Feeling “meh”? Try this.

We miss out on so many opportunities to experience joy because we’ve been taught by parents, teachers, friends, social groups and society at large that to be acceptable, our expression of joy has to look and sound a certain way. We’ve also been taught that only certain accomplishments and achievements are worthy of our happiness or the happiness of those around us. Most of us aren’t throwing a party to celebrate 2 weeks of setting an unused gym bag by the door.

But maybe we should.

Hear me out.

Because your expression of joy has been limited, so too is your experience of joy. The higher your standards for ‘joy-worthy’ occasions, the less frequently you’ll have them. The more specific you make the conditions for which you allow yourself to have joy or show joy, the harder it will become for you to achieve or experience anything that feels deserving of happiness.

This can be the start of a vicious cycle. The less joy you have in your life, the more you begin to believe that you don’t deserve it, that nothing good ever happens to you, or that you never do anything right. Joy begins to feel like something that doesn’t last, so your brain does it’s job to protect you from being disappointed. You’ll unconsciously avoid joy because you don’t want to have it and then lose it. It’s safer to just have a “meh” existence.

Friend. I know you do not deeply desire in your heart a “meh” life. So we HAVE to start letting ourselves feel more joy - even a little bit - whenever it’s available.

The next time you feel happy, notice where you feel it. Is it in your belly? Your chest? A tingle in your toes? Now see if you can grow that feeling. See if you can let it expand and radiate out a bit. Now, celebrate yourself. Even if you couldn’t get your joy to grow, celebrate the fact that you noticed it.

Sound silly? Try it every chance you get for two weeks and then let me know how you feel :)