Week 1 Days

Define Joy for Yourself | Day 4

What did you most love to do when you were a child, and how does this relate to what brings you joy now?

It’s easy to get caught up in our to-do lists and the daily grind, which can wear away at the capacity for joy. Creating your own definition of joy is a must for diving into your messy brilliance.

Too many people tend to define the inner child as that part of us that needs some tender loving care. This is absolutely true, but your inner child is also so much more! It’s the part of you that comes alive in the presence of what delights you. It loves to laugh, dance, play, and live life in the most un-self-conscious way. Most of all, it knows what you love and isn’t afraid to pursue it.

Activity

Revisit the things you most loved to do when you were a kid, as well as what brought you the most joy. In thinking about what you loved, consider: What did joy feel like in your emotions and your body? In general, which activities and people brought you the most joy? How much of that joy do you let yourself experience in your current day-to-day?

Now that you have a strong sense of what joy means to you, based on your reconnection to your always-astute inner child, you are ready to apply it to your life. Take a joy inventory by writing a list of the events, situations, places, people, and activities that bring you the most joy. From the simplest things (for example, sunlight on your shoulder) to the most extravagant (spa vacations with close girlfriends), get it all down. Whenever you have trouble connecting to your joy, refer to this list for ideas.

Messy Brilliance Notes
Type your notes here, then click save.
1
 CLICK WHEN COMPLETED
Take me to next section

Leave a Public Comment

4 comments to "Day 4"