Find Your Joy
Hang with me for a moment while I channel my inner Sophia Petrillo- Picture It. It’s the United States of America, 2020, a pandemic has raged on for 8 months, a Presidential Election has divided the nation even further, we have run out of letters for Hurricane names this season, and Murder Hornet is now a term in everyone’s vocabulary. Pretty grim, eh?
I think we can all guarantee that 2020 isn’t topping anyone’s list of favorite years this century, or even in their lifetime. However, as we enter this holiday season with Thanksgiving right around the corner, I just want to take a second to break into the noise of a crazy year and whisper something in your ear. You ready….. “Find your joy.”
Did you hear that? “Find your joy.” I know you may have heard me, but were you listening? One more time, “Find your joy.”
Does this year stink on lots of level? Yes. Do you still have plenty of reasons to be joyful? ABSOLUTELY! While we can’t always change what is happening in our lives and our world, we can be responsible for the way we respond. Developing a habit of gratitude can literally change your brain. (Look it up, I’m not lying. I’m also not a scientist, so I don’t want to screw up their facts. Just Google it already.)
I can’t think of a better season to take the opportunity to shift you thinking. Instead of focusing on what is wrong with this year, focus on what is AMAZING. Look at the opportunities that life may be forcing you into as blessings. Altered Thanksgiving plans can be opportunities for new traditions or memories. More time at home can lead to new hobbies or creative outlets. On the flip side, changes in our lives can lead to complaining, whining, and bitterness. The interesting thing is that it is totally your choice. You actually have the power to decide which side of the coin you will land on.
Thanksgiving 2020 may be one that we talk about for years to come, but what will be in your narrative? Will it be the year you persevered and worked hard to find that joy, or will it be the year when the craziness of the world won, and you let your joy leave without even asking it to hang around to see if 2020 had the opportunity to redeem itself before 2021 took over?
