Joy and Positive Thinking

Do you want to turn a so-so life into a passion filled, exciting adventure?  It is possible with a little modification of your thoughts. Some people find that a daily dose of prayer keeps them energized for the day and focused on what is important in life. Dr. Annette Colby, RD gives us six tips on how to bring more joy into our lives:

1.  Dreams and Goals: Feeling good is about having a dream, not just having the outcome of a dream. Spend joyful time with your dreams and desires even before they become real. Reaffirm the beauty and joy of living. Helen Keller wrote, "Be of good cheer. Remember, no effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost." Dreams provide a sense of purpose; a guiding direction; something to hold onto during life ups and down.

2.  Joy is Now, Not Later: Joy is not going to magically appear like a pot of gold waiting at the end of the goal rainbow. This is because you cannot earn joy. Instead, joy comes from inside of you. Joy is the delight your share with yourself now and each day as you think self-supportive thoughts and take self-empowering actions to create success for yourself.

3.  Permission to Feel Good: As odd as it may sound, it is important to make a conscious decision that you want to be alive and you want to feel good in your life. Until you decide to give yourself permission to feel good, it may be quite difficult to make decisions that support your goal of increasing your joy

4.  Make Decisions That Support Joy: Actions that support joy include paying attention to what is most important to you, moving personal priorities to the top of your to-do list, and talking to yourself in a supportive and encouraging way. Joy expands as you focus on what is personally meaningful. You can increase your level of joy by asking yourself, "Do the thoughts I am thinking take me closer to, or further from my goal?"

5.  Boost Your Energy: If you are feeling stagnant, lethargic, bored, or stressed it is time to get your energy flowing. Stand up and shake things up. Take a five-minute walk, get some sunlight, and get involved in some activity that helps you breathe more deeply. Move around a little and take several deep breaths. Consciously and deliberately, take the kind of breaths that say, "Yes" to life, and "Yes" to joy!

6.  Be Kind to Yourself: If you are feeling anxious, stressed, sad, or even depressed, this is a sign that you body is calling out for more support. Acknowledge your efforts and successes. Speak kindly to yourself. Watch movies that inspire or make you laugh. Go for walks outside. Pamper your body. Have more fun. Breathe. Joy is essentially the celebration of your own life.