Dare to live without limits Week of 7/06/20

Filling each day with some joy has many rewards

How do you feel each day? How do you want to feel each day? Would you like to fill each day with joy? Joy is not just something you experience when things go well, joy helps you make things go well. Each day is worthy of joy.
Contrary to what many people believe, the way you feel is not a result of external circumstances but determined by your internal outlook. The way you actually feel is connected to how you expect to feel. Positive expectations are a powerful force you can harness to fill each day with joy.
Instead of waiting for joy, create joy through your thoughts. Think joyful, happy thoughts. Think about what you want to attract. Think about how you want your life to be. Your thoughts determine how you feel.
Visualizing joy helps you feel joy. Your mind seeks to create the images you feed it. So, visualizing the emotional state you would like to experience is a powerful strategy. It’s also imperative to avoid visualizing how you don’t want to feel. Therefore, don’t visualize misery, unhappiness, or sadness.
Stop worrying. Worry displaces joy. You won’t feel joy while immersed in worry. Worry focuses your attention on problems rather than solutions. Worry ensnares you in doom and gloom worst case scenarios. Worry is conquered by taking action on solutions for issues within your influence.
Have fun. Engage in enjoyable activities. You have lots of discretionary time before and after work as well as on the weekends. Put your free time to good use. Don’t waste it complaining or finding fault.
Find your passion. Each person has at least one. Pursuing your passion fills you with joy. Your passion is something you want to do more than anything else. Often a passion is something pursued recreationally. But you can also use your passion as an income source.
Laugh, joke and find the humor which exists in most situations. Laughing produces a feeling of joy, reduces stress, and is a wonderfully effective, positive outlet. Humor helps keep a situation in perspective.
Count your blessings. Don’t take anything for granted. Appreciate the small things in life. You have more to be thankful for than you realize. Your world is filled with wonder. Acknowledging the amazing things surrounding you fills you with joy.
Connect with other joy filled people. You will motivate and inspire each other. The world is filled with too much negativity. Having a group of positive people to recharge with is an invaluable resource.
Taking care of your mental and physical well-being produces joy. Thinking pleasant thoughts, reducing or eliminating stress, and keeping situations in perspective, all support your emotional health. Your physical health is supported through adequate rest, a healthy diet and regular exercise.
Doing something new, learning something new, or finally accomplishing a task you have been putting off, provides a sense of joy. Getting out of a rut is refreshing. Breaking through procrastination is satisfying.
Put your time to good use by making progress toward a specific goal. Being productive is fulfilling. There is joy in taking positive action. You feel in control of your direction. You decide where you want to go and then make it happen.
There is a lot of joy in overcoming a fear which has been holding you back. Breaking through any limitation is liberating. Doing so enhances your confidence and self-esteem.
Filling each day with joy is a great way to live. Experiencing joy motivates you to create more joy. It is a positive reinforcement cycle which yields only positive results. If you are not used to joy, give it a try. There are only good things to be gained.

NOW AVAILABLE: "Dare to Live Without Limits," the book. Visit www.BryanGolden.com or your bookstore. Bryan is a management consultant, motivational speaker, author, and adjunct professor. E-mail Bryan at bryan@columnist.com or write him c/o this paper.  2020 Bryan Golden