Have you ever had the following experience?
You’re outside in some capacity and this overwhelming feeling of bliss comes over you. It’s like a calling card to your consciousness where you have a deep sense of *knowing* this moment. It’s harkening to you and it comes forward as a place you know is meant for you…where you can step into your life and align fully.
I’ve had glimpses of it throughout my life. It feels like something on the tip of my tongue that I can feel …but not express fully.
Have you felt this before yourself?
It’s more than simply about geography—it’s an embedded place of joy within.
It may seem fleeting yet I’ve often wondered if these moments are glimpses of time collapsing and a remembering of what we’ve experienced or if it’s an internal homing device to our right path. Perhaps both.
What I have noticed is that these moments of recognized joy are when my mind is completely unattached from my thoughts and I’m enjoying the beauty of life. Sometimes, I’ve been in my car stopped at the stoplight when these moments occur!
What this says to me is that a relinquishing of thoughts (of ego) and a presence is needed to feel these moments. And these moments tend to light me up for days…they are extremely powerful and energetic.
How do you string these “joy moments” together and create a life of meaning that speaks to you?
Certainly color can assist as research has shown that color brings energy and joy.
A perfect example is what Ingrid Fetell Lee shares in her book, Joyful, about Tirania, the capital of Albania. The city was considered “dead” and after then-mayor (and artist) Edi Rama painted a few buildings bright colors of red, orange and turquoise, something strange started to happen. The city came alive! People started to sit outside in cafes and talk to one another, shopkeepers removed the metal bars from their windows and littered streets became a thing of the past. A city that was once considered trash became a treasure to its occupants…all due to color.
The key takeaway is to make a few changes using the energy of color to transform your physical, mental and spiritual environment.
Unfortunately many of us may feel chromavulnerable about using color in our lives. I’ve heard from many of you that you’re not “into” colorful interiors or wardrobes. I get that.
“You don’t have to love rainbows to enjoy color.”
There are billions of colors available to you…pick one or two. :) But don’t be afraid to pick some colors, even if they slightly scare you. In small doses, color’s transformative effects are powerful.
Select colors that make you smile or that you know carry a specific meaning you’re trying to manifest. Yellow is often associated with joy but that may not be your joyful color. Find yours.
What are some steps that you can take to bring more meaning and joy into your life?
Here’s 3 tips for helping you align your mind, body and spirit to create more moments of joy.
1. Reduce the clutter in your environment.
This can mean a lot of things whether it be the types of associations you keep, to how you think about yourself, to how your home is tended. Only keep around people, thoughts and things that support your highest good and add beauty to your life.
Organize your environment and keep it tidy so your mind can relax. I’ve found that even color-coding my bookshelf brought about an amazing sense of peace and joy. (And yes, I can still find my books even though they aren’t “categorized” anymore.)
2. Fill your life with love and color...live colorfully.
Speak kindly to yourself. Fill your body with colorful fruits and vegetables. Add inspiration and colorful art to your walls. Engage in loving relationships, even with the four-legged kind. Maintain a meditation practice to keep your mind clear and your heart open.
Incorporate these into a morning and evening routine that bookends your day. I have found that consistent daily actions will help you reach that state of inner joy.
For example, I can’t start my day without morning meditation, reading & writing something inspirational and taking my dog for a walk. These all focus my mind, body and spirit in a holistic way. If I miss one of these important three, my day misses some of the magic I normally enjoy.
3. Create and play daily.
Since I work with a lot of artists and healers, creative practice is key to our daily routines and life.
It’s the true secret sauce to living a life of joy and meaning.
For me, it could be designing something fun, drawing with my new watercolor pencils or dancing with my dog. These activities allow my mind to release itself from the ‘to-do’s’ of the day and simply be in the moment.
Most importantly, when you enact these three ways of joy-creation, it opens up the space for you to listen to your inner wisdom and the whisperings of your soul—the truest path to Divine Joy.
