June 2018 | Happiness vs. Joy

Happiness and joy are not the same thing. I've been learning about, exploring and implementing this information into my life where I can. 

I invite you to ask yourself this question with a sense of curiosity: What would it be like if you lived your life with joy? Happiness is a waiting game because it is often an emotional response to an outcome, and therefore result reliant. For instance, if I get the promotion, if I get pregnant, if I have the house, if I find my soul mate-- then I'll be happy. It's very much about cause and effect. It's a standard we set for ourselves that we cannot sustain because we raise it every time we attain it. Happiness so often demands a certain outcome. If happiness is what you're seeking then you may end up being frequently disappointed, UN-happy much of your time.

Joy, however, is a very different experience altogether. Joy is not reliant on an outcome because its a constant. Like a verb, it's always in motion, always in process and under construction. Joy is the feeling of doing what we are skilled at, what we are fashioned to do, what we are willing to do, regardless of outcome. Without the need for a specific outcome, the doing of the deed becomes the reward itself. When we stop seeking, we end up seeking it all.

This isn't to say we shouldn't have goals or want to make changes in our lives. It's certainly important to find work that satisfies and fills the soul. But the doing of the work and enjoying it become the reward. There is no need then for accolades, praise, fame or recognition. I only really see two options for being satisfied, content and happy in life. We either need to change the blueprint of our life, to CHANGE WHAT WE HAVE TOLD OURSELVES WE NEED IN ORDER TO BE HAPPY. Another way of saying it is that we need to change the criteria for being happy; or to continue to set goals while letting go of expectations. If we let go of results we can live in the joy of doing and being and truly EN-joy the daily actions of our existence.

With Love,
Anisha