Honoring Joy

I think one of the best things all of us can do for "self-care" and to bring about a fresh start is to make a commitment to honor and create joy in our own lives, and how this ability has a "ripple effect" where we can inspire those around us too, to do the same. I've often experienced the ability to find the silver lining in most any situation, and how even going through difficult times can provide opportunities for good to come about, simply by making a "heart based" decision to seek the good. We do have the ability to create joy in our own lives. I have had a lot of experience with that. This past year with more time on my hands than what has been typical, I found myself reflecting ...a lot! Reflecting on many happy times, or times that most wouldn't even perceive as happy or joyful at the onset, yet through overcoming and recognizing the good, this has a way of bringing more happiness one's way. Sometimes this brings unexpected joyful moments. Being true to oneself and creating joyful moments I think is crucial to "self care." When we seek the good, more good has a way of presenting itself.

Of course this year, I've decided I will take my plant based omegas, eat fresh ginger root as it builds immunity, and take elderberry supplements. Yet at the core of it, the reason for this is to stay strong and healthy to be a part of creating more joyful moments in my life, and to truly to live life in the best way possible. I think gratitude and joy heals the heart. I think laughter cures a multitude of ills.

As a woman who has always made a strong commitment to following my heart and doing what makes me happy, I've decided I must continue that to even a greater extent. 2020 was a year that many of us have felt immense gratitude to "make it through," and on top of that, this can also be a time that we decide thrive. Perhaps thriving looks different this new year, and by different, as for me, it means more of a dedication to creating many more happy moments, which lead to a lifetime of memories. My bathmat says, "Follow Your Dreams," in two of my favorite colors. It has deep purple lettering on a lavender background. I kind of laugh to myself each time I see it (as well as acknowledge the sage advice), as it's a constant reminder to do just that, and to constantly do my very best to do work and live life in a way that makes my heart sing. This can be challenging for many after the year we've all had. "Difficult" has been different for everyone when recalling 2020, and a bit exhausting even making it to the other side of it. Yet, there is always hope, and an ability to persevere to get to better days, beginning now.

This past year my family gave me an huge, framed sketch of me as a five year old child. I remember vividly when I was young, how I wondered why there was such a big picture of me hanging in our living room. I was curious about it, so much so that I recall rubbing off some of what still feels like felt, on either side of my nose on the sketch. The marks I made out of pure curiosity still exist to this day. I must have made the second one so that the sides were congruent. Funny, but true. I know that's why I did it! This serves no relevance to this story, other than it is funny in terms of how I actually remember doing it to the sketch of me. When I received this huge, framed, velvet like sketch last year, I said out loud, "well, maybe this will make me remember what was most important to me as a child and honor that, always." There is truth to that, this is truly how I felt when I received it. As a child what mattered most was love, joy, and laughing so hard that my stomach hurt. What also mattered were things such as the anticipation of waiting for the chocolate chip cookies to come out of the oven that my mom made, or the animal shaped pancakes she made, which always amazed me. I loved happy times with friends and family, so much so I would gather the kids from the neighborhood as well as my younger brother, to put on talent shows for the moms in the neighborhood. I liked to plan the shows and "produce" them. I still remember being a very young child, standing in my friend's family room singing "I Love A Rainy Night," by Eddie Rabbitt. I was born in the 70's and that song definitely reflects that! Perhaps that was my song choice, perhaps it wasn't. It's the feeling I remember - a lot of joy, and yes purpose, we were entertaining the mom's and using our talent even before we hit the double digits! I also remember, as if it was yesterday, my inclination and love for exploring. My aunt and uncle lived fairly close to us when I was young. We could see their yard from our yard, yet there was an obstacle in the way, a highway which we could - under no circumstance -even try to cross. There were two lanes on each side, I think, and way too large for little kids to cross. It was forbidden. I understood this, even back then. So one day when my brother and I were out on our "long trek," venturing two houses away; with brown bagged, picnic lunches in tow, we made what we perceived to be, "an extraordinary discovery." We discovered a tunnel. Where did it go? Could we cross through it safely? Following a general assessment, we thought yes, it's safe. We later discovered that this was not the general consensus of our everyone else. The tunnel took us to the other side of the road, without crossing the highway. We went underneath it. We later found out we were not allowed to do this, and we didn't again, yet that day I'm pretty sure that we thought we were the coolest kids on the block and we were thrilled to come out of the other side and see my aunt's house and her swimming pool! We went swimming that day, after my aunt called my mom to let her know of her discovery - my brother and me! It was from that point on we were told crossing the highway was NOT an option, above or below - both COMPLETELY off limits. That was a bit of wisdom we had not yet had, to make a better decision prior to crossing the tunnel under the highway.

This past year when I also reflected on some of my most joyful moments in my adult life thus far, I made a decision to use all of this reflecting on the good, as the impetus to create many more happy and memorable moments. A "fresh start" in life happens each and every day, and in doing so, with a focus on self care, to me it's a commitment for me to be true to what brings me joy in life, and living life in a way where my heart is honored - each and every day. Such an important aspect of "self care" to me, means being true to me and who I was created to be. We are all unique, and we all have beautiful contributions to make to our lives, those around us and to the world. Being authentic and owning our happiness is something each of us can do for ourselves.

Upon reflecting, my adult joyful moments were pretty similar at the core of it all, in terms of what mattered the most to me as a child. Laughing, experiencing joy and encouraging others to do the same, exploring and happy times with friends and family, as well as always proceeding with love and kindness for myself and others. So the plan is to do a lot more of that each and every day of my life. Sure, being healthy and physically active, and working hard using my talents to do good in the world matters to me, and I will be doing a lot more of this too. Being authentic to oneself, experiencing joy each and every day, as well as standing up for what one believes in and perpetuating more love in this world, those are all immensely important aspects of self care to me. Love, laughter, kindness, joy, compassion, truth - all are essential to living a happy life to me. I think "taking notes" so to speak, from our younger self and making our younger self proud and happy, is a pretty solid "self care" attribute to make sure we never lose, and always keep - all the days of our lives. I know for me it is something that I choose to always keep.