Who's Stealing Your Joy?

We have all experienced joy, and we have all had our joy stolen, or squashed at one time or another. When we notice that someone (or something) is stealing our joy, we need to examine what is making us unhappy, and take away its power.

Last year when I noticed that my joyful moments were being replaced by worry, stress and unease, I took a good look at my life to figure out what was wrong. I found that it was my job.

My job was no longer giving me satisfaction. And that was a hard thing to come to terms with, since I loved what I did. Things had changed in my industry, and the value of my position was in question. At first I resisted coming to the inevitable conclusion that I needed to move on, because I really wanted to make it work. Yet ultimately I figured out that no amount of readjusting was going to bring it back to the way it was. And once I recognized (and admitted) it was stealing my joy, I instantly felt better. I faced it, and was able to take some positive steps.

If you find yourself unhappy, you need to figure out what is stealing your joy and put a stop to it. Maybe these steps will help you through that process.

1. Determine and recognize the source of the problem. Start by examining all areas of your life to figure out what part is not making you happy.

2. Take steps to make a change. Attempt a fix; depending on the source of your stress, it could mean going to counseling by yourself (or with someone), or it could mean figuring out a way to have your voice be heard at work.

3. Don't be afraid to readjust. Sometimes shaking things up is enough to give you a fresh perspective and create more joy. But if after doing that, you realize you still aren't truly happy, don't be afraid to make a shift in another direction. It is rare that we set off on the perfect path to a solution, so be willing to change your course, several times if necessary, as you work toward a resolution.

4. Be open to possibilities, sometimes we forget to look at possibilities that are right in front of us, because we are too focused on fixing what we think our right path is, or too afraid of change.

5. Make a change. Not simply an adjustment. Make a full scale change. Ultimately this is sometimes the best solution. It might not be the easiest, or the most comfortable, but often a big change is what is needed.

From experience I have learned that I am not always the first person to step up for change, yet it is always ready for me. I will say that when you do get brave and change your life, you might find that Joy was right there waiting for you all along. 

Have you thought about what would bring you more joy?