Experiencing joy in the ordinary

For so much of my life, I believed joy came from the big things- new cars, houses, clothes, vacations, or exciting events. I was chasing happiness, waiting for the next accomplishment or acquisition to fill me with joy. And for a fleeting moment, they did. But that joy was temporary and before long, I’d find myself searching again, always looking outside myself for something to make me feel complete and happy.

What I’ve realized is that this way of thinking kept me in a cycle of waiting to be happy. My joy was dependent on circumstances I couldn’t control on people, situations, and material things, everything outside of me.

Over time, I began to see things differently, I started to recognize that true joy isn’t found outside of ourselves; we cultivate it from within.

Joy isn’t a possession or a destination, it’s a mindset.

Joy is a quiet, steady sense of contentment that comes from knowing there is purpose in everything, especially the simplest moments.

Joy is a choice. It’s the decision to see the good, embrace the present, and trust that everything in life has meaning.

What do I want to feel? Asking myself that can shift my focus to what I want to focus on instead of what I don’t want.

Lasting joy is not about what happens to us; it’s about how we choose to respond to what happens.

Lasting joy is choosing to focus on gratitude for what is, rather than what isn’t.

Joy is a choice. It’s the decision to see the good, to embrace the present, and to trust that everything has meaning, instead of waiting for external things.

Joy is a mindset, a choice, and an act of self-love.

Joy is the highest expression of love. And it’s available to you, right here, in this very moment.

I am open to all that is for my highest good, and I trust the process of the Universe.

When we change the world changes.