Two weeks ago I shared my Joy List. Now, as the year comes to a close, I am contemplating New Year’s Resolutions.
Typical resolutions focus on self-improvement (losing
weight) and success (career goals).
Instead of those, I am thinking about joy—How do I cultivate the kinds of
activities and moments that I included on my joy list?
The answer, I think, is to develop the habit of a joyful mindset.
A joyful mindset is based on the following principles:
- Time spent on joy list activities is never wasted. The things on our Joy List are often not focused on productivity or success. Therefore, we may feel like we are wasting time on them when ought to be doing something more productive. Do not let that kind of guilty thinking creep in. We should think of Joy List things as priorities—activities that are valuable, not a waste of time.
- Joy is about the process rather than the product. The point of activities on our Joy List is to enjoy the process. Don’t spoil the fun by comparing your results to others. Getting good enough at something to go pro is not the goal here. If you love to paint, then paint. Try to improve your skills, yes, but never measure your success by your output.
- Put your money where your joy is. Sometimes money can buy happiness—but only if you are spending it on what genuinely makes you happy. This probably means using your finances in ways that enable you to spend more time with the people you love. It also means cutting back on spending in other areas. What are you willing to give up in order to afford the opportunities to do what you love with who you love?
- Joy thrives within healthy boundaries. We all know forceful people, needy people, and manipulative people who will be happy to use our excess time and energy for their own purposes. When we are run ragged fulfilling other people’s agendas and expectations we have no time for ourselves. If we want to follow our God-given passions and fulfill our God-given purpose then we must create boundaries to protect our time and well-being. If we can’t maintain healthy boundaries we will become resentful, hurt, dissatisfied, and exhausted rather than joyful and content.
- Joy happens in the midst of daily life. It’s easy to enjoy life when you are on vacation, but life is not one big vacation. Most of life is ordinary, you and I fulfilling the tasks and responsibilities that belong to us. Most opportunities to find joy are right there, too—if only we can recognize them.
- Joy happens when you pay attention. To what we are doing. To the people around us. To the opportunities in front of us. Studies show that people are happiest when they experience Flow—becoming fully absorbed in the activity they are doing. The activity isn’t nearly as important as your focus. The more mindful you are, the more joy you will experience.
- Joy can be messy. Literally so, when we are free to make a beautiful mess while creating something that may or may not turn out as we hoped. Or metaphorically, because joy usually arises from interactions with other humans, and those interactions can be unpredictable, time-consuming, and often occur at inconvenient moments. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that the mess is worth it.
I wish you a New Year filled with moments of joy. I hope these principles of a joyful mindset will help you find them.
