Adding Joy to Your Life
Joy can be felt in many ways, as a sense of abundance, celebration, energy, freedom, harmony, magic, playfulness, renewal and/or transcendence. Even before sheltering in place, Americans lived most of their lives indoors, often eating artificial foods and being surrounded by digital technology and synthetic scents. Simple ways to introduce authenticity and joy to your life do exist.
It is possible to improve how you feel by making small changes to the physical spaces you inhabit. Bright colors like red and violet can boost your energy level, while green and yellow can increase happiness. Pom poms on the edges of curtains or a pillow are cheerful, tactile and playful. Rather than copying what you see in catalogs, magazines or home-renovation shows, embrace what looks and feels good to you.
Introduce hues, sounds and textures that you see in nature to stimulate your senses indoors. Display items like seashells and concert tickets, which spark happy memories. Assemble a collection of quotes and photographs that make you smile and place them where you will see them on a daily basis. (Be sure to make changes regularly, however, or you will stop noticing them.)
Individuals with depression and other mental health conditions often avoid others and stop participating in activities they used to enjoy. A good start to returning to those persons, places, and things is to engage in light reading (i.e., no self-help books), watch old television shows and movies, or listen to your favorite playlists. Give yourself time and space to be sad, perhaps by sitting on the sofa for an hour and deliberately feeling your emotions. Then get up and start moving.
“Upward spirals” are when one good thing happens and you are more likely to see the positive in the world around you. Create a list of the joyous experiences you remember, like beautiful natural scenes or close moments with friends and relatives. Laughing can reduce anxiety so watch “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” search for funny memes on the Internet or find your favorite Dad jokes.
Think about what would you do for free or if money was not a factor and you could pursue your passions. Is it fishing, making jewelry, playing in a band or volunteering at a local food bank? Try to add those activities to your life. At the end of each day, reflect about what made you feel good so you can repeat it in the future. Having a passion does not mean that you need to be skilled at an activity, rather it should engage your heart and mind and leave you with a sense of fulfillment.
Unlike happiness, which depends on external factors, joy is an attitude and a choice and can exist along with anger and/or sadness. It is possible to experience joy in difficult times. Even for individuals with depression or other mental health issues, joy is waiting to be discovered and to provide contentment and peace along with meaning and purpose.