Tumultuous times provide many opportunities for us to cultivate and choose joy. When life seems bent on creating confusion and misery, that is the time to double down on choosing joy. A health-nut friend encouraged me to work out more by saying to me, “When you feel it is the hardest to do, that is when you need to do it the most.” The “trick” is to choose joy when it is most difficult to feel it.

Joy is the informer of your life You may have already realized that living joyfully is key to the life you want, yet times could be tough, making it difficult to feel happiness, let alone joy. Take that time to hang tough and reaffirm your commitment to yourself. The joy you feel literally creates the fabric of the next moment. It is like a quilt, every moment is patched together with the energy you put into it. Staying joyful in the moment will lead to positive outcomes, helping get back on the track of living the life you want. By the end of the day you have a quilt, it may be flawed a bit, but it is perfectly flawed. You’ve maintained your focus and learned from your mistakes.

It’s easy to say to people, just make the right choice. It’s another thing to remember to choose a new thought when old habits kick in. We are stronger than our habits.

Misery likes to make you feel justified in feeling victimized and small. Say nice things to yourself, and notice how you begin to feel better, be your own Miss Rachel, she encourages kids to say nice things to themselves.

Tips for Cultivating Joy

Use affirmations – say nice things to yourself, be your own Miss Rachel- do it just to do it, you’ll create a mindful habit that puts your attention squarely on manifesting what you want and need when you want it and need it. In time, the focus will be on the positive, creating positive outcomes and it will feel like you didn’t do anything at all. Sometimes the mule is blind, load the wagon any way. Eventually you will carve out a path.

Mindfulness – making conscious choices creates a conscious, mindful life – some additional tips and resources for coaxing that anxious brain into a relaxed and cheerful companion

Senses technique- Look at the sights around you. Listen to the sounds around you. Smell the smells, touch, feel the world around you. Taste the taste in your mouth. Experience taste as you eat and drink. y

Pet videos – Animals are hilarious, sometimes after a few of these I don’t even remember what the problem was.

Journaling Get those thoughts and ideas out of your head and onto paper. Keep track of your thoughts throughout the day, as much as possible and read them back to yourself. Bonus: track the positive and negative thoughts, look for patterns and triggers, make an effort to change your triggers and put yourself in positive spaces.

Reading – More and more people are reading these days to reduce screen time. Reading will enhance your focus and concentration making it easier for you to identify stress and make conscious choices to change.

Puzzle games – Puzzles encourage concentration and focus, pro-tip: say to yourself “I am solving the puzzle of my life,” while you work on the game, become lost in solving of the problem. You are teaching your brain to make connections and also saying nice things to yourself.

Meditation – Whether just “sitting” or using guided meditations you are giving the brain a break and some time to relax. During meditation we invite our true self into our life, making it easier to tone down the mind and make better choices.