Setting intentions: Cultivate joy

There is a lot of talk about goals right now, starting a new year will bring that up. While it is important to have goals that you can measure (S.M.A.R.T. goals), I think it’s equally important to incorporate and set intentions. If you choose a word of the year, this could be a way that you use your word. A friend of mine shared that her word is kindness and that is what she focuses on in any situation by asking herself “how can I bring more kindness to this moment?”, such a great idea. It’s no secret the last two years have been heavy and stressful so one of my intentions is to cultivate more joy and laughter. Plus, there are serious scientific benefits of joy to your overall health and I love incorporating this with my clients’ goals. A few ways that I cultivate joy is sharing a laugh with a friend over a good meme, writing a gratitude list, an act of service, or watching an episode of a favorite show that I know will make me laugh (hello, fellow Office fans!). It can also be much deeper than a meme; stay present and be mindful. The more we make a conscious effort to add something joyful to our day, the easier it becomes to notice joy without creating it. Does that make sense? We will start to find joy in the seemingly small, everyday moments when we practice gratitude all throughout the day. Last night, the sunset was so beautiful I couldn’t help but stop and watch in awe of God’s creation. I lost all train of thought and in that moment I felt so joyful, so blessed to be right there. That reminder of how big our God is made me feel like a small child and think about how easy it is for a child to find joy and laughter. Bring back the childlike curiosity, the desire to be silly, play and have fun and notice what it does for your health and happiness. Stay present and be mindful. Start by making a list of things that bring you joy and try to do one of these things every day! Build off of this list into cultivating a mindset of joy through awareness and the daily choices you make. Share your 2022 intentions with me! - CS