5 principles for seizing a more joyful life

If there’s one thing in life that’s certain, it’s that we are alive to be happy, find joy, and live life to the fullest.  Unfortunately, many of us carry undue burdens that hinder our ability to see beyond the storms. As a result, we sometimes find ourselves lurking in the pits of despair.  Here are five principles for healing that can help you seize a more joyful life.

Embrace positivity

I love the saying, “Attitude, not aptitude, will determine your altitude.”  There’s almost nothing that will cheat you of your happiness more than a negative attitude.  Rather than avoid every challenge because it’s a pathway to failure, embrace every opportunity as a breakthrough for growth.  Yes, there will be times where you’ll fail, but none of us are perfect! Embrace your failures and believe in your capacity to seize the future.  The most important aspect of your journey is not where you’ve been, but where you’re going.

Serve others

One of the best ways to find lasting joy and enhance positive experiences is serving and being kind to others.  Adopting a greater cause can help you live beyond yourself. Opportunities to give of your time and talents abound and you’ll find that focusing on others will help you grow in your ability to love, trust, respect, and listen.  Life is complicated and full of distractions from what’s truly important. Take some time to decompress and build relationships by serving family, friends, neighbors, and even complete strangers.

Forgive

Many of us carry the burden of harboring anger, hurt, or guilt.  The inability to forgive, including forgiving yourself, can be detrimental in finding lasting joy.  Forgiveness can help you to speak positively of others, as well as yourself, and lift your ability to be kind.  Speaking negative words attracts more negativity and hinders your ability to let go of the past, which in turn greatly reduces your ability to build deeper relationships in the future.  This sometimes means that you must find the strength to leave negative relationships behind. Surrounding yourself with positive energy and people can help you to nurture the innate positivity you possess, and begin the process of healing.  

Be yourself

Comparison can easily become a tool of despair.  I’ve known many people that have robbed themselves of lasting happiness because they focus more on what others have, and forget to express gratitude for what they themselves have.  I recently read an amazing quote, “Why compare yourself with others? No one in the entire world can do a better job of being you than you. Your story is unique and not worthy of comparison.”  Learn to accept and love yourself for your unique talents and gifts. Stop trying to be what everyone else expects you to be. Constantly feeling as though you never measure up to the expectations of others can lead to feelings of regret and depression.  You were created for a reason. Embrace who you are and expect others to respect you for being you.

Try something new

Life is full of endless possibilities.  Striving to always learn and try new things can help you unlock dreams you never thought possible.  It can relieve you of your fears, increase your inner positivity, and help you discover hidden talents and preferences, all of which help you grow.  Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Do one thing every day that scares you.” Studies have shown that we fear an unknown experience more than we fear a known bad one.  In other words, we would rather experience a bad situation because we know the outcome, than to try a whole new experience because of the unknown! Don’t cheat yourself of lasting joy with regrets of, “I could have or I should have.”  Embrace life and its wondrous variety.

Let go of the past and realize it’s just a page in your book, but your complete story has yet to be written.  We each experience our own unique journey. Embrace positivity, serve others, forgive, be yourself, try something new, and watch your amazing journey unfold.