How to Live in Joy

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2026

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I feel in my heart. I woke up to sunshine. I woke up to a refreshing rain. I woke up to the freedom to be me.</h1><p id="8c05">I do believe that bold decisions that you make will turn out to be turning points in your life. Just over a year ago I decided to stop running a business that was not aligned with who I was and I completely changed to doing something else. This was a major change. This was a risk. This was bold. I feel the same about now. I am daring to go out into the unknown, to make another way for myself.</p><h1 id="86e6">This is what trust in the universe, life and God really is about. Knowing that you will be supported no matter what. Knowing that guidance will be there when you need it. Knowing that listening to your heart is the best thing that you can do.</h1><p id="22cc">I have learned through all of this that if it doesn’t feel right in my heart, it isn’t right. So many times I did things I felt I “should” do. So many times I did things just because others did them. So many times I did things because they were outlined in a book. So many times I went against my heart. So many times. That stops today.</p><p id="29a6">Trusting my heart and my intuition is the only way forward. As an empath I can instantly tell when someone has my best interests at heart or not. I can tell if they have good energy or not. I can feel with my whole being whether a choice is right or not. This is what I must rely upon from now on.</p><p id="613f"><b><i>Do you listen to your heart?</i></b></p><p id="1df6"><b><i>I would love to know how you trust your heart. My lovely friends and fellow writers here, please share: <a href="undefined">Taha Abbas</a>, <a href="undefined">Rasheed Hooda</a>, <a href="undefined">Amy Marley</a>, <a href="undefined">Michele Thill</a>, <a href="undefined">Bob Jasper</a>, <a href="undefined">Aurora Eliam, CMP</a> and many more!</i></b></p><p id="9cce"><b><i>Trista Signe Ainsworth is a professional organizer with Joyful Minimalism. She helps working women clear the clutter,

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overwhelm and shame from their homes and lives so that they can truly live in joy. Sign up for my living in joy newsletter: <a href="https://expansive.me/signup">Live in Joy</a></i></b></p><p id="112f"><b><i>More articles from my Joy Series:</i></b></p><div id="9cda" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/how-to-live-in-joy-8b2357999a4d"> <div> <div> <h2>How to Live in Joy</h2> <div><h3>Day 24: How turning off the media for a few days is bringing back the joy</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*KWRC17W5-rlBElhHBdncXw.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="5957" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/how-to-live-in-joy-7559a1d9761b"> <div> <div> <h2>How to Live in Joy</h2> <div><h3>Day 18: Rediscovering my love of reading old cookbooks</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*4WiniRBM2cc1PYTv4KYL8g.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="ab6e" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/how-to-live-in-joy-ec9794455f83"> <div> <div> <h2>How to Live in Joy:</h2> <div><h3>How lockdown at home has created the best environment for creativity</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*UxyZb2YWQbmV6uQkcsn3ew.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

How to Live in Joy

Day 26: Making bold decisions from the heart brings joy!

Photo by Steve Harvey on Unsplash

I may not seem like someone to make bold, radical decisions but from time to time I do. I am a very calm, quiet person. I like to observe others and listen before I speak. I like to always give people the benefit of the doubt. I like to give situations time to develop.

However, the events of the past few days broke my heart wide open. It exposed things that I had not noticed before. It made me truly see situations in my life that were draining my energy. It made me see that choices that I had made in good faith were not serving me. Sometimes it takes something major, emotional and painful to truly open your eyes.

I love the three words “I have decided.” I think that they are some of the most powerful words we can ever use in our lives. When true pain from other’s suffering hits my heart and splits it into a million pieces like the events of the past few days have, it made me see I had to make some radical changes in my life. Those choices are bold, those choices are scary but they lead to love.

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

After deciding the other day to leave social media, to leave a networking group and to leave another group, I have felt freedom and hope in my heart. This is a place from which I can serve others. This is a place from which I can act to help others. This is a place from which I can truly spread light, love and joy.

Today I woke up to gifts from the universe for my bold decision to truly live in joy and to make choices based on how I feel in my heart. I woke up to sunshine. I woke up to a refreshing rain. I woke up to the freedom to be me.

I do believe that bold decisions that you make will turn out to be turning points in your life. Just over a year ago I decided to stop running a business that was not aligned with who I was and I completely changed to doing something else. This was a major change. This was a risk. This was bold. I feel the same about now. I am daring to go out into the unknown, to make another way for myself.

This is what trust in the universe, life and God really is about. Knowing that you will be supported no matter what. Knowing that guidance will be there when you need it. Knowing that listening to your heart is the best thing that you can do.

I have learned through all of this that if it doesn’t feel right in my heart, it isn’t right. So many times I did things I felt I “should” do. So many times I did things just because others did them. So many times I did things because they were outlined in a book. So many times I went against my heart. So many times. That stops today.

Trusting my heart and my intuition is the only way forward. As an empath I can instantly tell when someone has my best interests at heart or not. I can tell if they have good energy or not. I can feel with my whole being whether a choice is right or not. This is what I must rely upon from now on.

Do you listen to your heart?

I would love to know how you trust your heart. My lovely friends and fellow writers here, please share: Taha Abbas, Rasheed Hooda, Amy Marley, Michele Thill, Bob Jasper, Aurora Eliam, CMP and many more!

Trista Signe Ainsworth is a professional organizer with Joyful Minimalism. She helps working women clear the clutter, overwhelm and shame from their homes and lives so that they can truly live in joy. Sign up for my living in joy newsletter: Live in Joy

More articles from my Joy Series: