Part of focusing on finding joy along my journey is focusing on gratitude. My path has always been to acknowledge things that I appreciate in others and to pay attention to what
brings me joy.
How do you know how to identify what brings you joy? Are you a thinker or a feeler? Do you know? No one is completely one or the other. There are variances just like anything else. You can take psychology tests, read lots of books, but you really only need to pay attention to a few cues to recognize which tendency is stronger.
When you are paying attention and have a sensation of happiness does it spur a thought about the reaction or do you feel a physical reaction?
When you are paying attention and have a sensation of happiness does it spur a thought about the reaction or do you feel a physical reaction?
Once you know. It allows you to look for signs that you can use to identify and narrow down what brings you joy. Identify, acknowledge and then appreciate... All part of the process.
You have identified and acknowledged happiness.
Now you need a trigger to set the experience into your memory for recall. Your brain is a complex catalog of all of your experiences and memories. Some are easier to recall than others, but it doesn't mean that they are not there. For example, many of us have had amazing vacations and need to look at photos to remember the feelings that we had while on those adventures. We don't automatically recall them without a physical trigger: the photographs.
TOOLS
There is an easy trick to set a memory into a part of your brain so that it is easily accessed without a physical trigger. When you are in the middle of any moment that you want to make sure and remember, all you have to do is -STOP, make a conscious snap shot of that picture in your head... just like capturing it on a Polaroid.
Before you let the picture go, acknowledge it as if actually looking at that snapshot in your minds eye. It will permanently be cataloged for easier recall. Studies show that this technique works consistently over time. If you practice, it becomes easy to do.
This is a valuable technique for so many of us that move through life so quickly and aren't connected to some of our emotions. Emotions are vital for connecting with self and others. If there is an emotion that you want to bring forward and make a more active part of your life. Try this technique. When you notice the emotion... create your Polaroid of what that looks like for you. Combine the picture with the feeling of gratitude for a heightened and deeper experience.
There is also a technique called EFT Emotional Freedom Technique. If you have not heard about it, I encourage you to read up on it a little. It is beyond the scope of this particular blog.. However, It is a powerful and easy to access tool. It is another exercise that will allow you to train your brain to move forward to achieve goals. If finding and bringing joy into your life is a goal... EFT can reduce stress and allow you to focus on what you want.
You have identified and acknowledged happiness.
Now you need a trigger to set the experience into your memory for recall. Your brain is a complex catalog of all of your experiences and memories. Some are easier to recall than others, but it doesn't mean that they are not there. For example, many of us have had amazing vacations and need to look at photos to remember the feelings that we had while on those adventures. We don't automatically recall them without a physical trigger: the photographs.
TOOLS
There is an easy trick to set a memory into a part of your brain so that it is easily accessed without a physical trigger. When you are in the middle of any moment that you want to make sure and remember, all you have to do is -STOP, make a conscious snap shot of that picture in your head... just like capturing it on a Polaroid.
This is a valuable technique for so many of us that move through life so quickly and aren't connected to some of our emotions. Emotions are vital for connecting with self and others. If there is an emotion that you want to bring forward and make a more active part of your life. Try this technique. When you notice the emotion... create your Polaroid of what that looks like for you. Combine the picture with the feeling of gratitude for a heightened and deeper experience.
There is also a technique called EFT Emotional Freedom Technique. If you have not heard about it, I encourage you to read up on it a little. It is beyond the scope of this particular blog.. However, It is a powerful and easy to access tool. It is another exercise that will allow you to train your brain to move forward to achieve goals. If finding and bringing joy into your life is a goal... EFT can reduce stress and allow you to focus on what you want.
Once the trigger is set, whichever technique you choose, you can acknowledge and appreciate it. The more moments that you set into your conscious... the more readily available and easier to access. Today we focus on Joy. It will become automatic and the blocks that you previously had will be shifted or removed.
The key that I hope people pick up is that you can tune into your thoughts and feelings. This allows you to identify the things that you want and the ones that you want to release, let go of or avoid. That is how we all shift our Paradigms.
Another important aspect is to be able to own what brings you joy. Let go of caring what others think or feel about you. Stand in your own space and truly internalize the things that bring you joy. Once you are able to be confident enough to do that... It will only grow and your ability to enjoy more things will build too.
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| Hanging out with friends and trying New Places & Experiences Brings Me Joy! |
EXERCISE
Let's make a list! I love lists.. The process of writing is a great exercise for your brain. Write down all of the things that bring you joy or make you happy. It can be as simple as feeling the sun on your skin; stopping to pay attention to the warm feeling on your skin, maybe it is the emotional feeling that a beautiful painting gives you, or maybe it is feeding the ducks in the park... What ever they are, write them down, be conscious of the thought and feeling; it makes them more stable and permanent.
GOODY
Here is a great tool that I love:
Here is a great tool that I love:
There is a site called Grateful 160 You can go there and sign up. You will get a daily email asking you to document what you are grateful for and at the end of the week they will send you an email with the weeks daily entries, so that you can look back on all of the things that you were grateful for that week.
Try using this online technique and document what makes you happy for a whole month or write it down in a journal and look at your entries at the end of each week.
What brings you joy that makes you
stand out from the crowd? Let's share....
stand out from the crowd? Let's share....
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| YUMMY! |
Pomegranates make me happy! I LOVE them. They bring me Joy....
Kimberly R Lifestyle by Design
Designing a life with grace and ease
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