Feel That Joy!

There is likely nothing more important yet nothing that most eludes us than feeling our joy.  In part feeling our joy is more challenging when we are going through bad or sad times.  We may not be able to feel our joy every day and every moment of the day.  In fact feeling that kind of joy takes work and the intention to feel joy.

We cannot make ourselves be joyful every second of our life but what we can do is work at it every day.  The very first thing is to be willing to do the work that is needed to heighten our joy.  Joy does not increase on it's own and so it makes sense that we have a hand in it.  All that is needed to feel joyful is a willingness to feel joy.

Inviting joy in is one of the most simple ways to feel more of it.  Even in times of trouble and sadness we can feel the joy if we invite it back into our life.  Even after we lose a loved one we can invite joy back in.  Inviting joy back in to our life is simply saying yes to joy and in the meantime saying no to sadness.  For many of us this is difficult but the more we practice it the more we will be in it, living a life of joy because we say so.

Although it may seem obvious one of the best things that bring joy back to our spirit is walking outside in nature and feeling nature embrace us.  The trees, the flowers and the grass around us make us feel more whole and a part of something bigger than us.  Rising above the sad feelings and walking out the door can in fact be the most joyful thing we can do.  It may seem simple but it works.

There will be times when we must sit in our sadness and we will know that time.  Should we decide to sit in our sadness it is best to decide how long we will sit in this sad place.  Once we have felt the sad feelings then it is time to move up and out of that sadness back into our joy.  By acknowledging our feelings of sadness we honor that part of our self that needs to do that but once we have done that we must be willing to stand up for our joy.

Joy is our right.  We all have a right to feel joy.  We all have a right to live a life of joy.  We all deserve to be happy whether we are rich, poor, Catholic or Protestant.  We deserve joy no mater what race we are or sexual preference we might have.  Joy is your right beloved.  Joy is your right.