Joy is an emotion that is best cultivated during quiet time. It’s not a loud, boastful emotion like excitement or drama. It’s defined as a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. To me, joy is like a rich dark chocolate that is best savored slowly. But who has time to slow down and savor the Joy of the Moment? I propose we all Dew and we all Must if we are to thrive in this new fast-paced economy.

It has been said that to know a person’s values simply take a look at their calendar and their checkbook. One of our sole tasks in life is to be great stewards of all that we have been blessed with. We often think of this in terms of material things. I propose in 2020 we become great stewards of our mind, body, and spirit as well. 

Those who ruthlessly pursue Joy don’t “hope” that good things will happen, or “wish” that opportunities will come along. For me, there is an intentionality in business planning, speaking engagements, and trade shows that my team and I choose to attend. We also block copious amounts of creative time, playtime, and fun time to keep our juices flowing. 

Here’s a sample of how you can put a bit of Joyful intentionality into your 2020:

• ID activities that bring you energy, move your career forward or contribute to your overall wellbeing. 
• Begin to daydream into 2020, with a calendar in hand. Block out all dates that have personal significance. Plan the holidays, vacations, personal retreats, spa time, meditation time, fitness, anything that brings you joy and renews your spirit. These are non-negotiables. 
• Make a list of activities that are currently draining your resources! Where are you wasting time? What activities have you outgrown? What relationships have you outgrown?  Do you have habits that need to change in order to free up time and money? 

Ruthlessly pursuing Joy requires quiet moments of reflection. If you are thinking of beginning a meditation practice, prayer time, or simply a quiet time, I encourage you to start small; consistency is more important than length of time. Perhaps start by setting a timer for 3 minutes, then 5, then build up to 8-10 minutes of meditation each day. Research shows that meditating for as little as 3-5 minutes twice per day lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones like cortisol, and boosts our immune system. That’s sounding like a Joyful step in the right direction!

Check out this month’s coffee cup coaching video for tips on how to implement this into your life. 

To read more Coffee Cup Coaching go HERE