Your Commitment to JOY!

 'Tis the season to be… EEEK! Whatever word fits for you, go ahead and fill in the blank. The holiday season means different things to different people. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, the streets, roads, and homes are alive with hustle, bustle, and, yes, plenty of stress. Yet, this time of year also calls us to embrace warmth, peace, and joy. Quite the balancing act, isn’t it?

And, of course, like gratitude, feeling JOY requires being open!

I remember many moons ago when an acquaintance was coming over to stay the night because we were attending a workshop together the next day. I was tired and found myself spiraling into a rabbit hole of negative thoughts. I kept thinking about how much I wanted to be alone and how I didn’t feel like entertaining anyone. All I wanted was to stay home, be by myself, and do as little as possible. My thoughts ganged up on me: “He’s going to want to analyze everything we’ll be doing at the workshop,” “I’ll have to be ‘on’ for him,” and “Why didn’t I just tell him I couldn’t host him for the night?” As this endless inner monologue rampaged through my mind, I began to dread his visit. I even considered making up an excuse to cancel, or worse, backing out of the workshop I’d been looking forward to for weeks! Boy, when our egos latch onto a narrative, they can be relentless—sometimes even paralyzing.

And then I started thinking something else… What if I simply opened myself—to him, the evening, and the possibilities? What if I ‘changed my mind’ and chose to think positively about the outcome instead? What if I trusted in something bigger than myself—something I’m a part of—to take the lead? What if my attitude and energy could actually influence what was about to happen?

I’m writing about it now because, even 25 years later, I still remember the significant shift that happened that night. When he arrived, my heart, mind, and energy were open. I chose to trust, commit, and surrender to the idea that being open was enough. And it was. Within 20 minutes of his arrival, we were laughing, joking, and bonding, and I felt closer to him than ever. We ended up having a fantastic evening, a wonderful workshop, and becoming long-term friends. :-)

I know this isn’t a black-and-white system—where every time you visualize something, you get the desired outcome. I believe there’s a bigger plan at work, and not everything we desire is necessarily what we need. And yet, I’ve also seen time and time again that embodying the energetic vibration of what you want to create-works. I’ve experienced it myself repeatedly, and so have my clients. But it’s not a one-time fix; it’s a practice—an ongoing transformation of unconscious wiring. The old wiring, the ego, doesn’t just disappear. It’ll stick around for the ride. So why not put a red nose on it and sing jingle bells together?

What I mean is this: when you align with your true nature and embrace whatever arises, you reclaim the power to choose. So, whatever you’re doing this holiday season, let this be your reminder: you have the power to influence everything unfolding around you!

This is the power of your commitment to joy—the practice of opening your heart and directing your energy toward a greater outcome, vision, and purpose. This tool is worth practicing—commit, and you will see the results!

This poem won’t be new to most of you because I share it all the time because it’s sooooo good and soooo true! 

Your commitment to JOY:

• Ask yourself in the moment: If I were to let JOY lead right now, what would JOY have me do?
• Write a stream of consciousness (without stopping or overthinking) from this prompt: What activities bring me JOY?
• Schedule JOY into your calendar—commit to a JOY practice, even if you’re unsure of exactly what you’ll do.
• A great tip from my coaching supervisor, Nicole Weston: Set a JOY alarm and choose JOY!
• Visualize and embody the higher outcome you desire.

For example, imagine yourself sitting at the dinner table with your family, everyone laughing and connecting, feeling the warmth and joy of the moment.

Watch the video sharing a technique on how to do just that - How to Co-Create the Best Possible Outcome.

Click the image at the top of this page to Watch the Video

* Originally published in Liv Unearthed | December 2024