Famed Peanuts author Charles Shultz said, “Happiness is a warm puppy.” I expect many of you to agree, knowing how you ‘like’ and ‘share’ the cute animal photos we post on our Facebook page. If you have a warm puppy at home – or an older dog or cat – you may have found one of the ways to find joy – that feeling of deep pleasure or delight that comes from moving out of yourself and connecting to someone, some spiritual force or power or your own creative energy – every day.
But sometimes, no matter how much loveable companionship you have, you still find days when it’s difficult to find joy in your life. Even if the joy is brief from a glowing compliment from one of your spa or massage practice clients or deeper, such as the joy of spiritual fulfillment that comes from helping someone else, you can experience it every day with the right attitude and actions.
The quest for joy can take time and practice. But there definitely are ways to create more joy in your life and reap the benefits of feeling more fulfilled, more confident, more powerful, and even more lovable. Here are seven ways to find joy. You’ll find many of them require simple changes in your life:
Take a time out from your everyday
You probably are familiar with the saying “stop and smell the roses.” Do just that or do something equally simple yet pleasurable. Have a cup of coffee in an outdoor café and watch the world go by. Put all your responsibilities behind you and focus on some of life’s simple pleasures to find joy at the moment that invigorates and refreshes you and gives you peace.
Be you’re biggest fan
You know when you’ve done something well, so don’t wait for someone to point it out. Take pride in your achievements and let yourself feel really good about them.
Challenge yourself
Consider how much joy you experience when you master something new. Whether it’s learning a new type of massage modality – deep tissue or sports, for example – mastering a sport or learning how to play an instrument, you’ll find joy in the achievement.
Find the best in others
Instead of focusing on something that disappoints you about someone else, focus on the best in the other person. Doing so will help you strengthen relationships with others and enjoy your interactions more.
Let things go
If something or someone is bothering you, let the feelings go. Don’t let anger and resentment rule your life.
Think of things that put a smile on your face
Get up to coffee and positive thought that makes you smile. Think of a place you’ve been, a great time with a friend, or a fun event with your spa or massage team. If you have a picture of the moment, put it by your bedside so you can see it first thing in the morning and get the day off on the right foot.
Have a belly laugh
Find a good book that makes you laugh, go to a movie to see a comedy or watch one on TV, check out YouTube for funny videos or call a friend who always makes you laugh. Laughter really is the best medicine, and a spoonful a day adds joy to your life.
You can find joy in some of the simplest things in life. Go on a personal treasure hunt and find something that brings joy into your life.