 Music Credit: When I Rose by Deborah Joy Winans In my last blog, "Have You Seen My Joy," I shared my journey to rediscovering Joy amid life's pain points.
The response was affirming and I decided to share this important realization: "We can all choose Joy!" Choosing Joy during a pain point isn't easy, but we can do hard things through God, who promises to strengthen us. (Philippians 4:13) We must become very intentional people (V.I.P.) today because tomorrow isn't promised. My Joy Points My Joy can be found living on the pages of my Writer's Notebook, listening to music, dancing, reading a good book, traveling to new places, taking pictures, exercising, eating great food, hanging out with my loved ones, creating art or even just enjoying a quiet moment of solitude. These simple pleasures remind me that Joy belongs to me, but I must be intentional and take the time needed to engage with it. A Question worth answering: How can you find and be intentional about embracing your Joy Points? Dee's Challenge: The Power of Sharing Joy I challenge you to find and document at least one Joy Point this week. Use the hashtag #MyJoyPoints on social media to share your moments of happiness. At the end of the week, take some time to reflect on how this practice has affected your overall mood and outlook on life. I'm excited to see your progress and hear about your experiences! We can curate a more joyful and fulfilling life by identifying and cherishing our joy points. Remember, focusing on Joy over pain is a daily choice. You get to choose so choose Joy! I would love to hear about your Joy Points! Please share them in the comments below or email me at [email protected]. Please share this blog with friends and family who might need extra Joy. Your support and engagement mean the world to me, and I look forward to sharing more Joy with you.
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7/15/2024 2 Comments Have you seen my Joy?"A Series of Documented Events, Experiences and Emotions" Lately, I've been feeling like my emotions are all over the place. Since turning 45 on March 6th, I can't help but wonder if this milestone is to blame. Reaching 45 feels like standing at a halfway point in life, where I look back with my reflective lens and forward with a sense of uncertainty. The future feels like an unwritten chapter, filled with questions and unknowns that sometimes overshadow my ability to find Joy. This blog is the first of many in which I will embrace all of my feelings and emotions to redefine what happiness means to me at this stage. Tears keep filling my eyes. Sadness keeps rippling through my heart. Fear keeps shackling my feet. But I want to move forward. My sister told me I can't spend the rest of my life processing the process, and I know she's right. But sometimes, I feel so stuck. It's as if I'm caught in a loop of reflection and uncertainty, unable to break free and find the Joy that once seemed so accessible. This feeling of being stuck is overwhelming, yet I know that acknowledging it is the first step toward moving past it. I find myself working overtime to make other people happy, hoping to find happiness for myself, but lately, that hasn't been working. I need to find a way to prioritize my happiness without depending so much on others' approval or acceptance. For too long, I've let others' approval and acceptance dictate my life. But this summer, I'm embarking on a journey of self-discovery. I'm learning to prioritize myself after God and let go of things that no longer serve me, including certain people. It's time to focus on my happiness and well-being, to embrace what brings me Joy and Peace. I'm letting go of the need for external validation and starting to appreciate my own worth and light. I hope my journey inspires you to embark on your own path of self-discovery and self-love. -To Be Continued (TBC). If you're navigating your own journey toward fulfillment in any aspect of your life, whether it's finding Joy, healing, purpose, or overcoming challenges, I would love to hear from you. I welcome guest bloggers to share their stories and insights on my website. Together, we can create a community of support and inspiration. Reach out if you'd like to contribute your entry and be part of this journey. And if you're not ready to share your story yet, feel free to leave a comment or reach out to me. I'd love to hear from you. -Dee  Books for the JourneyHere are five books that delve into the theme of finding joy, which might be beneficial for your healing journey: 1. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin - Rubin spends a year testing out research and theories about how to be happier, and shares her findings and personal journey. 2. Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness by Ingrid Fetell Lee- This book explores how physical surroundings and everyday objects can influence our mood and sense of joy. 3. The Happiness Advantage: How a Positive Brain Fuels Success in Work and Life by Shawn Achor - Achor explores how happiness can be a precursor to success rather than just a result of it, providing strategies to boost joy in everyday life. 4. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert - While focusing on creativity, this book also offers insights into finding joy and fulfillment in the creative process. 5. The Book of Delights: Essays by Ross Gay - This collection of lyrical essays documents a year in which the author set out to write about something delightful daily, offering reflections on the simple joys in life.   12/16/2023 10 Comments Breathe!!!Deepassionate1 Speaks Breathe, Dee, breathe. Breathe deeply and let the Ruach breath of God bring in the hope to restore your soul. It is so much easier to walk away when life isn't going the way you've envisioned, but here I am, standing in this garden, asking myself, are there still unseen possibilities here? I've been praying and pressing through some things lately, and I didn't realize how long I've been holding my breath. It wasn't until I broke down at work that I understood the depth of my disconnection. I've been following the rituals and routines of my life, and my heart was taking notes. We can't fool our hearts with the lies we tell our minds to keep going. The heart knows when we are sad, annoyed, irritated, disappointed, and need a reset. Our emotions and feelings are valid and need to be acknowledged and attended to so our souls can thrive, but soul care, though necessary, is challenging. When was the last time you listened to your heart? My heart wants to feel safe. It wants me to learn how to be still amid life's flow. My heart wants me to listen to it while honoring its need to be cared for. Questions Worth Answering
Rest. Reset. Rejuvenate. Revolutionize your life! Deepassionate1 Speaks Dear God, It's me, Dee. I can feel the rushing seas of my emotions rising inside me. The tide has come in, and I can't swim. I'm drowning in my tears, overpowered by my fears, crippled throughout the years, and still, I can hear you calling me. You are daring me to take my pain points and turn them into positions of possibility, daring me to take my white flag and paint it with the colors of your rainbow, a reminder of the covenant you made with us never to let the raging waters of life kill us again. So here I am, Lord, crying out for the captain of my ship to send the life jacket and to pull me aboard so I can enter the will of my Father. Today, I pray that You will help me slay these emotions so that I can live and proclaim the greatness of my Lord in Jesus' name and by the power of Your Holy Spirit. -Love Dee Dear Dee, |
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