Embracing Joy

Life has taught me that joy is not something that simply happens to us. We must cultivate joy each day, through intention, mind set, observance, gratitude, and action. Seems like a big project? Well, let’s be honest, with our busy lives, cultivating joy can be a difficult habit to create. But while the habit of embracing joy might be a journey, the people, things, and circumstances that cause true joy are all around us. Marcel Proust captured it perfectly in one of my favorite quotes.

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”

Several years ago, I realized I was rarely able to connect with joy. In January 2018, I began a journey to “embrace joy” on a daily basis. I had been living my life seeking and expecting joy in monumental moments. Today, my highest goal is to feel joy in the absence of monumental moments…to look for and recognize joy in both the ordinary and extraordinary moments I experience each day.

While I’m a Joy Advocate, I certainly don’t claim to be a Joy Expert. I hope each of you use any posts for food for thought on your personal joy journey and share your insights on what brings you joy, because joy, like a smile, is contagious!

So, I’m starting with a REALLY big project—completing and launching my personal real estate website. I’ve been putting off creating one for too long, my tendency towards perfectionism had me caught up in the fear I’d not put my best foot forward, which led to dreaded procrastination. I freely admit, and will try to embrace, that this site is not perfect. In truth, it can’t be, because each person who views it will have a different opinion. It’d be irrational to think I should wait to get it perfect…I’d be waiting a long time. The JOY is simply getting a project done (no matter if that project is as “big” as launching a website and blog, or as “small” as returning an item or making an uncomfortable phone call). The JOY is found in

1) lifting the weight of having something hanging over your head (reduced anxiety)
2) feeling great about checking something off your list (increased pride)
3) reaping the benefits of completing your project (better health, relationship, branding, etc.)

Future posts will be primarily focused on smaller sparks of joy, but indulge me on this first post. In truth, perhaps the biggest joy I can take from my launch is not the website itself, it’s the pride I feel from not letting perfectionism rob me from achieving an important goal.

How about you? Have you found joy in getting any projects off your to do list?

CINDY SPECHT

CINDY SPECHT

Embrace Joy Blog

CINDY SPECHT

Embracing Joy

The Joy of Imperfect Completion