OWN YOUR JOY

Never mind drugs. One of the most mood-altering (and life-enhancing) lessons life has taught me is a deceptively simple yet powerful one: I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR MY OWN JOY. Sounds intuitive, right? But if so, why are so many people so miserable so much of the time?

I think the biggest reason is because we too often base our joy on external circumstances--which, when traced back to their true source we discover, are often of our own making anyway. (While we seldom want to admit this, at the very least, let’s be honest with ourselves! If we don’t do this, we can’t and won’t be honest with others.)

Some people think that others are responsible for their joy (e.g. their boss, spouse, a family, the check-out clerk, all of the above!). Wrong. Some people think their circumstances (or at least the ones that are “beyond my control”) are responsible. Wrong. Some even think God is responsible! Really wrong! Even Jesus believed otherwise (“I’ve said these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be full.” See John 15) In other words, innate joy is already in us. Waiting. For what? Or more importantly, for whom?

Real life examples? Consider Anne Frank (Holocaust diarist), Viktor Frankl (Austrian neurologist/ Holocaust survivor), Nelson Mandela (South African anti-apartheid leader imprisoned for 27 years), and St. Teresa of Calcutta for starters. . . . or maybe your grandmother or uncle or a favorite teacher, etc. Ask yourself, “What has made these people different? Exemplary? Inspirational? In short, they owned their own joy and it impassioned and empowered them well beyond the life trajectories and influence of most of us.

How do you and I access this internally-present joy? A great place to start is to ask ourselves, “What changes right here, right now if I really believe I am completely responsible for my joy?” Ask it repeatedly throughout the day--no matter what. If we do just this one small thing our brains will quickly catch on. We’ve given them a new kind of assignment! They love it! At first, the changes will be internal--the source and genesis of all authentic transformation. Pay close attention to your thoughts. Watch what happens.

Of all the things we can take responsibility for, few if any, have as much positive impact on our lives--and the lives of all others--than owning our own joy. Once you catch this train, hold on!

TODAY.

LET’S GIVE THE WORLD & OURSELVES A GIFT.

LET’S TAKE TIME TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE THINK.