. Better yet, put your phone away all together.
Practice patience - with yourself and others. One way to do this is to let go of expectations. By letting go of our preconceived idea of how things should work, we step into reality and accept things for how they are. Another way to help with patience is to have empathy for others and ourselves. Assume people are trying their best and understand we have no idea what they are dealing with. Finally, practice patience and forgiveness with yourself. You are doing the best you can at this moment. Appreciate how far you’ve come.
Now go spread some joy to the world!
