Joy is defined as experiencing great pleasure or delight or the emotion of great delight or happiness. Some similarly meaning words include glee, bliss, amusement, elation, exuberance, rejoicing, triumph.
Joy in life helps bring calm, a sense of self, and an understanding of the ability to navigate life’s challenges. So, the more joy in life, the easier it is to experience more of the same, face challenges, and generally navigate life.
However, when asked about joy, most only think about and identify with things done that are joyful. This is different from what brings joy.
Things we do that we enjoy are different from the feeling of things that bring joy to us. It’s important to understand this difference because the more joy in life we recognize, the more joy we have in our life.
A good place to start is to understand the difference between the two. Things we do that bring joy are those activities where we experience fulfillment, delight, happiness, bliss, glee, amusement, fun, and so on. Some say these activities are times of play, sports, hobbies, or other activities for personal enjoyment. These activities are more defined, but some believe it’s this element that is required for enjoyment. The activity is personal choice so, remember, one person’s joyful activity may not be another persons.
However, things done that bring joy include activities done during an event or session, done that day, or activities that keep life from being dull. It is often said all work makes life less memorable. For a healthy life, we need activities that give us times of joyfulness. Joyfulness of this type carries intrinsic, long-lasting joy.
Things we do that we enjoy tend to imply activity. There are actually lists and lists of activities that a person can do that are enjoyable. These lists of enjoyable activities include such things as exercise, handcrafts, watching a favorite movie, playing board or video games, being artistic, coloring, baking, gardening, walking, and so much more. You can create joy by doing these or any of the many things that make you happy. Ask yourself, what do you do that makes you happy? Can you name five activities you like doing? What activities make you feel happy? When you name these activities do you experience a sensation of joy?
So how important is joy in life? It is said that joy is what makes life worth living and gives resilience to future occurrences. Joy lightens moments in time while generating future energy. Therefore, even, or especially during hard times, joy helps a person keep going. Joy also can bind people together, elevate a person, and it invites people to become closer for an occasion. This joy means doing active things that invoke a feeling of value.
However, this implies joy is achieved when we do enjoyable activities. This is different from things that bring joy to us. Things that bring joy to us give a lasting result of long-term joy. Therefore, it’s important to look at joy with a wider scope. Joy may be an activity or something that generates a feeling. Or an activity may also create feelings with lasting results.
Things that bring us joy are intrinsic. This type of joy transforms life. It is this type of joy that gives us some resilience during hard times. Most importantly, this joy has longer lasting health benefits on both the body and the psyche. Things that bring joy are felt and give us energy. This energy is held in the body, mind, spirit, and may also be shared with others.
Some activities that bring joy to us may include volunteering, the sense of calm of sitting in nature, singing, and so much more. This list is endless. The difference is how the joy is experienced. Is the joy accomplished through activity or does the joyful experience have an intrinsic, lasting result?
The happiness of joy fosters growth, provides many health benefits, broadens the mind, and helps us bounce back from negative experiences. The happiness of joy can lower the risks of cardiovascular disease, lowers blood pressure, enables better sleep, and reduces stress. Joy also supports personal growth. Often change comes from adversity, but it’s the joy while growing that encourages and carries and bolsters continued growth. Joy creates long-lasting energy that is stored in the mind and body, as well as the soul. Positive emotions that comes from joy can lead a person to pursue more effective coping skills during stressful times. This means that joy helps a person during times of strife to bounce back. There is strength in joy.
Other types of things that bring joy may include watching another while they do something they enjoy doing, laughing with someone, taking care of an animal, a certain color, a time of day, a song, an article of clothing, and so on. This joy is a feeling received and held, rather than an activity done. List some of your joys that bring a lasting, happy emotional energy to you.
Both the action of doing something that is enjoyable and experiencing things that bring you joy are important. Joy encourages health, transforms life, and fosters growth. It is important to find joy each day and in as many ways as you can. Joy is the energy of happiness as happiness is the result of joy. Joy recognizes and encourages joy, thus also happiness. It makes life worth living. It supports body and psyche health. Joy is fundamental to life. Live with joy.