In today’s world, it can be a challenge to find joy in our lives. Happiness and joy are necessary ingredients for maintaining good mental health, so it is important to attempt to find them.
For example, The University of Chicago recently ran a study on happiness in America and found we are at a five-decades low percentage. This means a lot of us are not happy and are not finding joy in our daily lives.
Joy is a strong emotion that can be beneficial for us mentally and physically. In fact, joy and happiness also affects all of our bodily systems including;
- Helping to have a better night’s sleep
- Building residency when we face hard times
- Contributes to lowered blood pressure
- Contributes to lower stress and cortisol levels
- Works towards strengthening the cardiovascular system
What Brings You Joy?
Take a moment to stop and think. What brings you joy? When is the last time you experienced pure joy? Are you able to identify these things? If so, great for you! However, if you are not able to the, good news is you can work on finding joy in your life and improving your mental and physical health.
Ways I Find Joy
For instance, I find joy in:
- Connecting with my loved ones, friends and family
- Loving on my dogs
- Playing with my grandson
- Listening to my favorite music
- Running, walking, and doing yoga
- Having a dance party in my living room
How to Find More Joy in Your Life
To help you find joy, here are some activities that may bring more into your life:
- Call a long lost friend
- Spend time with friends and loved ones
- Volunteer
- Practice gratitude
- Practice self-care
- Get out into nature
- Exercise
- Laugh with your partner or a friend
- Listen to music
- Dance
- Spend time with pets
- Lessen exposure to negative inputs such as the news or social media
- Do something kind for someone
Finding Joy has been proven to contribute to positive mental and physical health. If this is hard for you, the good news is you can work on finding and build more joy into your life. Try adding one or two items from above and see how it feels to connect with and help others.
If you’re struggling to find joy and improve your mental health, Melissa Mueller Counseling is here to help. Contact us today to schedule a session and start your journey toward happiness and well-being!