Can you imagine if we all chose to see this dreary world the same way my daughter chose to see the bank? Sometimes we feel hurt by past experiences, and we make decisions based on how those past experiences impacted our life. Many of us come from environments where being joyful is not a priority. When we lose touch with joy, though, we turn to quick fixes like alcohol, drugs, and junk food. We search for little moments of happiness from the TV or social media feed without truly experiencing it for ourselves. We can choose to let our past burden us and repeat the same mistake that leads us to unhappiness… or we can choose joy. We can choose to learn from the past and create the present and future that represents the kind of lives we really want to have.
Joy is light. It radiates. It starts in each of us and touches everyone we come in contact with. By expressing joy, you actually create an environment that allows yourself and everybody around you to learn and grow. When you feel joy in your own life, it’s easier to take that joy with you into the rest of the world. That joy extends to your home, family, the people you do business with, and even people you just pass by on the street. Joy is contagious. So the more joy you bring to the world, the more joy you’ll feel as a result, which will give you more joy to bring to the world!
Besides using joy as a way of standing out and choosing to be undefeated, there are a ton of other benefits to living in daily joy. Positive people develop about 50% more antibodies than average in response to flu vaccines. Hopefulness, optimism, and contentment are proven to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and even the common cold! Happiness also boosts productivity. Your brain just works better when you’re feeling positive. When you’re walking in joy, you tend to be more creative and better at solving problems. You make better decisions, manage your time more creatively, and demonstrate crucial leadership skills.
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