Learn to Find Joy Each Day
What it is happiness and how do you find it? This is the question we spend our lives trying to answer. We fill our life with lists, challenges and ideas that we believe will bring us happiness.
Some people work from dawn until dusk to have the money to be able to do the things that make them happy. Others take the risk of leaving everything to live their life’s dream… And there are those who live dreaming about how to find joy each day.
“Being happy does not mean everything is perfect. It means that you are determined to enjoy regardless of imperfections”
-Anonymous-
The distractions of modern life
We are all so busy nowadays that is not hard to feel like we are lost. Surely the things you worry about each day are your work, achieving success, having more and more things and meeting all your needs.
The result is that at the end of the day you are so tired and busy that you don’t even realize that you have reasons to be happy. Moments of joy pass before you and you don’t see them.
“I look at modern life and I see that people do not want to take responsibility for their lives. The temptation to blame and finding the external causes of problems is very modern. Personally I think it’s a very interesting vision of responsibility”
-Edward Zwick-
We think that joy only comes when things are perfect, when there are no disasters, concerns or deficiencies. But the reality is that joy lies in little moments that happen throughout the day. Stop believing that you will be happy when you lose those 15 pounds or have the salary that you desire.
The real reasons for happiness are small wonders: getting ice cream with friends, hugging your children, seeing your partner’s face when he or she finds that hidden love note you left.
Find your moments of joy
Joy is not constant. I bet that even if you manage to lose those extra pounds, after a few days you’d have another goal.
Joy is not a final destination full of perfection. Actually, it’s about discovering what life has to offer and appreciating it.
“Joy is the way of showing that life cannot be with us and is the
best way to minimize the sadness”
-Anonymous-
So where to begin to find joy each day? Follow these tips and you will begin to find joy in your everyday life:
- Live in the present
- Disconnect from social networks
- Go out with your friends
- Talk to your family
- Free yourself from the past
Be thankful
I’ve noticed that many people who are unable to find reasons for joy do not appreciate what they have. When you don’t appreciate all that you have and spend your time complaining, your outlook is bleak.
We live in a a very consumerist society and are so hungry to acquire more and more things. This makes it easy to believe that happiness is defined by the material goods you have.
How many times have you given thanks for having a job today? Or have you just complained that you have to go there tomorrow?
The next time you’re stuck in traffic don’t start whining, breathe deeply and think of one thing you can be thankful for.
“…Thank you to life, which has given me so much
It has given me laughter and it has given me tears,
So I distinguish happiness and grief
The two materials that form part of my song
And your song, which is the same song
And the song of everything is my own song…”
-Violeta Parra-
Don’t wait for happiness, look for it!
It is easy to complain about what we don’t have or don’t like. But this doesn’t help you find joy each day. Instead of continuing with this damaging pattern, switch gears and look for reasons to smile.
After all, happiness is an attitude, but it will not just come your way by itself, you have to go out and look for it.
