The Joy Option

Virtually every day my friend from New York sends me pictures of the City on his way to work. The monumental buildings, the parks, the sculptures! The pervasive beauty of the place emanates in every photo he texts me.

Photo Courtesy of Guy Frazier
Photo Courtesy of Guy Frazier

It has become a sharing ritual of sorts. He spreads his joy through his camera, which lands with a kerplunk in my heart.

Our surroundings do matter. But more importantly than that, our internal environment must be in alignment first.

You could live in the most gorgeous palace and only see the rats that live in the cellar.

You could live in the smallest of homes and see the sparkles in its walls.

You could live wrapped in silver and gold and only see darkness.

You could live in a tent and see the crystal clarity of a piercing blue sky.

In other words, it is up to us to opt for joy, no matter our circumstances.

Every morning I conduct a little ceremony that embraces the day with a positive intention and a conscious choice for joy. It is not so much about positive thinking, but about choosing to experience joy simply because you say so.

It is that simple.

Choosing joy does not mean you ignore negative feelings. On those particular mornings after a night plagued with doubt, I remind myself that I have another day to select joy over sadness. I welcome those sad feelings and allow them to swirl around for as long as they need to. Usually, they give me a look of relief, like I really did hear them. Then they merrily go on their way, making room for more positive feelings to flow.

It is well within our control to pick an attitude that supports life and its ultimate goodness.

Become an attractor point for joy. Your smile can change the world, whether in the form of a picture or an actual grin. Your positive energy does indeed affect others, creating more joy in them and making the world a better place ~ one beautiful heart at a time.

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