Finding Joy Where You Are

Today I’m sitting down and writing about a topic that’s been on my mind recently – joy. If you know me (or my blog!) at all, you know that I’m all about looking at the sunny side of life. For me, that means finding happiness in the little details of life. Whether that’s writing thank you cards or choosing the perfect necklace for an outfit, I find that these small choices lead to a happier mood. I’ve shared practical tips for happiness on the blog before, but today I’m going a bit deeper and talking about finding joy! Grab an iced coffee and sit down because this will be a long, chatty post… one of my favorite kinds!

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Happiness and Joy

I’ve always thought about the difference between happiness and joy in this way: Happiness is an emotion based on external circumstances, while joy is a deeper feeling that remains despite our external circumstances. While that’s just my understanding of it (and it may be completely wrong), it allows me to put my own feelings in perspective.

I think of myself as a positive person (hello, Sunny Side Cecilia… #OnBrand), but honestly, some days it feels impossible to find a good part of a situation. Whether you’re going through a breakup or a frustrating time at work, it may not feel like you have anything to smile about. When I’m feeling this way, I focus on finding joy instead of happiness because I know that joy is a deeper foundation.

There is no quick tip to find true joy… especially because joy is already so personal. I’ll share my own tips that have helped me, in the hopes that they can help you too! Of course, these tips are no replacement for seeking professional help if that’s what you need!

My Tips for Finding Joy

1. Strengthen your faith foundation and prayer life.

Again, this is personal! But for me, I’ve found that having a strong faith and prayer life is the best way to increase joy. When I find my identity as a Christian/child of God, it’s a lot easier to put the everyday trials of life in perspective. By placing all of my trust in God, even when it’s difficult, I can find joy in the situation I’m in because I know it’s for a reason. Even painful situations of my life have led me to joy, and when I remember those, I can look forward to the future.

2. Think back and look forward.

Going off of my last point, there have been times when it felt like the Worst. Day. Ever. was happening… and I always survived. In fact, sometimes I’ve been able to look back at those days and laugh! When I can remember that I’ve been through other hard situations, it’s just a little bit easier to make it through the ones I’m going through.

3. Allow yourself to feel whatever you’re feeling.

Now, sometimes you truly won’t find happiness in a situation… and that’s okay. Instead of trying to force myself to be happy, I instead pray about it and recognize that there will be a time I’m not feeling this way. Let yourself be sad, cry about it, and truly feel what you’re feeling. For me, even just one good night’s sleep can change my perspective, so I allow myself to be sad when I am, then move on as best as I can the next day.

4. Count it all joy.

I talked a bit about this in this post, but for me, this quote just helps me put everything in perspective. Not everything is going to be happy, but I can always find joy in my faith. When I count it all joy, I’m choosing to appreciate where I am in this moment. I may be frustrated, lonely, or downright angry, but I can still be grateful for even the small blessings in life.

5. Appreciate each season.

There will be seasons of your life where you’re unhappy, whether that’s with your relationship status or your job position. Instead of being frustrated, I like to try to appreciate the season for what it is – a season. I want to appreciate the way things are, even the parts that make me unhappy, because they will never be this way again.

I hope even one of these tips resonated with you! Do you have any personal tips on how you’ve found joy? I’d love to know!

xoxo, Cecilia