I wanted to try some new paper. It was a cold morning and I had the urge to use blue and yellow. This photo is not a great representation of the colors in the piece, yet you get the idea. I guess I needed a little joy in my day.
I love these words from Mother Teresa reminding us that joy serves a very important purpose in our lives. It serves as the center of so many things that when it is gone or low, so much feels a little off. We don’t often talk about joy. We use words like happy, fulfilled, passionate, and we forget to use the best word of all – joy!
I was talking to a client today and asked them if what they do for a living brings them joy. There was a long pause, a very long pause and then a giggle. They said no, and I asked why they laughed. They laughed because they could not imagine anyone’s work bringing them joy. Needless the say that brought out an entire conversation about joy in our work, what they wanted and what brought them joy. It was a fabulous talk, they had a lot to think about , and I look forward to our next discussion about the joy they want in their life.
Joy is a gift, one we have the power to produce and mass produce for others. It starts in our attitude, our words, our thoughts and in how we react to the things life throws our way. Joy is a choice, a mindset, and a way of thinking. We all have horrible things happen, and yes other emotions fit those situations better than joy. Once the initial shock is over, we have the power to ground ourselves in an attitude of joy and thankfulness…if we choose. Above all else joy is a choice, just like happiness is a choice. Some days it is easier to choose joy than others.
So today I chose to work on yellow paper, some blue inks with a dash of pink. It was fun and I must admit it brought me joy. Sometimes we have to work hard to get our joy back, we have to be intentional AND we have to own our joy. When we need a joy infusion it is not always possible to rely on others, that’s when we have to kick in and do it for ourselves.
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