Weekly newsletter
I. Prompts for motivation
Can you think of a particular moment in the last week in which you felt joy? If not, what is one joyful memory that you can still recall, and why do you think you felt so overcome by it?
What does joy mean to you personally, and in what ways do you find yourself expressing it? What are some activities you can add to your routines to slow down and cultivate greater enthusiasm and an innate zest for life?
II. Thoughts for intention
Joy is one of the experiences we can lean on to protect our mindsets from getting clouded with despair. It can give us hope and a break from navigating tensions and difficulties we regularly face, including anxiety and disappointment.
In cultivating moments of joy, we also get the chance to practice non-resistance. In doing so, we actually learn to use our time wisely by accepting what is simply not in our control. Over time, it allows us to rise above our troubles in a more conscious way, which will hopefully lead to more clarity and wiser decisions. This helps us in the long run since it teaches us the importance of going inward in difficult matters that are never meant to shatter us.
III. Ideas for preparation
We can get better at noticing what gives us joy by expressing how we genuinely feel. This requires getting real about what emotions come up and doing our best to fine-tune our needs. Eventually, when we figure out what works for us, it gets easier to find our stride and understand what specific things we could use more of throughout our week. For some, it could be as simple as a creative activity, a home-cooked meal, a favorite song, or an hour phone call with a special loved one.
Another way to build more joy in our lives is by joining an open and friendly community. Today, there are all kinds of groups to get involved in, like sports, music, dance, culture, hobbies, and more. Having a network of people you can lean on is one of the most rewarding ways to magnify your joy with others, as well as a deeper sense of belonging. Clubs or organizations dedicated to providing a form of service are worth looking into and can instantly enhance feelings of connectedness, meaning, and purpose.
IV. Quotes for inspiration
“My point is that you do not need me or anyone else around to bring this new kind of light into your life. It is simply waiting out there for you to grasp it, and all you have to do is reach for it. The only person you are fighting is yourself and your stubbornness to engage in new circumstances.”
― Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild
“He was mastered by the sheer surging of life, the tidal wave of being, the perfect joy of each separate muscle, joint, and sinew in that it was everything that was not death, that it was aglow and rampant, expressing itself in movement, flying exultantly under the stars.”
― Jack London, The Call of the Wild
