Life Happens. I realize this is not news to you but let’s take a step back and really think about the enormity of that statement…it’s kind of overwhelming, right?
Life…Happens. Time keeps ticking along whether we want it to or not. Life doesn’t care if we are in crisis, or depressed, or stuck in a rut. Life keeps on walking, and if you’re lucky it occasionally looks back and asks us, “are you coming or not?”
Do you ever feel like you’re chasing after a better life, or a happier life, or a simpler life? Do you feel like you’re always trying to catch up?
Yep, me too. I am passionate about living life to its fullest but I also try to find that balance where I am not sacrificing my sanity either. I chase joy-filled situations to add to my life story all the while being yanked back by deep-seated responsibilities. This is where people like you and me seek out life balance.
Here is the other thing, it goes deeper than just seeking out a balanced life. There is a key ingredient that is missing. And its absence helps to create the imbalance to begin with.
What is that key ingredient? Keep reading, I promise I’ll share.
Overwhelming = Lifeless
For many of the people I talk with, everyday life is overwhelming. Getting through the next day or even the next hour is difficult. I also talk with people where life isn’t so much challenging as it is mundane and typical. Life is moving along but in a quiet, flatlined kind of way. As I am listening to others, I am hearing from both sides that life is not happening at all and that it is, well, lifeless.
I remember as a teen and young adult that having a life filled with responsibility and routine was somewhat of an achievement. I hear from many people that while that is true, they have somehow lost that ingredient that makes an ordinary life a little extra. Both groups of people want more and need more. They are seeking out a simpler life with more balance but especially more of that secret “something.”
“Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.” Helen Keller
The secret ingredient is…
So what is that secret ingredient? The magical key ingredient is joy. Simple, consistent, powerful, pure joy.
Life always brings moments of happiness but quite often I am hearing that the joy of life has been replaced with anxiety, crisis, uncertainty, routines, chores, and responsibilities.
I want to challenge that. I don’t believe for a second that being anxious or responsible or aging cancels out the right to joy. Not just little bits of it but BIG Joy.
We don’t have to settle for a mundane, joyless life. Yes, life happens. Yes, it gets chaotic, and yes, we will all face struggles. But none of that erases the possibility of a joy-filled life. Pure, crazy, big JOY – the kind that fuels growth, helps us to refocus on what matters, and gives us the clarity to keep moving forward.
Seeking joy doesn’t mean tossing responsibility out the window. Oh no, my sweet… we still need to contribute meaningfully to our lives and communities. But here’s the thing: life is going to keep happening no matter what. So why not make it happen with joy?
Webster’s defines joy as “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune, or by the prospect of possessing what one desires.” Doesn’t that sound like the foundation of a thriving life?
Joy is not something we stumble upon by accident but rather something we cultivate, welcome, and allow. It weaves itself into the ordinary when we pause to notice it, and it stands strong even in the chaos if we give it room. And the beautiful truth is this: joy doesn’t need to be earned, justified, or scheduled. It’s already yours to claim, right here, right now.
You don’t have to wait for life to calm down to feel joy – you get to choose it right in the middle of the mess.
So, my friend, as life keeps happening – as it always does -I hope you let joy walk right beside you. Let it surprise you in the middle of a hard day, let it soften the edges of your responsibilities, and let it remind you that you are not just surviving this life, you are living it. And you deserve to live it with joy.
