Month: September 2019

more journey with joy…

When life throws up a bunch of hurdles and challenges, I have to keep reminding myself that I can connect with joy even if I don’t feel happy about what’s going on or how I’m feeling otherwise.

For me, connecting with joy sometimes means that I have to really, really look for those moments, those little pockets, those little somethings, that bring me joy.

Sometimes it means being very deliberate, very intentional. I have to watch for them, so that I can notice them when they happen, and capture them to bring them into my heart and my day.

Sometimes it means I have to actively do something to connect with joy. To make a deliberate choice and decision to make that connection… Even something simple like pulling up a favorite song to listen to. Or spending a few minutes gazing at a beautiful sky. Or giving our cat some scritches and cuddles.

Sometimes we have to deliberately notice. Or consciously choose.

And I’ve found it’s sort of like a muscle – the more I work this joy muscle, the more often I realize I’m feeling joy.

Even when things are difficult. And even if I’m not exactly happy.

I created this art journaling JOY page two or three years ago. It’s nothing fancy, but if you’d like it as a reminder of JOY, it’s yours if you’d like to have it. Just click below to access the downloadable and printable pdf of the image – as with all the printables here, it’s free.

 

♥

 

write the story {free printable}…

This printable is for the writers out there! And it’s free (you can find other free printables here).

Sometimes my mind goes in various directions thinking of what to write, wondering what story to share or tell (whether fiction or real life). Sometimes the ideas swirl but I feel confused about which one to choose. Sometimes I draw a blank about what to write.

When I’m faced with any of these situations, I’ve found that I continue to come back to a main guiding principle – and I’ve put those words into a downloadable printable.

Write the story you’re given to write.

That’s a main thing, I believe, we’re asked to do when it comes to writing. No one else will have the same story we’re guided to write, in the same way we’re guided to write it.

As with the other printables, there’s no charge, nothing to sign up for, no need to give your email address… simply download whatever file(s) you wish.

The files include one pdf file (you can set the size when you print), as well as jpg files for sizes 4×6, 5×7, and 8×10. These are high quality, 300dpi, suitable for printing to frame, or put on a bulletin board, or put somewhere as an inspirational piece, reminder, or gentle nudge of encouragement: Write the story you’re given to write.

The links are below – get all the files or just one, whatever you wish.

Get the pdf file here.

The 4×6 jpg file is here.

The 5×7 jpg file is here.

The 8×10 jpg file is here.

Download, print, and enjoy!

More freebies are on the way, so please check back or follow my blog for updates.

♥

 

journey with joy – again…

Several years ago, I did a blog challenge for myself to journey with joy.

It was in the midst of an incredibly difficult year and I was doing my best to get through each day. More than ever before, I came to understand the importance of being connected to JOY (which isn’t the same as being happy). I decided to live into being connected with joy by blogging about it. I thought having such a conscious action focused on JOY would be helpful for me.

I called it my journey with joy.

My challenge to myself back then, in August 2013, was to blog daily for a month about JOY, even if it was only posting a photo that brought me joy.  I started off consistently (when I moved from my former online home to this current blog, I only brought one of those August ’13 posts over) but I ended up not blogging every day, mostly due to my father’s declining health and then death later that month.

But even without blogging every day, the challenge was helpful for me with dealing with all that was happening during that time. And consciously doing my best to stay connected with joy has been helpful for me in the often-difficult years since then.

So I’ve decided to blog my journey with joy again.

I’m not planning to blog daily, though.

And even when I do blog, not every post will be about JOY.

But from now through the end of this year, JOY is going to be a sort of theme here.

My hope is that it will help me in my own journey to stay connected with joy (which, again, is not the same as being happy).

And I’m also hoping it might help you too… maybe by offering a bit of hope, a reminder that you’re not alone, a gentle nudge to keep your eyes open for whatever brings you joy, something (even a moment) that’s uplifting to your day.

May our journeys with joy help us travel this road of life.

♥