TODAY I CHOOSE JOY
Today I choose Joy. When things may not be going as you had planned and you feel overwhelmed, lost and confused. What do you do? In those times in life when the bills are piling up and the paycheck has been stretched just as far as you can stretch it, and your joy meter is probably empty. What do you do? In the moments in life where you feel that nothing can go right and everything you have worked so hard for has either fallen apart or been in vain. Choose Joy.
What is Joy and how do I learn to choose Joy?
This may sound ridiculous but honestly joy is nothing more than a choice, to look at the blessings in our lives and embrace the trials. Joy is accepting that these things are out of your control, and that we must make the best of our situation. I understand that this is far easier said than done, in fact I almost feel like I should be an expert based on all the trials I have endured in life. If you earned an award for all of the hard times in your life, my mantle would be decorated well with trophies. Instead my heart has been changed by these trials, and these difficulties have made me a better more caring person. I have become someone that learned through the pain of my past and overcame the trials I experienced. I have become someone that has chosen, despite those experiences, to share both my trials and my joys with others.
Why Joy is so Important to me
When I was born I was given the middle name Joy, and since I was a little girl I loved that name. I loved the name even though I never understood what Joy was at that time. I never fully understood until I experienced many moments in life that would test my joy and began to grow through them. I have been at some very low points in my life and I have failed and I have overcome. I have experienced all sorts of trials, but the one thing that I have learned is that Joy is one of the most important things in life.
What I believe about Joy
Joy is priceless and without Joy all of the money in the world is worthless. If you are at a point like this in your life let me tell you that things will get better and a lot of this is determined by you. Choose despite the way you feel to make the necessary changes to your attitude and your life to discover that joy again. Many get the two confused but joy is not the same as happiness, happiness is based on circumstances and joy is not. Joy is a choice that we must choose to make despite the circumstances we are in at a given time. I'm not going to tell you that it is easy, because it certainly is not easy to choose Joy in your life, especially when you are feeling hopeless in your circumstances. If you do not choose Joy and begin to work on improving the situation that you are in, there is a very minimal chance that things will get better.
My decision to make a change
If I had chosen to accept the debt that I incurred when I was younger and accept defeat at that time, would my debt have ever been paid? Would the overdraft fees have stopped? Would the bills have gotten paid? Would I have ever been able to complete my college degree? Most likely that would not have happened and I would have just sunk deeper into depression and hopelessness based on my attitude and my inability to cope.I am not perfect and I set myself up for a lot of failure with the debt I incurred early on in life. Do you know what made me not fail? Not giving up and working hard to correct the problem that I knew that I had created. You have a few choices that you can make in the hard times in life, you can choose Joy and choose to work hard towards the things you want in life, or you can accept defeat and remain in a miserable place.
You Can Choose Joy Today
Today I choose joy
choose joy
Your dreams do not come true in that miserable place and you do not become something that you are proud of in life. I do understand that not all hard times are self inflicted, but a lack of Joy is self inflicted. No one can steal your joy without your permission. Choose today to always seek Joy in your life, no matter what happens and I can guarantee that you will be a happier person as a result. I have a friend who recently challenged me and inspired me by saying, no matter what your situation look for one thing to bring you Joy. It may only be something simple, but it can help to reflect on the positive things as we work towards a brighter future.
