DONNA MARIE THERRIEN: Do you feel it? That incredible, unexplainable feeling of happiness and gratitude that emerges from within your soul?

What really brings you joy? It may not necessarily be what you may think. It seems so many people try to find their personal joy from the outside; things like alcohol, drugs or food. Some look to other people to find their joy, like a lover, a friend or family member. But true joy that one feels comes from within. Only you know your true joy. It’s that part of you that’s who you are and it’s who you’re not. And no one or thing can provide that for you. It’s an overwhelming sense of peace and celebration.

Joy is different than happiness for it is always with you. Happiness is a temporary state of emotion that comes and goes with circumstance. Many people don’t take the time to notice the joy from within them during the wind and grind of daily existence but it’s always there. You just have to pay attention and accept it. Take it with you and live within it.

You can feel joy in anything, anywhere. Take a breath and breathe in the cool air. Linger in the moment. Feel the joy building, flooding you from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. Fill your body with joy. Now bring this feeling with you throughout your day. Celebrate yourself in the moment. Celebrate your surroundings and the people around you. Celebrate your endings and your new beginnings.

Anyone can get to the place of their joy but most choose to remain unaware and in a state of sadness, anger, resentment and fear. What happens when you don’t let the joy in? You then see only the things that paralyse you and keep you from the joy in your heart.

During my time counselling people coping with addictions and eating disorders I’ve come to realize that when the person finds love and joy in their hearts, that’s when the healing really begins. Some, after months of doing all the right things, relapse in a cycle over and over. They are looking outside, blaming others, blaming themselves, and seeing what they are trying to achieve being far in the distance, feeling hurt, anxious and disappointed. But instead, if they embrace the joy and love of living in the moment and feeling the gratitude of being given this day to live and be their best at this time in this moment, things change. It can happen in an instant, a glimpse, a thought or a dream that all of a sudden cause a shift in consciousness. An incredible feeling of awareness, of love and celebration of faith.

Dr. Alfred A. Costanza, Ph.D. CTN, CN of Wakefield, MA calls this “experiential, spiritual enlightenment”. Once you find this joy and sense of peace within yourself you are free to move forward and heal. The result, by example and in response you will ultimately allow others to see joy in themselves as well.

A person can do all the right things but if they don’t find the joy in what they do the outcome is meaningless. Look inside to find the joy in any situation. It’s there. The ups and downs of life are given to us as lessons to be learned and in turn cause for celebration. If we don’t have the hard times we wouldn’t be able to tell what the good times are. And with every hard time we grow stronger and wiser and we are grateful and joyous that we’re not who we were and we’re not who we’re going to be. 

You’re on a path in this life and your journey is more important than you destination - Find the joy within you.