5 Ways to Find More Joy This Holiday Season (and beyond)

With Christmas around the corner, we often here, see, and even sing the word JOY.  Christmas Joy; Joy to the World; O’ Come All Ye Faithful, Joyful, and Triumphant; Sweet Hymns of Joyful Chorus; …with the Joy on Christmas Day; Comfort and Joy name a few.  Do we really ever stop and think about the meaning?

Joy is defined as source or cause of delight (Mirriam-Webster:3).  This differs from pleasure, a state of gratification; frivolous amusement (Mirrian-Webster:2 and 3b).  Pleasure may dwell on something fleeting, materialistic.  Joy is soul satisfying, a source of emotional well-being.  One may find “pleasure” in a few drinks, money, a house – but do those “things” bring true JOY?  True joy tends to come from having a greater faith in something, serving (self and others), surrounding ourselves and celebrating with other people.  It goes deeper than a fleeting moment of pleasure.  Joy builds memories. 

Here are 5 Ways to Find More JOY this Holiday Season (and beyond):

1.       Find a deeper meaning for the season (and life) – whether this be faith in something (for me, God); consistently doing something we truly love; creating ways to create fun and festivities with others that reflect on the true meaning of the season/life.

2.       Serve – for the benefit and goodwill of others; volunteer, help, notice and act, mentor, reach out. Opening our hearts, time, and minds to service. Tapping into and sharing our gifts, passions, and strengths. We each have a purpose and it best serves us to share our purposes and gift with others.

3.       Spend time with “family” – I put this in quotes for a reason because “family” can mean more than the humans brought to us by blood, marriage, adoption, etc. … family consists of those we love, who support and love us, the people we can confide in and trust, those who offer a positive impact in our lives.  The people who are good for our soul.

4.       Celebrate with forgiveness – forgiveness toward yourself for any choices you may have made; forgiveness toward others in which you may be holding a grudge.  Grudges often bring anger and bitterness into other relationships and experiences, making joy more difficult because we become so wrapped up in “the wrong” that we can’t enjoy the present moments or people.

5.       Get up, get dressed, get out – this doesn’t have to be elaborate.  Drive around and look at lights; take a walk in the park; go sledding (for those in a snowy area); play an outdoor game; sit still by water; have a snowball fight.  This one may seem simple for some, yet one of the hardest for others.  Either way, it can have such a big impact on our joy.

In the life of fast-paced, go go go; social media; comparison; self-doubt; trauma; divided families; and so much more – we often turn to things that we think will bring us joy, but they tend to bring temporary pleasure.  True joy takes making mindful and intentional choices.  Even beyond this Christmas Season, I hope we can continue to work on this together.

JOY- FULL wishes, my LH5 Family!