Sometimes Joy gets thought of as a flash in the pan moment, here in a heartbeat, something that you barely notice, and something that is gone as quickly as it arrives. Sometimes Joy is that general feeling of happiness you have around holidays or a birthday; still fleeting, but found in larger heapings and bigger moments. What if Joy was bigger than those moments you just catch on a breeze? What if it was something that you could find and sit with more regularly?
Jenny Mahan has a lot to say about joy, and how she finds it. She looks for what delights her, and follows that. Then, she adds in what nourishes her. Jenny has crafted this thinking around health and wellness, and helps clients navigate their way through habits that delight and nourish. And, I think there’s a lot to learn about joy from her on this week’s podcast episode, which you can listen to by clicking here.
Inspiration: “Start with delight, and add in what nourishes you.” Take a few minutes today to mindfully notice, and write down 5 things that delight you? If that feels hard or inspiration doesn’t hit, list 5 things that brought you delight over the last year. Don’t judge what comes up, just write it down.
Next, write down 5 things that feel nourishing to your soul. What feels like it has rich substance, deep meaning, or reminds you of the fullness of your own possibility? Take your time identifying each of these things that feel lush and delicious to you.
Intention: Set some space for yourself, and read or meditate on this: “Today, I am aware of the delight in this world. Today, I will find what nourishes me and what feeds my soul. I will welcome these things into my presence, and acknowledge that they are possible for me. I give myself permission to feel delight and to nourish myself.”
Action: Pick one of the things that delights you and do it this week. Pick another of the things that nourishes you and add it to the mix. Feel your way through whatever it is, taste the flavors if it is food, notice the wind on your face if you are out walking. Be truly present for this thing that delights you, and let it be.