7 Ways to Create More Joy in your Life!

7 Ways to Create More Joy in your Life!

This happiness blog provides a forum for at least 2 types of postings: 

  1. My own (Dr. Happy's) musings on happiness, positive psychology and life and

  2. The sharing of other great articles and research updates from the many wonderful writers and bloggers out there

Our goal is to make this blog a place where you can come to read anything and everything related to living your best life, creating happiness and joy, and even learning about managing distress and getting through difficult times. 

Which is why we're always happy when we come across great articles to share with you as we've done again today. So check out this posting from MindBodyGreen with 7 great ways to create more joy…

Joy is an emotion, and emotions are wordless. They're pure physical sensations in our bodies. We express the emotion of joy in many physical ways. For example, we jump for joy when we win a hard-fought competition, or we double over in uncontrollable laughter when someone relates a hilarious story. We squeal with delight after getting a surprise gift, and whoop and holler exuberantly when we hear fantastic news. We feel buoyant and jubilant on beautiful day.

When we feel joy, we feel great about ourselves. We feel confident, powerful, capable, lovable and fulfilled. These are all good reasons to experience more joy in our life. Here are seven ways to do it.

1. Undertake a challenging activity with a commitment to mastering it.

Think of a project you've wanted to accomplish, whether it's creating a small flower garden in your yard, learning how to give your car a tuneup, or mastering the tango. The process of setting a goal, learning the necessary steps to achieve it, and giving it your best until you've mastered it will generate high self-esteem and pride. Those are feelings associated with joy.

2. Actively seek joy through inspiration.

Another way to get more joy into our lives is to find it through activities that stretch our perceptions and take us out of ordinary day-to-day life. Engaging in meditation and prayer are two obvious ways to produce a feeling of well-being, serenity, and joy. Being alone in nature is another way to feel the joy of beauty — and oneness with a greater whole.

3. Engage in an activity that's pleasurable and feels like play.

Do an uplifting and enjoyable activity that's not goal-oriented, but just plain fun. A few examples include throwing a Frisbee with your dog, dancing, hiking, looking at beautiful art, enjoying a concert, or making love. Play and other activities that don't have a purpose other than helping us feel relaxed and happy keep our mind focused in the present. The present is where joy lives…

…keep reading HERE