Feel the JOY!
It is hard to believe that the holidays are upon us once again. Where has the year gone? For many, it has been a difficult year filled with financial, emotional, and physical burdens. Are you staring at bills you are unable to pay? Are you worried about where you will get the money for holiday shopping? Are you stressed that you might get laid off from a job that is keeping you afloat? Or have you lost a job? These are all very tangible concerns in an unsettling economic time.
Years ago, people led very simple lives. They were happy with the basics and a few frills here and there. People worked hard and saved most of what they earned for a “rainy” day. They paid for their possessions with money, not credit and had the mindset that if you can’t pay for it with cash then you shouldn’t have it. When you have less, you appreciate and value what you do have more. Have you ever noticed that kids today don’t always appreciate all of the wonderful things their parents so graciously provide for them? They often expect it or feel entitled to it without working hard to earn it themselves. Real JOY comes from the satisfaction of earning what you want and working hard to achieve the goals you set for yourself.
So how do you possibly feel the JOY during such an uncertain economy? As a counselor and coach, I teach people how to focus on the positive instead of the negative. How to be grateful for what you have and not sad about what you don’t. I’ve learned over the years that life is made up of choices. You choose what you fill your mind with, what you fill your body with, what you fill your spirit with, and what you fill your time with. Most importantly, you choose your attitude, which ultimately determines your current level of happiness. Ask yourself these important questions and spend a few minutes writing down your answers:
1- What brings you JOY in your life?
2- Who brings you JOY in your life?
3- What steals your JOY from your life?
4- Who steals your JOY from your life?
5- How can you add more JOY to your life on a daily basis?
The real JOYS of the holiday season are the gifts you already have in your life- your family, your children, your friends, your loveable pets, and all of the meaningful moments you have been blessed with. Everyone has something they can be thankful for- a beautiful sunset, a warm hug from a child or grandchild, a yummy cup of hot cocoa, a sweet treat, a friendly gesture from a stranger or whatever it is that brings you JOY. This season spend time focusing on the true meaning of the holiday that you are celebrating, whether it is Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, or New Years. It is not about how much money you spend or what you buy- it is about the “JOY filled moments” spent with the people you love and who love you. Feel the JOY this holiday season and best wishes for a happy, healthy & JOYFUL New Year in 2011!
All my best,
Dari Joy Dyrness-Olsen
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