If you find yourself frustrating by the challenges and setbacks of life, you may want to consider taking a step back and focus on the joy of the journey.
Here are a few helpful tips about finding joy in the journey of life.
Finding Joy in the Journey of Life
Joy.
Three small letters that represent a big positive emotion. Throughout your life, it is likely you have felt joy, that internal contentment that tells you are in the right place at the right time and that life is so good.
The birth of a child, getting a promotion, falling in love, and reaching success after a struggle often brings on this emotion. These are some of the moments that have offered a feeling of joy. Wouldn’t it be nice to acquire more of these joyful moments, enough to outnumber the negative experiences you encounter?
The way to do this is to focus on the journey and finding joy in the journey.
It’s relatively easy to set a goal. Deciding what you want your outcome to be, simple. Working the steps that will help you reach your goal and experience the outcome, well, that’s the journey. It’s everything in between your starting point and the end goal.
Finding joy in the journey of life means starting today, you will make changes so you can experience true happiness for the rest of your life, in all areas of your life.
To help, there are specific actions you can take to train yourself to find joy in the journey. These are listed below.
Get to Know Yourself
Before you can begin any journey, you need to know yourself, truly know yourself. Define your likes and dislikes. Imagine yourself as joyful. What does that look like? Write down the goals you have yet to accomplish. Reflect on the joyous moments you have already experienced.
Sometimes it’s easier to go along with your friends or partner, you like the music they like, the food they like, even the activities they enjoy. When you do this, you are experiencing their joy and their journey.
To truly get to know yourself, analyze all areas of your life from the big areas to the small. Does your career make you feel rewarded and valued? Does your home make you feel safe and relaxed? What changes would you make in your life if money was not an issue?
Answering questions like these can help you focus on areas for improvement, as well as the elements that need no improvement at all.
To find joy in your journey, you must first know what brings you joy.
Be Good to Yourself
It will be hard for you to feel happy if your physical and mental health is bad.
Being good to yourself means getting evaluated by treatment professionals for both your mental and physical health at least once a year. It means following their instructions for improvement. It means valuing yourself enough to make your health a priority.
If you must deal with headaches, aches, pains, sleep problems or weight issues, it’s time to get help. If you feel sad, tired, or have crying spells for no reason, meet with a counselor. Not only can they help you resolve these issues, but they can also give you additional steps to happiness.
You will find joy in the journey once you start realizing you deserve good physical and emotional health, and that you deserve the joy you receive.
Imagine the Future
Take ten minutes to imagine your future. Clear your mind from all the chaos of the day. Forget about family drama, work overload, chores and health issues for just ten minutes.
Focus on your future. What do you see? Now focus on a future that is filled with a great deal of joy. What do you see that is creating the joy? Has your job changed? Who is in your inner circle? What activities are you doing that brings you joy?
Write down what you see. Refer to this often as a reminder to keep you on track to finding joy in the journey.
Change Your Thought Process
When something bad happens, it’s normal for some to focus on the negativity, to wallow in the emotional or physical pain.
To find joy in the journey, you must learn to redirect your thoughts from negative to positive.
You will always have bad days. No one is immune from accidents, injuries, mistakes or crises. What you have complete control over is how you view them.
Start by renaming a negative event to a positive learning experience or opportunity for growth. After all, we do learn great lessons when we go through hardships. By changing your thoughts, hardships can be growth opportunities.
Slow Down
Part of finding joy in the journey is to avoid rushing through life. With the many responsibilities you have, there are probably days where you were so busy you didn’t even notice the many wonderful things in your life.
Slow down long enough to pay attention and be grateful for the hundreds of sources of beauty in your life.
Spend Your Money on Living
Too often, people work hard to earn money so they can purchase things like cars, homes, clothes and other stuff that is not meaningful.
To find joy in the journey, spend your money on experiences that make you feel alive. Pay for activities that will produce great memories for you and your loved ones. Travel and gain cultural knowledge that doesn’t require you to make payments.
Attend musicals and museums, learn a new language, get a hobby, or turn your hobby into a side job. Get rid of debt, which only adds stress. With no debt, you are given more control over your finances. You determine where your money goes, not the other way around.
Surround Yourself with Good
From co-workers to friends, surround yourself with good people.
The positive connections you make can help you find joy in the journey of life.
In conclusion, combine these tips with being mindful, following your instincts, becoming more physically active, engage in learning, and do not be afraid to ask for help.
Finally, believe you can find joy in the journey. Your thoughts and beliefs will determine your outcome. So, start today and believe you deserve happiness and you will achieve it.