What brings you joy? Do you ever think about what brings you joy throughout the day? There are so many things that are joyful through the day, but we get so busy that many times we miss these joyful moments!

Joy can help decrease our stress levels. Stress can impact our health on so many levels, so to manage the way we respond to the stressors coming our way each day is the best way to address them. We cannot control the stress coming to us, but how we respond to it is what we are in control of! Joyous things can help!

Have you ever just taken three minutes to sit outside and see all the joyous things? Something as simple as a cardinal flying by, a sign that someone from heaven is saying hello. Maybe a squirrel gathering nuts and burying them. Have you ever just closed your eyes on a sunny day and felt the warmth on your face? Or maybe you look out the window in the middle of winter to spot the first few snowflakes falling. Have you made a nice healthy warm soup, and the first few spoonful’s you can feel the warmth of the soup warm your whole body?

These are small things, and when we get busy with all the things we think we have to be doing, we can miss these as the day goes on.

In today’s world, we are made to feel that if we are not always busy, then we are not being productive. So we make list after list to fill our days, but we do not stop to breath in fresh air or to just look at the little amazing things that are going on right in front of us! Just because we stop for a few moments through the day, doesn’t mean that we are not being productive, it actually means that we are being more productive! If you stop to see the joy in the day, it decreases your stress and actually makes you more productive throughout the day.

When we try to fulfill everything on our lists each day, we are rushing and rushing, and never taking the time to really see the world. This can actually create more stress in our bodies.

Did you know that stress can decrease your immune system? Stress can increase your risk for other diseases like cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and can start the aging process earlier. Stress can inhibit your ability to loose weight, and can actually make you gain weight. It can affect your sleep and your ability to think clearly. It can increase your risk for depression and anxiety. You may not think that little everyday stressors could effect your body this much, but it can! We cannot control all the stress, but you can start controlling how your respond to stress. Finding the joy each day helps with the process.

Each person has something different that brings them joy, you have to find what brings you joy. Find that thing that makes you smile. It may be numerous things that can bring the joy through the day, and it starts by being mindful. Take one day, and throughout the day look for small things that put a smile on your face, that give you a warm feeling inside, that make the feeling of stress melt away for a few seconds. Write them down so that you can reflect on them. The next day do the same thing, and try to be open to a couple more things that may bring you joy. Once you start doing this each day, it becomes just part of your day. You will also notice that you will be able to manage your stress a bit better each day. You won’t be so upset that you did not cross off all the things on your to do list because you took the time to go outside and throw the ball with your kid and saw the happiness on his or her face. The happiness on your child’s face brought you so much joy that nothing else mattered.

Make the choice to sit quietly at night with a book, and truly read and enjoy the words you are reading.

Make a cup of tea, sip it and taste all the herbs and flowers that are in the tea.

Make a comfort dinner that your family will love, the yummy noises they will make will bring joy to you.

Make an effort to smile at strangers through your day, give people compliments…you will bring others joy too!

Have an evening where your family has a game night, laugh, make memories… this is sure to bring joy to you and the whole family.

Finding the Joy in each moment is key for a healthy life. Mindset is everything, and if our mindset is stressed all the time, our health is effected. Joy reduces stress. Less stress equals better health. We need to make the conscience decision to find the Joy! Find the Joy each and every day, look for it in each and every moment. It is there…you just have to stop and see it. Once you find the Joy in each day, things will start to fall into place. Your health, mentally and physically will improve. You will feel happier. Others around you will see your Joy, and they will look for Joy themselves. Joy will be contagious…. and you will feel amazing!