“Today is beautiful!”
This is probably not your first thought when waking up, but why don’t we feel this way? If you’re reading this, you woke up breathing. Your brain works, your heart beats and you have a personality. Every breath is a blessing, being able to move even a little is a blessing, being able to comprehend words is a blessing. Most of the time however, all these things go unnoticed. Why?
We love to think ahead.
We wake up and are thinking about the awful day we are going to have at work, and we haven’t even had breakfast yet. Anxiety about next week’s tests, about next month’s bills, about anything steals our present joy. It only seems to be the awful occurrences like a zoo catastrophe or a shooting in Baltimore that pulls people together for a moment. Then life continues, and instead of taking those tragedies and remembering the joy of the moment, we return to a life of worry of the future. “What if…”, “If only…”, “Why can’t…” and “It should have been…” become daily phrases.
How to Keep Your Joy
Tip #1: Stop Complaining. Complaining causes you to dwell on the past, reinforces negative thinking, and instills fear of the future. Stopping is hard, especially if you are an oral processor. It is okay to talk. It is okay to process. However, the processing can quickly become self-promoting and consistently negative. If a lot of your verbal or mental processing begins to revolve around you, or you find that talking about things only makes you more agitated, those thoughts are bringing more harm than good to your emotional and spiritual health. Be proactive in watching what you say and think.
Tip #2: Breathe. Anything from a new baby to a crazy work schedule can make life feel overwhelming. Take a moment and just breathe. Often, we find beauty and hope in other people’s circumstances, but we feel like we’re staring at a cement wall when it comes to our own. Remember: You are not doing this alone. Take it a day at a time.
Tip #3: Give Thanks. Amidst the chaos and uncertainty, there is always something to be thankful for. A sunny day or a rainy day. Your pet. A close friend or family member. Breathing fresh air, having food to put on the table or even the simple gift of being able to walk. Find at least one thing each day that you are thankful for.
Tip #4: Do Not Compare. I think you understand this point well enough. This goes back to choosing not to cling to the future or past, on what we could have, what we wish we had, etc. More money will not satisfy you. Better behaved kids will not magically dissolve every problem. A nicer car will not solidify your sense of self-worth. Learn to appreciate what you have. Psalm 37:4 says, “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart” (New International Version). The fruition of your deepest dreams and desires will most likely not look like what you had planned or expected, but He has promised to fulfill them. Hold on to joy. You have been given the gift of another day.
