Three years ago on January 1st I started to put a small entry into a “One line a day” journal. I wrote something short each evening about my day and what worked in that day and what didn’t. My goal was to put more joy into my life immediately. Although from the outside you might have thought I was doing pretty well, inside I was miserable. I’d lost track of what I loved to do in life, I didn’t feel creative, or productive, and I wasn’t the mother, wife, or woman that I wanted to be.
Prioritize Your Happiness
That journal was the beginning of my “joy journey.” I look back on the early entries of that journal and I can see the progress I have made in three years. From the outside I don’t look all that different, I haven’t lost weight, changed my hairstyle, or beefed up my bicep muscles. In many ways, everything has stayed the same yet truly everything is completely different. I prioritized happiness and in doing so, I found just that.
So how did I do it? I got brutally honest with myself about what I enjoyed in life and what I really didn’t. I let go of the CRAPPY voice in my head that was always telling me I wasn’t good enough and that I SHOULD be a different kind of mother, wife, or woman. There isn’t a one size fits all life path so why are so many of us trying to fit into it? I started to do the work that I love, that I know I’m good at, and that energizes me and gives me joy and also brings my unique gift to the world.
Stop Caring What Others Think
My house is messier, dinners are often sketchy, I bought my family more underwear so I could do less laundry, I started to drop the perfection pressure and actually asked and allowed my family to join me in the running of our family home and the world didn’t end. In fact, it got so much better. I stopped caring what others thought and started to take risks that led to even more happiness. My family started to notice the change and the tension started to leave our house as the laughter and joy came in.
One Small Step Closer to Happiness Each Day
The joy journey started with one small step that I did each day. That small step led to more small steps and now the joy journey is part of my life. What is one small step you can take today to start your joy journey? It doesn’t have to be the usual New Year’s resolutions or “live every moment to it’s fullest” advice. It can be something simple that you do for a few minutes each day such as playing your favorite song, reading, knitting, or taking a short nap. It can be taking something out of your day that makes you miserable or sucks the energy right out of you.
So start today, right now. Make a joy list and consciously start putting happiness into your life. Get on that Joy Journey! Shoot me a quick email and let me know how you’re doing or if you need a couple of pointers to get started. Here’s to you and a truly joyful 2014.
Love,
Lisa Kaplin Psy. D. PCC