So, here we are, January 11, week 2 of the new year. Exactly the perfect time to start launching those resolutions, or watering the seeds of intentions we planted.
i'm not sure why i'm writing about this topic, in the sense, i'm not sure what i have to say about it. But it's a topic that keeps bursting into my mind to be explored via writing.
i've been thinking about joy a lot. Life is always beautiful and hard. This has not changed for me. So, in an effort towards balance, i want to nourish the joy as much as i respond to the hardness. It does not matter what is hard, each of us has our things, our challenges that are meant to grow and shape us. But for a few months, some specific dynamics in my life have caused me to experience a lot of grief, pain, and distress. And as i have given space to honor and feel these feelings, i have recently noticed that it has also left me more closed off, numb, and unable to feel a sense of hope.
There's so much wisdom out there about 1) the importance of feeling our feelings 2) the power of hopefulness 3) being okay with being with where you are.
Given these things, i sometimes feel conflicted about whether to stay in the hard feelings, or actively try to do something to shift them, and if so, what exactly that still honors my process and the time it takes to heal?
It has been very helpful, and comforting, to realize all the things i don't have control over (like other people's choices). And, i do believe that there are steps we can take to reclaim our capacity to feel joy. One of them, is to remember the importance of it. i have read and heard that "joy is our essential nature", it is not something we need to do, it is something we can simply to allow ourselves to be. While i can't *feel* this yet, i can remember this.
Why do I work for peace and justice? Because I believe everyone deserves them equally. Why do I believe in truth and love? Because they are ways of being that bring us closer to wholeness - in ourselves and with the world at large, both of which are equally important. What is the role of joy in all this? Joy feeds a sense of well-being, a sense of "life is wonderful", and these are the roots of hope.
Right now, my one step in the journey is simply to remember that i believe these things. And to trust that with practice and patience, things will evolve to where they need to go. i can't control the pace. My part of it is practicing patience :)
i'm not sure why i'm writing about this topic, in the sense, i'm not sure what i have to say about it. But it's a topic that keeps bursting into my mind to be explored via writing.
i've been thinking about joy a lot. Life is always beautiful and hard. This has not changed for me. So, in an effort towards balance, i want to nourish the joy as much as i respond to the hardness. It does not matter what is hard, each of us has our things, our challenges that are meant to grow and shape us. But for a few months, some specific dynamics in my life have caused me to experience a lot of grief, pain, and distress. And as i have given space to honor and feel these feelings, i have recently noticed that it has also left me more closed off, numb, and unable to feel a sense of hope.
There's so much wisdom out there about 1) the importance of feeling our feelings 2) the power of hopefulness 3) being okay with being with where you are.
Given these things, i sometimes feel conflicted about whether to stay in the hard feelings, or actively try to do something to shift them, and if so, what exactly that still honors my process and the time it takes to heal?
It has been very helpful, and comforting, to realize all the things i don't have control over (like other people's choices). And, i do believe that there are steps we can take to reclaim our capacity to feel joy. One of them, is to remember the importance of it. i have read and heard that "joy is our essential nature", it is not something we need to do, it is something we can simply to allow ourselves to be. While i can't *feel* this yet, i can remember this.
Why do I work for peace and justice? Because I believe everyone deserves them equally. Why do I believe in truth and love? Because they are ways of being that bring us closer to wholeness - in ourselves and with the world at large, both of which are equally important. What is the role of joy in all this? Joy feeds a sense of well-being, a sense of "life is wonderful", and these are the roots of hope.
Right now, my one step in the journey is simply to remember that i believe these things. And to trust that with practice and patience, things will evolve to where they need to go. i can't control the pace. My part of it is practicing patience :)
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