Spiritually Loose author Susan Pearse shares tips on how to stop overthinking and welcome joy into your life.
We’ve been led to believe that we achieve things through thinking and doing, but getting out of your head and following the joy in your heart will always lead you to significant outcomes. We’ve all experienced the power of joy in our lives, but probably dismissed it as luck or coincidence.
These are the times when you feel alive, open and receptive. Most people have felt the power of joy when they have been madly, passionately, in love. Every cell of your body is alive and buzzing and you feel like you are walking on air. Love and joy fill your heart, and it’s obvious to all around you. People stop and look at you for no obvious reason, you gather other admirers (it never rains but it pours!) and all areas of your life start to flow in the right direction.
Is it the lucky spell of love, or are you allowing your body to move in a different way? Is it a coincidence that people offer you opportunities, or are you more open to receiving in new ways? Is it a fluke that life seems good, or are you simply a channel of joy, attracting other joyful things?
My favourite joy-attracting practices:
- Follow joy – Plans and to-do lists are great, but they don’t necessarily lead you to successful outcomes, particularly if you become overwhelmed with the constant activity. Swap the question, What do I need to do today? with What would I do if I followed joy today? See if you can become more creative in your pursuits.
- Joy audit – Break your life up into different areas: for example, career, parenting, partner, social and personal development. Take stock of all the things you are doing at the moment in each of these areas. Put each of these things through the filter of the question: Does this bring me joy? If the answer is ‘no’ and you can’t find a legitimate reason it should stay in your life, let it go.
- Elevate to joy – We all have deadlines, tasks and responsibilities. Instead of waking up, dreading the day and being weighed down by them, ask yourself: How could I make this more joyful? See how you can achieve some of the seemingly mundane things in your life in a lighter way!
- Be > do > outcome – Before launching yourself into a task, consider your state of being. Commence your task only when you are centred, purposeful, joyful and in the present moment.
- Meaningful matters – Joy comes from the meaningful. What is the ratio of meaningful to meaningless in your life? A new car may bring you fleeting happiness, but what are the things that fill your heart? If you don’t have enough, go find some!
About the author – Susan Pearse is a business thought-leader, key-note speaker and an author. She has just released her latest book, Spiritually Loose which is a must-read as we prepare to hit the reset button for the new year ahead.