If you want to plan for joy, it helps to know what it looks like.
Take Pen to Paper: Edition 44
I thought I was planning joy for the weekend.
My granddaughter would be happy to see these.
Plastic table cloth
Bubbles
Coloring book
Marshmallows
I made my shopping list for these inexpensive items. Added to what I already had at home, they would definitely cultivate joy.
I was wrong.
We always think grand gestures are needed to please others, say thank you, or celebrate an event. We get carried away with an idea. We purchase items, gifts, and plan. It grows to be big, possibly extravagant.
Is all of this necessary to cultivate joy? The opposite is true.
Tiny actions and moments add up to cultivate joy.
What brings me joy is often simple experiences, a few words, or small actions.
The first sight of that friend you haven’t seen in weeks. When you don’t see a friend every day or even every week, it’s refreshing to see their smile.
An unexpected expression of appreciation. Sometimes we do things we don’t know will be noticed, much less warrant appreciation. A simple thank you goes a long way.
When someone remembers a small detail and asks about it. Ask about their child’s ball tournament or if they had a good visit with out-of-town guests.
Witnessing the joy of another person. Just like laughter, joy is contagious.
None of those require any purchases.
Are you short on joy in your life?
You need to make an effort to recognize joy in yourself. What works for you will work for others.
Start by slowing down. As adults, we always rush to the next task on our list. Take a few minutes for the emotion of joy to soak in.
Knowing how joy looks and feels helps you recognize it more often. You will feel it in yourself and see it in others.
Joy might sneak up on you.
My shopping trip prepared me for my weekend with my granddaughter.
I knew she would be happy with my purchases. It would bring both of us joy. This is when I discovered I was wrong.
Not surprisingly, I overestimated what I needed.
We didn’t use what I bought.
My granddaughter got her greatest joy out of running in the grassy yard. I got my greatest joy out of watching her laugh. Her joy was worth so much to me. All it cost was time.
Embrace the tiny moments that add up to a deeper feeling of joy.
Last week, I picked up my graddaughter from her first day at art camp. At five (she would correct me: she’s almost six), she is firmly committed to being an artist when she grows up.
Her excitement and joy over her experiences showed as she talked about her day.
“We did art all day! We painted two times. I covered the whole canvas.”
It gave me immeasurable amounts of joy to hear her excitement. All I had to do was listen.
If the tiny moments that cultivate joy are this easy to come by, we should seek them daily.
7 Days, 7 Thoughts on Gratitude and Good
It’s good to take a lesson from the life of a child. They know how to keep things simple.
I’m grateful for my journey with gratitude. It has taught me to intentionally look for the small moments surrounding me that help cultivate long-term joy in my life.
This article explains the difference between happiness and joy.
“Find out where joy resides, and give it a voice far beyond singing. For to miss the joy is to miss all.” - Robert Louis Stevenson
Rainbows may bring joy to those who see them because we each see a rainbow that’s slightly different. We each see a rainbow of our own. 🌈
Speaking of rainbows, read how one person brought joy to a neighborhood. 🏠
I love my Nixplay Digital Frame (there are others brands). This is one of the practical suggestions for strategies to increasing joy found in this article. 🖼
Thank you for reading!
Do you know what brings you joy? Sharing this newsletter/blog with you brings me joy each week.
Until next week my friends,
❤
Susan
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