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!

Not long ago, I woke up and found myself less than motivated to go out for my morning walk. I could see from my window that Lake Michigan appeared calm, but from a distance, I didn’t notice anything extraordinary about how the lake looked. Ultimately, I did take a walk by the lake and I will be forever grateful. This simple action treated me to one of the most beautiful sights I have seen in a long, long time. Looking up, I noticed the sky was a wonderful mix of blue sky and clouds, which painted a beautiful scene. But it was when I looked down that I was in awe. The sun, clouds, and still water created a simply awesome and mesmerizing picture. The reflection of the sky on the slowly undulating water was breathtaking! I thought to myself how grateful I was to have pushed past my reluctance to go for a walk that morning…I would have missed this! I felt such JOY in that moment! And I feel JOY remembering that morning and each time I view the pictures I took. They serve as reminders not only of the beauty, but the gift of stepping out of my comfort zone…and looking both up AND down!

Have you ever been gifted by taking action when you didn’t feel like it OR by looking at something with fresh eyes?

CINDY SPECHT

CINDY SPECHT

Embrace Joy Blog

CINDY SPECHT

Embracing Joy

The Joy of Looking Up...and Down