I am deeply grateful for my mentor Hannah Marcotti and how she has awoken the spirit of Joy within me over the last couple of years. Joy is a funny feeling – it is one that we can take a deep journey to, learning more about as we shift through the ebb and flow of life. It is there when we are celebrating, and it is there to hold us when we are experiencing heartache. It supports us with a gentle whisper, reminding us of our compass.
Being able to tap into your Joy on a regular basis helps you to fuel your dreams and desires and to remain true to yourself in good times and bad. This can sometimes be a struggle, and this is where a Joy List comes into play.
You may have realized that most things flow with more ease when you have a plan (even if you’re not a planning type). Writing papers, planning a wedding, healthy eating, and preparing for a baby are some of the times when I’ve been most grateful to have a plan.
Planning for the difficult times often feels like something that we would rather avoid, but when we have a touchstone in place that we can turn to, we can find support in any situation. One touchstone is a Joy List.
A Joy List can be as simple or elaborate as you want it to be. It is your plan that you go to when you most strongly feel the need for an infusion of Joy in your life. It can include solitary and social ideas so you can include whomever you want.
Here’s what my Joy List looks like right now:
Dance Yoga Fusion Party to some uplifting tunes
Cutting words, images, phrases out of magazines
Creating vision boards
Hot bath with bath salts
Intimacy and Connection
Soulful conversation
Reading passages from favorite books
Tickle fights
Solitary train rides
Sipping tea
Your Joy List can evolve with you, can be filled with ideas that are easy to implement in your day-to-day and with ones that take more planning and time. The point is that you create the space to welcome Joy into your life.
Having this in your back pocket can make the empowering and happy times even brighter and can bring a sense of ease to the difficult times. A Joy List can be wonderful as you cultivate and grow your dreams – whether they are dreams of babies, of new adventures, or of new versions of yourself. They can help to center and guide you through the twists and turns that are sure to arise on your journey, and they can be the warm and cozy comfort that is sometimes exactly what you need.
What’s on your Joy List? Please share in the comments below!
Peace, Love, and Wellness,
