Uncategorized – Joy & Happiness

Rejuvenate Joy

This is the first of a three-part discussion Not long ago I found myself in a dark place. I know the signs: binge eating, moody, unfocused, and just plain down on myself. The days flicker away faster than money from my bank account. Frustrated by my mistakes and stressed by others’ requests for my timeContinue reading “Rejuvenate Joy”

THE JOY OF MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION

I camped at Balch Park near Sequoia National Park in California, USA to rest my weary self under the canopy of the giant sequoias and redwood trees. I was seeking enjoyment in a peaceful environment away from the busyness and traffic of life. I thought nothing could bring me greater joy than to experience theContinue reading “THE JOY OF MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION”

Mental Strategies to Feeling More Joy

A Zen master and his student are walking in a forest discussing ways to quiet the mind of distractions. They come to a fast rushing stream where a damsel stands stuck on one side. She asks the master for help to cross the stream. The student assumes the master will say no because of theirContinue reading “Mental Strategies to Feeling More Joy”

THE FALSE JOY OF ADDICTION

I did not fully understand my addictive tendencies until I found myself on a hospital gurney with nurses bustling around me and the medical monitor blaring warning sounds like a fire alarm. I stared at the ceiling and asked myself, How did I get here? Like most people, I ignored the warning signs. I wasContinue reading “THE FALSE JOY OF ADDICTION”

Reflecting on Past Joys to Increase Current Joy

I could sit for an hour and let my mind wander to joyful past experiences, and while my mind could conjure up an event here, an activity there, I felt no closer to figuring out how to understand or define what the theme was that ran through my adventure of what enjoyment truly was toContinue reading “Reflecting on Past Joys to Increase Current Joy”

Perceived Joy Vs Actual Joy

Not long ago I found a boat for sale. It was a sailboat of 23 feet that its current owner abandoned in a boat storage yard. The manager of the yard said I could have it for what the owner owed for the storage rent, which was only a few hundred dollars. I’ve always imaginedContinue reading “Perceived Joy Vs Actual Joy”

Finding Joy through Fear

“To win one’s joy through struggle is better than to yield to melancholy.” Andre Gide I remember being poor, poor where I could not pay my bills, and I all my family could afford to eat were peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. My job paid 80 percent of our bills, so we had to decideContinue reading “Finding Joy through Fear”

Find “Flow” to Find Joy

My most recent career as a Work Experience teacher at a local high school was everything I wanted in a job. I helped students transition to the world of work and helped them with career choices. Vocational work has always interested me and this teaching job gave me one-on-one student interaction and community connection. IContinue reading “Find “Flow” to Find Joy”

Filling “Buckets” to Feel Joy

My doctor called me to find out what’s going on with my life after my less-than-desirable lab results crossed his desk. His call came at a great time. I felt down. I’d been feeling like an empty bucket which was only getting filled up with other people’s to-do lists. I’m good at helping others withContinue reading “Filling “Buckets” to Feel Joy”