Joy – How often do you truly feel joy? I don’t mean happiness. I mean pure, unadulterated joy.

I remember being so full of joy as a child, that I would spontaneously start skipping. I have to admit that I don’t skip as often as I used to. The dictionary defines joy as an intense and especially ecstatic or exultant happiness. If one really pays attention to descriptions of joy he finds that joy does not come from external circumstances like possessions or job promotions. Rather, true joy comes from within us. William Shakespeare reinforced this when he wrote “Things won are done; joy's soul lies in the doing.”

This begs the question, can we create joy from inside us or must this internally born feeling happen spontaneously? Is “joy” a fire that we can create or is it lightning? A recent article in Motto magazine called Rituals for a Better Life describes something called “joy rituals.” According to the article, a joy ritual is an action, thought, or belief that you purposely and mindfully add to your day. These are little moments and pauses in the day where you can relax, reconnect to what’s important, tap into your inner wisdom, and re-energize with positive, life-giving, creative energy. Dr. Christine Northrup believes that “joy rituals” are a big part of living an abundant and fully engaged life.

According to the Motto article some of the most popular “joy rituals” include:

* Reading inspirational books and magazines
* Hugging your kids
* Visualizing positive outcomes
* Writing a gratitude list
* Meditation
* Exercising
* Praying
* Listening to a favorite song or Play List
* Taking time to write in a journal or reflect upon life
* Long hot showers, or baths
* Stopping work on the computer to simply gaze out the window
* Text-messaging your child to let them know you love them.

I would add one other ritual to the list and that would be doing something selfless for another person.

It was interesting to me that I consciously engage in several of the above rituals on a regular basis for the express purpose of increasing my serenity and purposely managing my attitude. I try to get in some distance running 4-5 times each week. Although I don’t always make it happen, I try to start each day with some bible reading, prayer & quiet time. Part of my quiet time involves recording my prayers in a journal. I am sure that many people have seen my head bobbing as I later drive to work with music from my personal mix CD cranked-up. And you know what? It helps. I can’t tell you that any one of these rituals works every time. But done regularly, in combination, these acts help me have more, for lack of a better word, joy!

I would suggest to you that there is one other “joy ritual” that should be on the list if not at the top of the list. That ritual would be doing whatever it is that you are passionate about. Sir Winfred Grenfell once said that, “Real joy comes not from ease or riches or from the praise of men, but from doing something worthwhile.” If your passion happens to overlap with a truly worthwhile endeavor, all the better. George Barnard Shaw said, This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.

I pray that you will experience true, unbridled joy this week. I hope that joy comes from being worn out for a purpose before you are thrown on the scrap heap. Remember that joy may often be lightning, but sometimes you can create the fire with a “joy ritual.” Your best bet is to do something that you are truly passionate about that benefits another person.

What are you passionate about? What are you doing about it?