Just imagine yourself in a room filled with people you love the most and you tell the perfect joke and everyone laughs, the kind of laughter that makes your eyes tear up and your stomach hurt. When for the time being you almost forget about your worries and your heart becomes so light as if all the baggage has been removed temporarily for it to rest for a while. The feeling of calmness when you sit near a window holding “chai” in your hand and listening to the pitter patter sound of the rain. You know your heart becomes happy when you return back home after a tiring day and take a warm bath and snuggle inside the warm blanket and as it hugs your body you feel as if it has soaked away all your tiredness, you close your eyes and fall asleep without even trying. When after months you get to see your parents and a chance to hug them tightly. When the fine line on the forehead goes away as mumma puts oil on head and gives a fine “champi” (head massage) it almost feels like heaven. If you’ve ever travelled in a bus and gave your seat to an elderly person and they pass you a kind smile with warm eyes I bet that’s the best feeling ever. 

The smile on your face when the kid waves at you , the street dogs run and come to you wagging their tails, the shopkeeper knows what you’ll order without you even telling them , when your friends bring food for you, when the frill of your gown floats in the huge hall when you twirl, when you flip the pages of your journal book and the sound of paper flipping as you read makes you giggle, when you look up in the sky filled with stars , when your mother cooks your favorite dish, when your father kisses on your forehead and when your best friend leaves a note every day before going out.

When you read this didn’t you get a feeling of joy and a smile on your face just by imagining all these things?

These are things that happen to us every day but we never really notice them because we are too busy thinking about the things that worry us. There lies joy in every little thing in our lives that we don’t really see because of the increasingly materialistic society in which we live in. This has led many of us to believe that happiness is something to be chased for.

How much control do we have over our happiness?

Ask yourself a question do you really have the power to control your own joy or happiness in your life? The answer is “NO” we don’t really have the power to control it but we can create “JOY". Creating joy is not as difficult as you think it is, the recipe to create joy is some pinch of being grateful, patient and love. At the end of the day, we are just human being who really don't have control over our own emotions at times.

Benefits of cultivating gratitude daily for well-being and peace:

Photo by  Nathan Dumlao Team  on  Unsplash

Benefits of cultivating gratitude

Mindful Strategies for Creating Joy That Lasts: -

1.Set realistic expectations. "Emotions ebb and flow and no feeling, positive or negative, lasts forever," says Dr. Wright. Therefore, it's important to have realistic expectations in the first place—to avoid resentment, frustration and disappointment that arises from unmet expectations.

2. Don’t dismiss bad feelings- Ignoring or hiding bad feelings isn’t good. It makes you unhappy and harm your body, leading to issues like headaches, high blood pressure and stomach problems. Dr boardman says we can learn from tough emotions and situations. Instead of trying to get rid of them completely, we should learn to handle them which can make us stronger and enjoy life more.

3.Be kind to yourself- Dr. Kathryn Gordon, a psychologist, says being too hard on ourselves stops us from feeling happy. Instead of criticizing everything or worrying about small things that didn't go as planned, she advises being gentle with yourself. But loving yourself isn't always simple. It's not just about relaxing baths and tea. And not everyone finds it easy. Here are some common things that make it hard to love yourself and how to deal with them.

4. Forging meaningful connections - Dr. Boardman says our relationships are the best source of happiness. A study in Psychological Science found that spending time with others makes us happier than eating well or getting a better job. Another study showed that wanting to be with people is like craving food when you're hungry. So, hanging out with loved ones, joining a club, or helping at a soup kitchen can make you happier.

5. Keep a gratitude journal: Take time each day to write down a few things you are grateful for. This practice helps you focus on the positive aspects of your life and cultivate a sense of appreciation for the good things that you have. Practice gratitude meditation: Spend a few minutes each day focusing on gratitude.

These are some techniques to follow for creating joy and remember “JOY IS NOT SOMETHING YOU CONTROL, IT’S SOMETHING YOU CREATE AND FIND IN LITTLE THINGS”.