Life has its ups and downs. We go through cycles, through different seasons. Some cycles are like spring, some are like winter, some are long, some are short, some hard, some are easy.
And we’re in winter right now. Each season has a different emotion. Until we feel exhausted. It’s important to remember that these cycles are transitory. Luckily, no war lasts forever, no political situation lasts forever, no health issue lasts forever, no economy lasts forever.
So we’re in winter and we have to use this time to equip ourselves with empowering tools, because right now people have more fear. Fear is exaggerated, and the media contributes to the drama, which at many levels is their job. Their job is to take care of their shareholders. How do they do that? They get your attention. How do they get attention? Spreading fear & anger.
So we live in a world where fear sells and we’re being hit with it everywhere. You don’t have to go get it. It comes to you.
Unfortunately, when we experience fear, usually in one of these winter cycles, we also tend to lose our joy. We may lose our ability to feel pleasure, called anhedonia, and we may feel unfulfilled, with no purpose. We may even feel numb and stuck.
Increasing our ability to find joy may provide long-lasting physical & psychological benefits. Our immune system can be strengthened by our mental state. Joy may also decrease stress hormones, improve pain, relieve depression, improve our relationship with ourselves and others, and in this way and have a fulfilling life.
What’s the difference between joy and happiness?
Joy and happiness are often used interchangeably. However, happiness technically refers to the pleasurable feelings (emotions) that result from a situation, experience, or objects, whereas joy is a state of mind that can be found even in times of grief or uncertainty. Thus, we can work on cultivating joy independent of our circumstances.
Winning the lottery may trigger (short-term) happiness; spending time engaging in meaningful activities may result in long-term joy ~ Dr. Stephanie Collier, Harvard University
Neurobiologically, we know that there are certain neurotransmitters that promote joy, like dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins. The wonderful thing about it, is that by changing certain aspects of our lifestyle, and by engaging in certain simple activities, we can increase the levels of these neurotransmitters. For example, holding a baby or just spending time with a baby, releases oxytocin, the “cuddle hormone,” which makes you feel connected.
How can we increase Joy in our lives?
This Tuesday, January 30th, I will dedicate a whole hour exploring the many different ways we can bring joy into our lives regardless of our circumstances. You can subscribe for free HERE. If you would like to receive the recording, you can do find out more about that HERE.
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