You need this: 7 secrets to a truly joyful life

by Luminita Daniela

happy-black-woman-

Just for today, let go of anything that is toxic to you; let go of toxic thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Abandon your need to go after that goal or deadline. Let go of needing people to like you or agree with you and let go of blaming and judging others.

If you’re really feeling down in the dumps, the good news is that the only way to go is up. But what about if you are not down in the dumps? What if your life is just quiet, without any trouble or drama, but you still feel like something is missing; you don’t feel happy or excited about anything? Well, you can take the next seven days and use them to inject some joy into your life.

According to Luminita Daniela Saviuc, also known as the Purpose Fairy, if you commit to doing the seven things she suggests (in seven days), you will begin to understand what makes people happy and you can also grab a little “happy” for yourself.

Day One: Practice Tolerance and Acceptance

Pay attention to irritating things and people and then shift your approach and perspective towards them. Rather than get upset that things are not going your way or people are not behaving the way you believe they should, just accept them as they are. Don’t try to change anything or anyone; accept them completely as they are.

Day Two: Practice Letting Go

Just for today, let go of anything that is toxic to you; let go of toxic thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Abandon your need to go after that goal or deadline. Let go of needing people to like you or agree with you and let go of blaming and judging others. Just for this day, be content with everything as it is.

Day Three: Practice Forgiveness

On this day, think of everyone that has hurt you, offended you or has done other things to your detriment. One by one, forgive them. Commit yourself to forgiving every single person and circumstance that has hurt you in any way. Commit to also forgiving yourself for all your past mistakes and for allowing anything or anyone into your life that did not or does not serve your good.

Day Four: Practice Gratitude and Appreciation

Pay attention to all the things that you can appreciate about your life and in other people and also yourself. If it strikes you, take out a piece of paper and write down all the things that you are grateful for or maybe even write a note to someone and let them know how grateful you are to have them in your life. Another great idea would be to send flowers to your mother or your grandmother-do something that brings a smile to someone you appreciate’s face.

Day Five: Practice Giving More and Expecting Less

Giving more and expecting less does not necessarily mean you give material things. Sometimes giving is in the form of time, attention and love. You can give your time to your spouse, children and other friends and family or lend an ear to someone who needs to be listened to. Maybe you have knowledge that you can share-that is giving. If you have food, give to the needy and if not, volunteer somewhere. Give a kind word or pray for someone-those are also forms of giving.

Day Six: Be Playful

Get comfortable with being silly and a little crazy. Say whatever comes to your mind-as long as you’re not offending anyone, do and say whatever you feel! Imagine you’re a child again and just be playful and carefree. Sing, dance, skip and laugh for no reason. Laugh until your tummy starts to ache. Do what feels good and just enjoy yourself.

Day Seven: Play the Role of Your Ideal Self

On this day, imagine that everything that you ever imagined or dreamed of has materialized. Talk the way you would talk and dress the way you would dress when everything that you set out to accomplish has been accomplished. Use the “good” china; take a bath in the special bubble bath-whatever you were saving for a special day, use that.

Have such a great day that you won’t want to go back to the old miserable you and feel so good that you will want to stay in that state.

After you have finished your seven days you will see that it is easy to inject joy into your life. You may not take another seven day joy challenge, but you will know that feeling joyful is a choice  and you can make that choice everyday.

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Read this article in Healthy Black Woman

 

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

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