Creating Moments of Joy Every Day

It would be wonderful to be able to take a three week vacation and just lay on the beach and read, but how many of us can do that? As the economy slides into recession, many people seem to get more stressed and more anxious. More than ever, it is important to make time to rejuvenate each day. There are wonderful, small ways we can re-energize in our daily lives. . . I call these Moments of Joy. Moments of Joy are the delightful things that bring us short bursts of inspiration, refueling, happiness, and rest.

I found a used mini trampoline and go outside and jump on it every few hours when I am sitting at the computer for long periods. It moves the lymph and moves the energy! If I want to laugh out loud, I watch a funny movie or take a very cold shower.

A few years ago, I moved back to Maui. That was a big decision, but it supplies me with endless moments of joy every day. Whenever I look at the sweeping ocean views from my windows or work in the garden, or drive anywhere, I feel joy and gratitude welling up at the beauty all around me. There is an intrinsic joy that natural beauty brings to the soul.

You might not be able to move to a place with beautiful scenes of nature everywhere you look, but you could plan an outing in nature with a friend. Another idea is to decorate your home as a feast for your eyes. One person I know created a tropical bathroom with murals of beaches, mermaid sculptures on the walls, and colorful fish hanging from the ceiling. She had CDs of nature music with tropical bird calls and the sounds of waves.

Each person’s sources of joy will be different, of course. Take time for yourself right away and make a list of ten things you could easily do on almost any day that would bring you a few Moments of Joy.

Perhaps it would be making time to call a dear friend, or walk in your garden, or light a candle for a hot bath, or read a favorite poem before going to sleep. The things you think of can be simple, quiet, fun, and even somewhat adventurous, like going for a walk down a new street. In his book, The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran wrote, “For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.”

If we practice Moments of Joy daily, we can feed our souls and replenish our internal reserves which get drained by the busy-ness of our lives. We don’t have to wait for that vacation in the future—which may never come, or if it does, who knows what could happen? You may be too sick, exhausted or broke to take it. If you do get to take a nice long, planned vacation sometime, you’ll be in good practice to enjoy every minute of it!

I hope you love yourself enough to give yourself at least ONE moment of joy every day. The more moments, the more joy! How much will you allow yourself to receive? The more you receive, the more you have to give. Start giving to yourself today!