Living Your Joy

JOY. It's intangible, but personally defined, It's a feeling of internal "all is well in the world-ness". It eclipses the emotions of happiness into a state of pure bliss. Some joy is quiet and serene like rocking a child to sleep. Other joy is loud and exuberant like finishing a race you've trained for or completing a project that has taken months, or even years, to finish. Joyce Graham has put together a collection of introspective essays by people who intentionally seek out activities, practices, adventures, and people that bring them JOY. Joyce, along with the other authors in this book, is purposefully living out her life in a joy-filled space. Joyce finds joy in her morning ritual of watching the sunrise, drinking tea, engaging in meditation, then taking a brisk walk and finishing up with Qi Gong. To bring that energy into the rest of her day, she writes, hangs out with her cat, and she selectively spends time with people she loves and who enrich her life. Every person is different, and what brings you joy is so distinct and individual that no two people will ever experience joy in exactly the same way. Our hope is that you will be inspired by these essays to actively seek your unique experience of joy. After a serious health scare, an attorney found her joy through her love of horses. She had always loved horses as a child, and then during her rehabilitation time, she spent countless hours with her horse connecting with her true spirit and the beautiful natural environment around her. A musician writes that his life's joy was discovered by playing in a band. He shares that singing or playing an instrument tends to raise endorphins, accelerate our heart rate-and open up our hearts to the many emotions we convey in song. One woman speaks of finding joy on a walk. In a simple everyday stroll through a nature path close to home, she envisioned Joy as a person that she could summon at will by capturing a vision of "her" walking alongside wearing a golden sundress and a smile that is illuminated from her inner glow. Another woman experiences traveling as a gift of joy. Growing up in a military family, traveling has been part of her life since her first memorable trip at the age of four when her father wished her a "Happy Birthday" as they flew over London on their way to live in Germany for three years. Connecting with other people and other cultures - both domestic and international sparks life in the very core of her being. For the past nine years, a man has found his joy by spending two weeks at the Burning Man Festival living in the temporary setting of Black Rock City in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada. He takes a "time-out" from his busy consulting practice in San Francisco to renew his spirit by being part of an extraordinary art festival of 68,000+ that emerges from the ground up. It is the adventure of living a joy-filled life that brings us happiness in all that we do. Life is not always easy and because of challenges, we are called to look deeper at the issues we face with patience and perseverance. Finding what brings you joy is a key to tapping into your resiliency and your commitment. We ask you to shut down the noise and chatter of the external world and turn within yourself. Follow what you love to do, rediscover something you used to love to do - and hold fast to your vision. This collection can inspire you to seek out those personal experiences by taking small steps each day. Living Your Joy is a must have book for everyone seeking more JOY. May you be inspired to fully live the joy-filled life awaiting you and share it generously with those you love. and happiness and sharing it generously with those you love.