Joy vs Happiness
Joy and happiness are wonderful feelings to experience
yet very different.
Joy is more consistent and is cultivated internally. It comes when you make peace with who you are, why you are and how you are. Happiness is externally triggered and based on other people, things, places, thoughts and events.
Through my personal experience I have learned that there is a profound difference between joy and happiness.
When you aim for joy it is more beneficial because it is not connected to external circumstances. So many of us have lost touch with that feeling, not knowing how to cultivate joy any more, so we look to quick fixes like alcohol, drugs and foods, or we try to capture fleeting moments of happiness from other places without truly experiencing it and cultivating it for ourselves.
To shift our mindset from one of negative thinking to one of joy can present a challenge for many, so I want to share a few things you can to do increase the amount of joy in your life.
Quieting your mind with meditation.
When we come from our heart rather than using our head to over think things and we can tap into our intuition, and our spirit/soul (true self). By quieting the mind chatter we are able we create a space within that allows us to listen more closely to what brings us joy.
Slow down the use of social media.
Social media can easily influence us in what we 'should like/do/have/buy' and it is not so often is not in line with what truly brings us joy. For many of us, social media is a necessity every day for business or to connect with family. What we can do is slow down and use it less often.
• Rather than checking your phone or computer constantly, try checking social media sites just twice a day, once mid-morning, so you’re not starting your day with social media, and again late afternoon.
• Limit your notifications and devices in which you communicate to maximum two devices. There was a time when I had my I-phone, tablet, computer all set up for notifications and had all the apps like WhatsApp, Skype, Facebook Messenger and regular phone calls. This can be far too overwhelming!
• Choose the people you ‘follow’ or who appear in your feed wisely. If you like to get your daily fix of what’s happening around the globe opt for those who inspire you, not those who bring you down
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Keep a gratitude journal.
Make time each day to write down the things that bring you joy. When you’re feeling less happiness, you can read the days when things felt more joyful. Don’t forget the things that challenge you as they help you grow and build strength. Write them down. They will help define what brings you joy and what doesn’t. Celebrate these aspects of your day. Soon you will see patterns, and when you do, include more of the good stuff and less of the 'not so good' stuff in your day.
Embrace the simple experiences and pleasures. When we're moving at 100mph, we take the simple things for granted. These are often the things that top up our feelings of joy. When you're more present, the simpler things become joyful; the food you eat, the air you breathe, the sounds of nature.
Many of my clients share the more they get in touch with their true self, the less they feel the need to seek from external influences to experience momentary happiness.
Joy becomes a more constant state of being, it no longer becomes about what does or doesn't bring you joy, as you begin to cultivate joy from the inside out
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I offer Life Coaching for those looking for more joy and happiness and welcome your thoughts and comments below....