“The walls we build around us to keep sadness out also keeps out the joy.”- Jim Rohn
Want to find more joy? Find a way to bring joy to someone else and you will find joy.
The curious thing about Joy is that you can’t get it unless you give it away. You may ask “how can I give it away if I don’t have it?” You may just begin by pretending you’re the kind of person you would like to be around and act like that person. Hopefully, what you don’t want is to be the type of person who brightens up a room by leaving. Over the years, I have observed that we humans seem to be built in such a way that we reap joy and happiness if we have first sown it. I don’t know all of the ways to sow joy, but I do know from personal experience, doing nice things for others somehow brings joy to the giver. That just seems to be another one of life’s truths. Another one of Life‘s rules seems to be that we don’t have to understand why something works, we can just know that it works, and then do the thing that works, so we can reap the benefits. Likewise, if you want your load lightened, do something to lighten someone else’s load and see what happens. If you want to live in a happy home, bring happiness to someone in the home. The same applies to the workplace. Start being the kind of coworker you want to work with. Some things in life are truly complicated. But creating the kind of environment we want to live in, or work in or worship in is not complicated. Begin bringing to work the kind of attitude you would like to see at work. Bring home the kind of kindness you want to feel there. Never forget that wherever we go we tend to find others who are like us. So bring with you whatever you want to find when you get to wherever you go. Or as Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar put it "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves that we are underlings.”
For the days you need wisdom, warmth, and a little hope
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lifelong learning listening loneliness loneliness in groups lonely at night long term relationships lost my hope lost my joy lost my optimism lost my whole circle lost myself love love people and outgrow them loved the old me lovers loyalty making excuses making friends marriage connection marriage friendship marriage intimacy marriage loneliness marriage repair mental detox mental health mental hygiene mental wellness mentoring messy relationships mindfulness mindset missing the old me misunderstandings money stress money talks my own worst enemy negative self worth negative self-image negative thought patterns never ask for help never feel accepted never feel like i belong never included new season no friends new values old friends night time sadness no one to talk to no time for myself nobody asks if i'm okay nobody gets the new me nobody has it figured out nobody knows me anymore nobody really knows me nobody to talk to not building confidence not smart enough nothing good lasts of getting close one sided friendships only one without friends organize yourself others opinions outgrowing friendships overcoming isolation overcoming social awkwardness overthinking overthinking reaching out overwork pain turned to numbness parental authority parental credibility parental responsibility parenting parenting attitude shift parenting with anger partners peace peer pressure perfect perfectionism permission to outgrow personal board of directors personal development personal growth personal insecurity phone addiction power of choice practical wellness present moment progress protecting your joy protecting your peace protecting yourself proverbs push down emotions push people away pushing love away quit before you try raising children raising kids ready reaping and sowing rebuilding social life regret yelling at kids relationship patterns relationship wisdom relationships repair resentment in relationships resentment toward partner respect rest right kind of strength role modeling rusty at connection safe but isolated safe people sarcasm saying no scared to let people in screen time and isolation scroll fatigue see myself as failure self awareness self care self coaching self confidence self doubt self encouragement self esteem self love self talk self trust self-defeating thoughts self-development self-sabotaging thoughts self-worth struggles sell respect setting priorities settled for being alone settled into lonelliness sex shame shared values short temper with kids silent punishment simple steps to heal sleep quality slow decline small promises social connection social media social media depression social media loneliness speak to be understood spiritual growth loneliness start winning starting over with no friends stonewalling stop trying to control kids stopped dreaming hurt to much stopped hoping for friends stopped reaching out stopped trying stress stress management success survival mode teaching money value the power of repair the right man think before you speak tired of being strong tired of wanting what i can't have to do list too tired to function toxic negativity toxic relationships true confidence is not building on constant motion true love two list rule unconscious negativity used to be hopeful used to laugh more used to loneliness vetting process vetting your partner visibility vision vulnerability in friendship walls around my heart walls keep love out wellness tips where did i go where going who you think you are why do i attract the same people why my relationships fail will always be this way will this matter in 20 years winning wisdom women's choices wonder words wound your growth is not up for debate your private life • be yourself for kids • let your light shine • nobody else has your gifts • other kids seem cooler • school-age self-worth • teach kids self-worth