5 ways to bring joy into your life
By Dr. Gabriella Kőrösi
1. Slow down. Think about your day. Take that extra second to enjoy the morning sun-rays or the sunset. Take a deep breath. Stop and look at the Ocean one more time. Be in the present moment. Our daily lives are fast, and it can be difficult to stop and fully absorb each moment. It is important to take the time and enjoy moments that are precious for you. Take the time to enjoy the sip of tea you are drinking. The smile of a friend or family member. A phone call with someone you love. There are so many moments go by each day. Days, weeks, months, and years pass by quickly. Showing down and enjoying the present moment without worrying about the past and hurrying into the future brings joy into our lives.
2. Have some Fun. Life is serious enough. Recently I was on a day road trip with a friend and my son. We stopped for a mid-morning snack and coffee. The coffee shop had these huge bubble makers for sale. My friend got really excited and said let’s get some and we can take it next time we go on the beach and make huge bubbles. I imagined myself making huge bubbles on the beach. Sounded like a lots of fun. I can not remember the last time I made bubbles, probably when my kids were little. It was a good reminder that it is important in life just to have some fun. Whatever sounds fun to you, it might be a walk on the beach, having tea with a friend, playing sports, going on a hike. Whatever it is that you do or used to do for fun, keep doing it. Having some fun will bring moments of joy back to your life.
3. Be kind to yourself and others. It is easy to judge ourselves and each other. Face it none of us are perfect. Being kind to yourself and accepting, can bring additional joy into your life. It can be a simple checking in with someone you know, or you have not heard from for a while. Noticing if someone is having a hard day and see if there is something you can do for them to ease their day. A smile and a few kind words can go a long way. Many times, we judge ourselves and others. Take a break. Accept the moment and see what you can do to make your day better. Take an extra small step toward kindness. It will make yourself feel better as well as other people around you. Being truly kind means that if you give something to yourself or others you do not hope to receive anything in return. Get a card for someone, just because. Bring a small gift, just because. Make something, just because.
4. Gratefulness and appreciation for everything in your life. Life is not easy, yet we can always find something to be grateful for. It can be family, friends, your job, the place you live, the food you eat. The morning sunshine, the rain, the forest. The air you breath in. It can be really anything you choose to be grateful for. Being grateful for things makes us feel good, increases endorphins in our bodies. Just being grateful to exist, to wake up in the morning to have a chance to live another day. It can be hard to be grateful when things are tough, and things have been though for a lot of people especially now with the pandemic. Yet, there is so much to be grateful in our lives. Recently I was reminded that simple things like getting up in a morning without any pain in your body can be something to be grateful for. I am grateful every day for my life, family and friends, my job, my animals, that I have a wonderful place to live in, I have food to eat. I am grateful for nature, the trees, the animals, the oceans, the air we breathe. There is so much more that I can not list everything here of course. Try to list a few things in your mind or our loud what you are grateful each morning when waking up and each night when going to bed. It does increase joy and general well-being in our lives.
5. Connection to family and friends and even strangers can bring more joy into your life. Feeling connected to others and feeling the love we have for them and the love they have for us brings joy to our lives. Just thinking of loved ones can make you smile. Being connected is even more important now than ever before. The COVID -19 Pandemic had limited personal touch and personal visits to family and friends and even in workplaces and places of business. This created huge holes and loneliness in many people’s lives. Keeping connected in any ways possible is a basic human need. We are tribal people. See a friend even if it is from 6 feet away. Call or video chat with family, friends, or co-workers. Make new connections by joining like minded people in groups for book club or yoga for example. Now that some restrictions are lifted making connections again will be easier. Connecting with the environment is also important. Seeing animals and nature around us can create a general comfort feeling. Trees release oils that decrease anxiety. Taking a walk in the forest or anywhere in nature and enjoying those moments build new connections in our brain and positive, relaxing joyful moments.
Thank you,
Have a wonderful day,
Gabriella
6/20/2021
