I always believed I wanted a happy life. I’ve now come to realize I want a joyful life. While the differences are subtle, I now see them with greater clarity.
I’m a big fan of starting the year fresh. I often profoundly examine what is working well, what isn’t, and what I might like to do differently. It isn’t always about adding more to my to-do list. It often involves deciding what to remove from the list to give my life more balance and meaning. It is an interesting exercise, and I enjoy it.
Exploring Happiness
After reflecting, I would say “yes” without hesitation if you asked me if I thought I was happy. Through countless conversations with my husband, Jim, a certified coach, I learned that the best path to success in life begins with playing to my deep strengths and passion. I’ve realized that you never have to work a day if you genuinely love what you do.
I genuinely love what I do every day.
I love to help people take complex financial matters and communicate them in a way we can all understand. I have worked for decades trying to master this skill. I found happiness in the fleeting moments after presentations, conversing with a colleague, or in the process of simplifying a concept. I have realized happiness has often come from external experiences or achievements. There is nothing wrong with that, but it didn’t last long.
Understanding and Embracing Joy
Joy, on the other hand, comes from inner fulfillment, gratitude, or even spiritual depth. It is personal, can be profound, and sometimes offers contentment amidst struggles.
We just returned from a trip to India, and what a fantastic adventure we had. We learned, reflected, celebrated, and observed. I often asked about the poverty many experienced, and yet the apparent happiness frequently demonstrated, the response was always the same. According to Durga Singh of Dera Mandawa, in Jaipur, “We don’t sit and cry and say to ourselves, we don’t have this or we don’t have that. We ask ourselves what we do have. How can we survive with that? That is our secret to not only happiness but joy. He emphasized the word “joy”.
I needed to reflect on this for a bit because this perspective took my happiness insight to the next level. Strengths and passion are critical to success. However, to continue to grow, I needed to take it a step further and focus on what gives me joy.
It is so much more than just loving what you do. When I think about the next few decades, I want them to focus more on joy—specifically, what I do and who I decide to spend my time with.
Can Happiness Bring Joy
Of course, the natural question is, can your happiness bring you joy? I believe it can.
I enjoy starting my day with my husband and a cup of great coffee, being involved with our grandchildren, and having deep conversations with our adult children. I have been reflecting and clarifying my values and life’s purpose in quiet times. A big breakthrough for me was looking closely at the people in my life—family, friends and acquaintances. You realize quickly that you need to surround yourself with the right people to build a great team that brings you joy—the people who are givers and who have your back and care deeply for you as a person. Equally important is letting go of the relationships that don’t serve you well. We all only have so much time and energy and must use it wisely.
Starting the Year with Joy
This has been an interesting start to the year. For some who don’t experience joy and only fleeting moments of happiness, maybe, like me, it is time to take a personal inventory of where you are.
It isn’t right or wrong. It is more about where you choose to place your energy. Become very clear on your strengths and passion. Be engaged. Understanding the difference between happiness and joy. While pursuing happiness is natural, cultivating joy gives life a more profound sense of purpose and resilience.
While in India, I realized joy sustains us when happiness is fleeting. This reminded me that true fulfillment isn’t about money or success; true fulfillment often comes from within.
My new journey continues, and I’m excited and focused on using my strengths and passions to direct my energy to what brings me more joy.
Pattie – PLR@heb.ca
