How do I choose joy? I know that I want it. I don't want to be sad, angry, frustrated, hopeless, etc. Do I need to say it out loud, "I'm choosing joy"? Do I need to repeat "choose joy, choose joy, choose joy" throughout the day, every day, until I feel it?
Choosing to feel one emotion over another isn't easy. Generally we are at the mercy of our emotions, unable to control them. They are on autopilot and take us for a ride, whether we like it or not. Telling a sad person to cheer up, you’re most likely to hear, “I can’t" or "you not going through what I am.” Telling an angry person calm down and let it go, and you may be the recipient of a outburst of anger. Even though we’re each probably "guilty" of encouraging someone to be happy at one time or another, we know it’s not that simple. If it was, there wouldn't be any grieving in the world.
Despite all of this, it is possible to be joyful in difficult times. Choosing joy is like choosing love. It’s not something done once and forgotten. Choosing is a habit. Many times a day, each and every day. We must choose to see beyond a particular circumstances or a moment and extend grace to one another. Choosing joy requires us to look beyond our immediate circumstance to connect with a bigger picture.
Good habits seem hard to come by. It's the bad ones that take no effort at all. Choosing to make joy a habit requires you to turn your focus outward. Joy breeds joy. It spreads when you give it away.
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