Review

Well I have now completed 26 posts and am just over a quarter towards my goal of 100 posts. 

I think it is positive to Review what I have written so far, on my journey of being Joyful. 

Review defined as “to think or talk about something again, in order to make changes to it or to make  a decision”, “to look over, study or examine again”, “to consider retrospectively, look back on”, “to evaluate”, “a formal assessment of something with the intention of instituting change if necessary”.

I do love having an Intention of being Joyful and Joy Filled.  I have loved the experience of setting an Intention which has raised my awareness each day of my goal and focus. 

I look back on my posts and I love that I have listed down what I would now call as my Joy Starters.  A Review of my Posts shows me some of “my favourite things” and what brings me Joy - doing the Basics, a Challenge, Autumn, Photos, Sunshine, Exercise, Fresh food and eggs, Cooking, the Declutter process, Kookaburras, Winter highlights, keeping up to date with my Washing, being Outdoors, I love Ideas and Projects, Chatting always lifts me up, I love my Parents, plus Fruit, Recycling, Creating, Platters, Welcoming my family home, seeing the Strengths in others, Sleep and Brownies.  Looking at this list, I now plan to type up this list, and put it up on my wall so I see it every day. 

I think everyone should have their list and be active in pursuing Joy.

I love the process of a Review as a great opportunity to bring forward, consciously, into my future, these things that do bring me Joy.

When I look at my list I also note, and want to make a mention, that this list is in no particular order.  If it was in order I would put my Family as the number one topic.  I would also have a post about my Children who bring me so much Joy.

In my thinking and pondering time, I think that I have this focus of Joy since I have had my struggles with anxiety, and without a conscious effort to chase Joy, bring in Joy, notice Joy, I also feel that I could fall into darkness too - despite all of the light in my life.  With the stress of the coronavirus and the stress of work, there are times every day where I feel the stress and this can turn to anxiety and sometimes I feel down too.  Lucky for me I have my beautiful family who bring me instant Joy - my darling children light up my life.  I will do a post called Children, and write about my children who bring me so much Joy every day.  Being a Mum is the best gift in the world.

As I Review the list, I can also see that I have been focusing my attention on writing about what brings me Joy - rather than writing about the goal of bringing others Joy too.  I do believe that as I bring more Joy into my life, then this will make me a better Mum, and a better Wife and a better daughter, sister, Aunty, friend, neighbour.  As I become more Joyful this allows me to naturally, actively and proactively bring more Joy to others.  As I take note of what brings me Joy too, I want to also introduce these things to my children, so that I can see if they bring them Joy.  Plus I want to discover their unique Joy Starters and make sure they enjoy their days and have a happy life.

My posts do not talk much about my other emotions, the stress, the sadness sometimes, the worry, the headaches sometimes, the guilt - there is always the mother guilt – am I doing enough, am I doing a good job, do my children know how much I love them, do I bring them enough Joy or do I sometimes take away their fun and Joy.  My post is often about what brings me Joy during the tough times.  And for me finding the Tools to cope during the more difficult times is also key for me.  I must write a topic about Tools, about what I do and can do to cope or get through the anxious moments - and although Tools do not necessarily bring me Joy, they can certainly help in bringing me back to the Present.  I know that in the state of Presence, Joy can surprise me.  I am also determined that anxiety or other emotions do not rob me of Joy.

I also haven’t posted about what doesn’t bring me Joy - sometimes in recognising the opposite feeling this can then point to ideas to bring in more Joy.  I know that by taking something away or changing behaviour or routine or putting strategies in place this can lead to a more Joyful state. 

As I review the last paragraph, it is important to recognise the life is full of different emotions, and that this is life.  And it is important to recognise different emotions and different feelings – and feel the feelings – and then be able to move to the next state of feeling, rather than being overwhelmed by sadness or even the feeling of overwhelm.  My expectations are in check – I am not expecting to be in Joy all the time.  Yet I definitely want Joy to colour my days and bring smiles for myself and my family.   Sometimes the experience of a moment of Joy can bring in the feeling of happiness for a few hours or a day. 

I have enjoyed the opportunity to Review my posts and see where I am at, so that I can enjoy the process of bringing in Joy.  I definitely want there to be a sense of achievement next year too, not just in having written 100 posts, but in feeling different, and feeling a sense of more sunshine, more lightness and even more freedom in our home and lives - more Joy!