Joy Is an Inside Job: A 10-Minute Ritual to Find Yours
Gas prices… Scary weather... Head-butt politics here… War across the seas... And, ugh, Covid’s still around. Makes you want to scream. Or cry. Or drink. Right?
But guess what? The best antidote to all the sh#% around us is JOY. Yes. Plain and simple inner joy. With our longest day upon us, let’s celebrate the Summer Solstice with an easy 10-minute ritual to find our own light and joy!
Most of us seek smiles through external sources. Yet studies show that after a person’s basic needs are met (shelter, food, clothing), padding your bank account or acquiring more stuff only provide temporary mood boosts. That’s why millionaires can be miserable, too. In other words, money doesn’t automatically buy happiness.
Joy, it turns out, is an inside job. Here’s what else the science says about igniting our internal light:
We’re capable of feeling joy despite physical or emotional pain.
In fact, inner joy can boost our health. Positive feelings improve our immune system, energy, sleep, stress levels, and even our perceptions of pain.
Best yet, our joyful energy spreads like a sunrise shining light and warmth on everyone around us.
What a wonderful way to make a difference in ourselves and the world!
Research has also found that one way to kickstart our “feel good” brain chemicals is to recall happy memories. So, let’s get started!
Find Your Joy: A 10-Minute Practice
GET COMFY. Sit or lie down. Close your eyes, relax your shoulders. Slow your breathing. Inhale deeply through your nose into your belly, then release the air little by little through your mouth. Let yourself sink further into your space.
NOW IMAGINE. You have a big Joy Basket next to you, where you’re going to store things that make you smile. Continue to breathe slowly.
THINK OF A FAVORITE FOOD. Let your mind recall dishes you savor: main meals, desserts, snacks. Pick one. It doesn’t matter which, as long as you love it. Picture the food – how it looks, smells, tastes. Then imagine placing it in your Joy Basket, where it will stay fresh and delicious.
RECALL A FAVORITE PLACE. Think of a location where you always feel happy and safe. It can be in your home, work, community, travels, or even from your childhood. Envision how it looks, sounds, feels. See yourself in the space. Then, as if it were a 3-D hologram, carefully set this place in your Joy Basket.
PICTURE A FAVORITE ACTIVITY. Think about your hobbies and interests – quiet things, energetic things, group things, solo things. Select one that always makes you feel good. See yourself engaged in this. Imagine a snapshot being taken. Happily place that photo in your Joy Basket.
CHOOSE A PERSON OR PET WHO MAKES YOU FEEL WONDERFUL. Feel yourself looking into the eyes of someone living or past who loves you unconditionally, who makes you feel special, no matter what. Visualize a portrait of just the two of you. Then smile as you add it to the basket.
CHERISH YOUR BASKET. Let your mind come back to your comfy position. As you continue to take deep breaths, review your Joy Basket and look at each of things that bring you joy: your food, your place, your activity, your person/pet. See yourself putting the basket under your bed, in your closet or somewhere else that’s easily accessible.
Make Inner Happiness a Habit
Like pumping iron or playing piano, the more you practice your Inner Joy, the more beneficial and natural it becomes. To build your Joy muscle, think of the contents of your basket a few minutes a day: at night before bed, each morning, or another regular daily time. Picture your food, place, activity, and person/pet. Let your dopamine flow. And when you find yourself laughing out loud or having a new joyful experience, add it to your collection!
In moments of anger, sadness or anxiety — which are inescapable parts of being human — visualize these happy things. Your “muscle memory” will kick in from your daily Joy practice, and you will notice that your reactions are tempered, your heart is more compassionate towards yourself and others, and you are less prone to extremes of rage and darkness. As a bonus, your light will often calm those around you.
Each moment in life brings us reasons to suffer and reasons to feel joy. Accessing your Joy Basket can tilt the scales toward happiness, not only helping you, but also harnessing your much-needed gift for the world!