Hi Friends,
My mantra, as you may know, is to seek joy. I love working with couples that are joy-filled. And I look for joy every day even in the mundane, and especially in the midst of this pandemic.
Easier said than done right?
FOR SURE!
Some days I struggle to see past my own anxiousness surrounding our world. I worry about things I can’t control, and stress about keeping myself and my family safe.
So what is the secret to finding joy? And how do you find it with so much uncertainty in the world right now?
Let’s start by defining ‘joy’…
joy | noun | the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something good
In order to have joy, I must first take note of something good or an opportunity to do good.
But every time I turn on the news, I feel my joy dissipating.
When my husband comes home from work and tells me of another co-worker that got furloughed, my heart sinks a little.
With so much negative out there, now more than ever, it becomes harder to sift through the muck to find the joy underneath.
I’m far from perfect, and I wish I could remember my own advice more often, but here are some things I’m striving to do on my quest for joy each day:
Do something good.
It’s human nature to want to help others, in part because it makes US feel good when doing it. But instead of thinking of it as a selfish action, I’m choosing to believe that doing good for others is just as beneficial for them as it may be for my psyche.
Whether it’s reaching out to a grandparent you haven’t seen in months, or checking on an elderly neighbor that can’t leave the house, find something good to do each day.
For me, some days that’s just trying to do a new activity with my kids. Their joy is infectious, and although it may be chaotic at times, I thrive on seeing them happy.
Other ideas to consider:
- Send local flowers to a friend or family member
- Leave a note on your door for your delivery folks that are working hard to keep packages and mail on track (especially now that the world is online shopping for everything!)
- Send a few of your favorite books to friends to start a book-share program
The whole point is to find ways to spread joy to others. Trust me, you’ll end up being rewarded with your own joy.
Get out into nature.
Take advantage of a beautiful spring day and get outside. If I’m in a funk, it’s usually because I need to get out of the house and have a change of scenery. The crisp, breezy air is good for the soul and exercise is a known mood boost.
I love seeing people posting about going hiking or on long bike rides.
Take the opportunity to freshen up your yard with new mulch and plants, and getting rid of the weeds that are probably starting to creep into your flower beds by now.
I was over at my parents’ house a few days ago and they have a beautifully landscaped yard full of flowering trees and shrubs. My dad helped me clip a few branches to bring home with me, and it’s amazing what a boost it was for all of us when I brought a little nature indoors! Every time I walk past my flowering Red Bud branch (shown below) it makes me smile. And it made my parents happy knowing I have a little bit of their home in mine.
Take advantage of the downtime.
Use this slower time to reflect. Think about your life and where you want to go. Set new goals for yourself.
We often get so caught up in the day-to-day rush that we forget to build time into our busy schedules to really think about our lives more granularly.
You don’t have to fill every waking minute with a project or by marking things off a to-do list. Sometimes the most transformative thoughts come when we’re quiet.
Lean into creative opportunities.
I’m trying to do this every day. I’m thinking through new ways to excite the kids, keep Brooklyn engaged with learning and finding opportunities to connect with my clients despite not being able to meet face to face.
Creativity is in all of us. You don’t have to be a “Creative Director” or an “Artist” to be creative.
One of my favorite things to do in my downtime is to color. There’s something so therapeutic and “back to basics” about picking up some colored pencils and seeing where it leads. If you don’t own an adult coloring book, I’d definitely recommend ordering one on Amazon ASAP! You can thank me later!
Another thing my kids and I are enjoying is baking some tried-and-true favorite recipes of ours. In the coming weeks, I’m going to share them with you so you can try them for yourself! (I think Brooklyn is most looking forward to the slice-and-bake Easter bunny cookies though! Ha)
For stylists and wedding industry creatives, now is also a great time to add supplies to your styling tool kit and play around with things you have around the house. I love the challenge of taking basic items around me and capturing them in a fun way. Since having a photographer come into my home isn’t an option right now, the iPhone and my Nikon camera will have to do! I’ll be sharing some essentials I have in my styling bag next week!
In conclusion, find what brings you joy and lean into those things. Recognize what your “joy triggers” are and make them a habit.
“The healthiest response to life is joy.”
Mark Twain
Much Love & Stay Well,
Jamie
