You Deserve to Be Happy: 5 Ways to Create More Joy in Your Life

On a run last week my leg was having twinges of pain. I had surgery a few months ago to fix a circulation issue and was supposed to be back to my regular exercise regimen by now. My leg kept bothering to the point I had to stop completely.

I was upset and frustrated - the situation put me in a terrible mood.

Walking home at a slow pace feeling sorry for myself, I remembered – Your attitude is your choice.

You know, one of the hard things about being a coach who helps empower entrepreneurs to live a balanced and joyful life, I can’t get away from my own advice for long. My own inner voice (the good one vs. the critic) reminds me – “You can choose…you are in charge of your emotions.”

Friend, you may be reading this today, and feel completely stressed and overwhelmed. I understand and I’ve been there. Even if you have taken intentional steps to have better balance in your life, you are still going to have days and situations that put you in a negative place.

Know that no matter what state of mind you find yourself in, you get to decide what kind of day you are going to have. You have the power to create more joy in your life.

It Starts with Changing How You Feel

You want to be happy – you know it feels better than being sad or anxious. But happiness can be fleeting and finding joy in the little things can feel like an impossible task when you’re facing difficult circumstances.

Fortunately, joy isn’t as complicated as it seems—all you need to do is make yourself open to finding it in your everyday life, whether you’re excited about expanding your business or simply happy to try out a new coffee shop tomorrow.

Do you know that you can change how you feel?

Tune in to Your Body and Emotions

I recently learned about heart coherence and the amazing ability of your body to respond to your cues to feel better.

What is heart coherence?

It is when your heart, mind and emotions are aligned and working together in harmony.

Research from the HeartMath Institute shows that different emotional states produce different heart patterns. For example, when you have negative emotions like anger or sadness, your heart rhythm pattern is erratic. Alternatively, when you feel positive emotions such as joy or gratefulness, your heart pattern smooths out.

Dr. Rollin McCraty, Research Director of HeartMath explains:

“One of the most effective ways to reduce stress and anxiety, and even feelings of overwhelm is to learn how to access the intelligence of the heart. Shift the rhythms of the heart that sends a different neuro message to the brain.”

Simply by tuning in to your own body and emotions you can improve them.

Sometimes Joy Takes a Little Practice.

One of the most powerful factors that affect your heart’s changing rhythm is your feelings and emotions. As you become able to manage your emotions, it will increase your joy and fulfilment.

With practice you can create this state of harmony.

Here are five ways to help create more joy in your life starting today.

1. Teach yourself how to feel joy.

If you’re not feeling joyful in the moment, you can create it. Your body already knows what joy “feels” like as you have experienced it before.

Think of a time when you felt immense pleasure in something. You were so happy and full of joy you wanted to jump up and down (or you did!) and you couldn’t wipe the smile off your face. In my book The Success Lie™️, I call these “joy moments.”

Now, take a few minutes and close your eyes; visualize yourself back there, in the joy-filled moment. Picture it as clearly as you can. Where were you? What were you doing? Who were you with? Play it out like a scene in a movie complete with sounds and vivid color.

As you re-live this time, experience how the emotions of joy feel in your body. You may get a little warm; or sense your energy picking up. It may seem like your heart is expanding and getting bigger inside your chest.

2. Write down what makes you happy.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting new things, but there is something very right about taking inventory of what already brings you joy.

Make a list of at least ten items that bring you joy, no matter how small or big. A simple walk can do wonders for stress and your spirit; a long phone call with an old friend can make all your worries fade away.

The important thing is to write down what makes you happy so that when times get tough, you have a reminder of why it's worth fighting through it.

It's also helpful to share these little moments with others who might need a pick-me-up as well.

3. Act on the things that make you happy.

If you find yourself stuck in a rut, one of your goals should be taking action on things that make you feel joyful.

How far did you have to go back in time on step number one to think of a joy moment?

If you aren’t taking action, how can you expect anything in your life—including happiness—to change?

In the Intentional Calendaring module of my Success Life: Goals course I teach you how to regularly schedule activities that bring joy into your life. You deserve it!

4. Fuel Your Faith

I personally can’t write a blog on joy without mentioning how faith has played into it. Did you know that the word “joy” is mentioned over 200 times in the Bible?

One of the keys for me to find and maintain an outlook of joy is to realize God’s hand on my life, even during the most challenging moments. In situations like this, when I feel anything but joy, I can fuel my faith by spending time in quiet reflection and prayer.

“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence…”

What a difference it makes to know you are deeply loved by the creator of the universe. When you allow God to nurture your heart and fuel your soul with his love, joy springs up.

5. Help others find happiness.

You know how it feels to be around someone joyful – it is like warm sunshine. Their positive energy spills right over on you and you feel better just spending time in their presence.

As you are feeling more joy for yourself, it will only be natural to give it others. It is amazing how a happy heart overflows with goodness.

It may sound cliché, but when it comes down to it, you really do need other people to find true joy. Be sure to invest some quality time with your loved ones on a regular basis and say I love you often!

You can also write a note of appreciation, or surprise them with an unexpected gift. This is a nice gesture because you’re giving your loved ones a physical reminder of how you feel. One of my daughters is especially talented at writing love notes – I can’t seem to get through them without tears (happy ones!)

It is possible, even in challenging times, to create more joy in your life. Practice feeling joy and other positive emotions. Write down what brings you joy and regularly schedule it. Fuel your faith; fill your own joy bucket and then help others do the same.

Remember, you are in charge of your emotions. You can choose how you feel. You get to decide what kind of day you are going to have every day.

You have the power to create more joy in your life.