A piece of my heart

What is pure joy? Everyone probably has their own interpretation or definition of the word, but I want to share mine. Joy is not based on circumstances. It comes from an inner knowledge. It is not circumstantial. It is a choice. Joy is freedom from conditional happiness. It comes from the heart.

Most people probably believe that it is hard "choose" joy. Like how does that work? Well, I believe it has a lot to do with your perspective. I understand that it can be harder for some than others to be positive and optimistic. Some people are naturals. Expressing an attitude of gratitude is a very simple way to shift your perspective and open the door for joy. It gets us focused off of what we feel we are lacking and then realizing all that we have.

Comparison is the thief of joy. So, it's important that we watch what we listen to and look at because whatever it is, it's feeding our minds and ultimately it’s feeding our hearts. Then, whatever is in our hearts comes out of our mouths, and your words are so powerful and important, as well as your thoughts. They shape your reality. Things don't have to be perfect in order for my heart to be full of joy, and that is the important life lesson I have learned during this quarantine.

Elevation church's Instagram page has taught me so much about joy. It is always uplifting and encouraging to me when I need it the most. If you need to feed your mind with positive things and shift your perspective, give them a follow! They also have a really awesome podcast on Spotify that I have enjoyed listening to.

Speaking of good podcasts, Sadie Robertson Huff has a super fun one called "WHOA that's good podcast". She brings in tons of different types of influencers and asks them the same question: "What's the best piece of advice you have ever been given?". Sadie spreads joy through her uplifting personality and I just love to listen to her. Not to mention, you receive tons of advice on life. If you're a teenager or young adult (like myself) and you want some positive vibes and good direction I recommend listening to that. My favorite episode at the moment is "intentionality protects the heart". She welcomes her fiancé (now husband) to the show and they talk about their story a bit. It's SUPER good and fun so check it out!

Now, everyone knows that a picture is worth a thousand words. Something that has brought me lots of joy during this quarantine is being able to enjoy nature and all it has to offer. I am a HUGE outdoors person and I think that this world is truly so beautiful. And it can be seen from your very own back yard! For me, it's been as simple as laying in a hammock that my mom just bought me. Having the privilege to just chill out, listen to the birds chirp and the leaves rustle, while soaking up the sun on a beautiful day has brought me the most joy. I've learned that it really is the little things in life that can mean the most. So here is a picture of me I sent to my mom as soon as I set up my hammock for the first time and laid down in it. Raw and unfiltered; just pure joy.

To wrap this all up, feed your mind and your heart positivity! Express gratitude and enjoy the little things. Choose joy.