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Wednesday, January 14, 2015

3 free things I did this week, to cultivate my personal joy


The busyness of life can rob me of joy, if I don't cultivate it on my own. 

Cultivating joy is a lot like tending a garden. When I plant the seeds, I also have to clear the area of weeds, then continue keeping weeds at bay. I need to water and feed my little baby plants if I want them to flourish. If I do nothing to care for my garden, then my seeds will sprout, but the seedlings will quickly be overtaken by weeds, pests and disease. It really doesn't take a lot of time or effort to result in a satisfying small garden.

My desire for personal joy are my "seeds". As I make small amounts of time for myself throughout the week, I am tending the growth of my joy. Over time, my personal joy grows, I become calmer and more centered. And I am able to "see" with my heart, what in my life has true meaning.

It doesn't take an exceedingly long list of treasured moments to cultivate joy. Just two or three special moments each week are enough to bring my life into balance. Let the busyness of the world continue to spin around me.

Sunday afternoon, I took a few minutes to write down 3 ways I could savor life and cultivate personal joy. If I write them on my weekly to-do list, I find a way to work these items into my week.

So, here are my 3 things (free things at that) that I did this week, to cultivate my personal joy.

  1. got up early, then I lounged in the bath, infused with essential oils -- lavender, lemon and spearmint
  2. listened to favorite music while working out. The right music keeps me motivated and moving briskly.
  3. wandered the yard looking for hopes of spring. I found the very tippy top of daffodils and crocus breaking through the ground in some of the sunnier spots of the yard. And violas and pansies still blooming in the pots on the deck which I pulled close to the house in November.

Are there a few things you could do this week, to cultivate personal joy?

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10 comments:

  1. I don't think I could find my daffodils and crocus plants under all our snow ...

    I went to choir practice last night and am having lunch with my niece today--that's what I'm doing "just for me".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kris,
      I guess not!! Ha ha!
      It sounds like you're taking care of you! I hope lunch was really fun for you and your niece.

      Delete
  2. I'm just a tad jealous! Flowers? We've not had temps above freezing in a long time, but by this weekend we will see the 40's. Now that will certainly be joyful!

    Personal joy! I love that concept. Crocheting always brings me some joy and I try to crochet even a bit every day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Linda,
      I am amazed, myself, that the pansies and violas have survived on the deck. I did pull those pots right up against the house. I'm sure that helped.

      Crochet sounds like such a peaceful activity. Enjoy!

      Delete
  3. We're all jealous of your signs of spring. Isn't winter just beginning? You bring up a good reminder that we all need to take care of ourselves and little things really do mean a lot.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi live and learn,
      Well, the bulbs poke through the ground early, here (sometimes in December), but their blossoms don't come until just about everyone else has spring. And I just got lucky with the pansies and violas!
      Have a great day!

      Delete
  4. I decided to take a couple of days and just rest and relax instead of going into work for a half day. I know I need to work but getting called in after the work day has already started and at the last minute is stressful. I said no this week and my mental health is thanking me. Such a guilty pleasure. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Belinda,
      It's so important for us to take care of ourselves. And sometimes that means saying "no" to something we ordinarily would say "yes" to. I don't like last minute rushing around, either. In fact, I've told my kids over the years to "not spring stuff on me at the last minute". I function much better if I have time to mentally prepare.

      Enjoy the time you have this week!

      Delete
  5. Yes! More Joy!!! In my opinion it's hard to spend too much time lounging in a hot bath... I think I may just go have on right now, in fact! Thanks for the suggestion!

    ReplyDelete

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