One of my life goals is to have a hearty and joyful infectious laugh.. I am a work in progress. It doesn’t come naturally to me, I have a tendency to be in my head and a tendency to hold space for others in my heart. These are not bad things, but i have identified them as factors in my search towards a hearty laugh.

It is important for us to actively cultivate Joy in our souls. Joy is valuable and has benefits like promoting a stronger immune system, reducing stress, and increasing our connection to others and beauty. If you have ever been around children, you will know just how easy they tune to joy. If we think about it, meditate into it, most of us can look back to out childhood and remember the kind of joy that we too once tuned into without effort.

Tuning into the vibration of Joy can be a mindful practice. Make joy a regular topic of conversation by asking people about thier own joy, or music that they like right now, or favorite foods. Use joy questions to learn about others in the best way. Sharpen your joy by asking to be surrounded by it.

Feeling joy and happiness can actually rewire your brain. The more you feel joy, the more you want joy. And the more you want joy, the more you push aside low-vibrations like disappointment, anger, hatred, or resentment.you simply dont have as much room for them. Joy is a big experience

 Feeling joy more frequently can help you you embrace a more objective point of view when something unpreferred happens. This is not about toxic positivity, this is about training yourself to find the available joy in any situation. We can’t control the world, but our inner voice can guide our reactions.

Training my inner voice and, helping it learn Joy as a default mode is ongoing. Im training it to be an inner cheer leader. Cheerleaders do their best work when they are championing. I find that the mind is a funny place. I begin to worry, and the inner voice, the mind, likes to catastrophizw and we forget that all things are temporary.

 The ‘work’ is catching the mind in its tracks and deciding to re-frame and choose a healthy thought over a destructive one. This is where using affirmations or mantras can help. Eventually these phrases are entrenched into our being. Its wires our brain to choose joy over fear.

Using Affirmations to Inspire Joy

When you’re using affirmations, it’s important that you remember a few key points: 

Affirmations need to be repeated, affirmations can be things that you hope to cultivate or things that are true now. For example I can say “I am powerful source of Joy” this is sometimes true, and sometimes I am so far away from it. Making the words a mental habit reminds me that i am capable of this. 

Choose one or several that you can repeat on the regular. Its best to start with just one that resonates with you.  They need to be repeated over and over in order wire your brain. Its brain magic for sure, you will know the spell is working when you no longer have to do it on purpose. Its strange how it happens, it just becomes part of your character. You need to be deliberate. Say it out loud. Say it in your mind. Say it to yourself especially when your mind is saying things that counteract the mantra. Create an art piece out of it so you can see it, write it on your rear view mirror. The point is to train your brain to bring this into your psyche. 

In effect, its the art of talking to yourself the same as you would a friend or family, its actively and consciously loving.

This little girl and her affirmation are serious goals.

Be kind out there.

Best,

Fran