I’ve always been really good at getting things done. A master of my time, of conquering my to-do list. Being an entrepreneur and a new mom taught me how to maximize every hour of the day. But with all of this focus and productivity, something was always missing. I found myself exhausted physically and mentally at the end of every day. I lived for weekends when I could just collapse and veg out on the couch. I felt successful in my work, my marriage and with my family, yet felt a sense of emptiness. I think it was because I was missing joy.
When it feels like there is never enough time and we are so busy, it seems selfish and even self indulgent to seek daily joy. But I realized that I didn’t need a grand gesture. I didn’t need a full day off to spend at the beach or relaxing at the spa. Don’t get me wrong, I love those pampering days and we all need those too. Our lives are precious. Each day is special. And that’s why I now believe that we all should find ways to bring simple daily joy into our life.
Joy is defined as a feeling of great pleasure or happiness. Why would we not want that to be part of our every day? Here are 5 ways that I am bringing daily joy into my life.
- Practice Daily Gratitude – We know that the feeling of gratitude increases happiness, improves relationships, improves our health and enhances our outlook on life. So it’s how I start and end my day. Each morning, I write down three things that I’m grateful for. I do my best to come up with things that I haven’t said before. When my head hits the pillow at night, I think of things I’m grateful for.
- Connect to nature – I make a point to connect to nature every single day. This might be a walk with the dog in the morning or a run during a lunch break. Or maybe, I just take my lunch outside and sit in the sunshine instead of at my desk. Most people agree that they feel happier when in nature.
- Give – While I know it feels like we give all day long, I do my best to set aside a few moments to give from my heart. This might be as simple as picking up the phone to call a friend or writing a letter on real paper. It could be buying a cup of coffee for a co worker or sending my husband a thoughtful text.
- Create a joyful space – Your environment is very connected to your energy. I do small things from lighting a candle to diffusing aromatherapy to make my space more joyful. Sometimes, I just declutter a drawer which might not seem joyful in itself but will definitely lead to delight next time I open it.
- Move – As the owner of FIT4MOM, it should not surprise you that I want to exercise. I tease that I only workout on the days that I want to feel good. But seriously, our bodies are meant to move. It doesn’t have to be a traditional workout. Take a walk, stretch, dance. Move and be joyful.
It might seem silly but doing something joyful each day is actually on my daily checklist. When we are proactive, we take responsibility for what we want and how we want to feel. Our lives are not just about getting things done but about truly living and loving this life to its fullest.