“Gratitude can transform common
days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”
-William Arthur Ward
Sometimes People, Situations, and just plain Life itself seem to have the unique ability of stealing our Joy from time to time.
Seem to find a way to turn that great morning into a bad day, to put us in a bad mood, to literally change the way we think and feel.
Don’t believe me…….just drive to the biggest city in your area and wait in rush hour traffic, or walk into a business with poor customer service, or bump into someone in a particularly prickly mood!
Every day there is a chance that we might allow someone to steal our joy, to put us in a bad mood, to think, act and feel, in a manner not consistent with our values, morals, and principles.
So the question of course is: How do we stop people from stealing our Joy?
The answer is simple, no one can steal my joy…….from me……but me.
No one has the power to take your joy, it is a gift that has been given to us, that is independent of outside forces.
The truth is, we hand it over, when we give into negativity. When we someone invites us to join a “pity party” and we accept the invitation, when we return unkindness with……more unkindness, when we let someone else's negativity "rub off" onto us.
We have to make the decision daily, hourly, and sometimes minute by minute that we will be joyful. That come what may, good, bad, or ugly that we will guard closely the joy that is in our heart.
Our Joy is too valuable to waste, too precious to let slip from our grasp, too important for our health and happiness, and for the health and happiness of the people we hold dear…..and even those who don’t.
Remember Joy is contagious, even if its harder to catch that a case of the blues…..but it definitely worth spreading!
Get up, get out, and start moving!
Joshua Page,
Hickory Academy of Martial Arts www.hickorykarate.com