Today I Choose Joy!

Today I choose joy!

This affirmation is so simple and basic, yet it is so powerful - especially on a day when we find ourselves fixating on the parts of our lives that aren't perfect, or struggling with negative thoughts about ourselves.  At times it is very easy to get mired in the details of our lives and allow certain small factors to get us down about life or ourselves.  For example, believing we aren't thin enough, pretty enough, successful enough, or that we work too much or not enough .  I know that when I have a day when I'm really struggling with these repetitive thoughts and fixating on these details, I find myself feeling closed off and numbed from what is going on around me.  I might shut people out and isolate, or allow myself to feel down or sorry for myself.  Some days, we just have to let ourselves feel a little down for awhile, allowing these transient emotions to have their space so that they can pass.  But other times, reminding ourselves that we can choose what we allow space in our heads for is important. 

This is where these words are so helpful - they allow us to intervene into our negative thoughts and choose something else for ourselves.  I know that for myself, if I'm focusing on how uncomfortable I feel in my body and how this discomfort makes me want to restrict and isolate, thus closing myself off,  I can instead remind myself that, while I may feel uncomfortable in my body, I can still choose to see, feel and experience the joy I can find in the life around me.  Rather than letting my negative thoughts determine the energy for my day, I can choose joy, looking to other things that are such gifts: my husband, my family, my friends, the sunshine, nature, whatever is important to me and brings me happiness.  By reminding myself to focus on these things, I give myself the chance to shake off the grip of my negative thinking, choosing to connect to the beauty of life instead of retreating from it.

Ultimately, it's hard to change how we feel, but we can change what we focus on and lend power to.  So, when we struggle, may we remember that we can always look for the things in our life that make us feel joyful and grateful.  When we do this, we allow ourselves to step away from negative, self-destructive thoughts and to instead move toward presence and positivity in our lives.

Wishing for everyone the chance to see and choose joy today!

Taylor