Joy is Essential By Jayne D. B. Marsh


more intentionally in every day? And when you notice Joy, how do you feel? References or word defi nitions of Joy include pleasure, delight, satisfaction, happiness, gladness, glee, elation, euphoria, and bliss.


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Why is Joy important? Joy can lighten our ‘load(s)’. Lift our spirit, our mindset, our outlook. Joy is essential to achiev- ing an overall state of wellbeing, yet it at times seems elusive and this elusiveness can add to a sense of overwhelm with life. In turn this can spiral to darker places in our minds, making life more challenging or diffi cult. We can choose Joy. Even if only in small ways to start. We can notice, note, create and embrace Joy in our lives. It can be simple things such as a beautiful blue sky, a soft gentle breeze, the bright sunshine, the sound of rain, puffy clouds overhead, the nuzzle of a pet’s nose, the laughter of a child, fl owers in bloom, grasses swaying in a fi eld, a starlight night, the moon shining, a body of water, or a scenic view.


Joy can be experienced through move- ment and music. A walk in nature. Engag- ing in a favorite physical activity or hobby such as swimming or gardening. Hearing the call of a loon or the song of a bird. A beautiful melody or good ‘ole rock n roll.


30 ELM® Maine - November/December 2019


hat does Joy mean to you? What brings Joy to your life? How can this Joy be expanded? Noticed


Joy can be experienced through relationships with others; sharing time and/or conversation and common inter- ests or activities with those we care about and with whom we can be our full self. Giving to and doing for others can also bring great Joy.


Joy can be experienced through engag- ing in things for which we have excite- ment and passion. It can be achieved from accomplishing tasks or goals, large or small. Making progress toward a desired end. Noting these accomplishments and/or progress to desired ends. We each need to discover the many things that bring us Joy and engage in these experiences/relation- ships/activities more regularly.


Sometimes risk taking can bring


joy; doing something not done before (whether successful or not) can bring joy. Stretching oneself, getting outside of one’s comfort zone. The trying and the learning and the growing. "When was the last time you did something for the fi rst time?" (John C. Maxwell)


We can as well intentionally shift


our awareness to those things that bring a smile. A pause in the day. A moment to breath deeply. A Joy moment. Increasing our awareness itself of noticing, noting, creating and embracing Joy creates change in positive ways. It opens space for consid- eration and opportunity to grow, poten-


tially providing a place to start letting go of things that keep us down or hold us back. The most important thing being to make a start. To begin.


Joy can heal. Noticing. Noting.


Embracing. Creating Joy. It can change our physiology, releasing calm inducing, positive chemical messengers/hormones in our body such as oxytocin while reducing negative, stress inducing chemical messen- gers/hormones such as cortisol in our body.


When was the last time you experi-


enced Joy? True blissful, freeing Joy. What were you doing? Thinking? Feeling? Note these times. Notice the times that bring Joy in the now. Embrace the Joy. Seek or create spaces of Joy. Moments. Gaps in the routine where Joy can be received. It will swell the heart, deepen the breath, soften the body and relax the mind.


Keeping a Joy Journal, writing of Joys noticed and/or experienced, can reinforce and enhance those Joys further deepen- ing each Joy experience; taking them from short-term memory to long-term memory and furthering developing of an awareness of Joy toward cultivating a Joy Mindset. Reviewing the Joys aloud or sharing with a trusted person can continue to expand those Joy experiences.


As well, an end of the day summa- tion of daily Joys (versus the oft routine of


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