A wise woman...knows that JOY is a choice
We're now in full swing with the holiday season, and the notion of bringing Joy to the World naturally comes to the forefront of our minds. We often refer to this as the Christmas Spirit - a state of being that I am personally committed to encouraging year round.
By now you have most likely heard about this 20 year study on happiness conducted by Harvard, but just in case it slipped past your radar, I've included a link to the study below. My hope is that this article will serve as a reminder for all of us of the powerful impact we personally have on the world around us.
While the whole article is filled with golden nuggets, two lines in particular struck an important chord with me, "Whether you're happy depends not just on your own actions and behaviours and thoughts, but on those of people you don't even know." and "The pursuit of happiness is not a solitary goal," Fowler said. "We are connected, and so is our joy."
Perhaps this proven contagiousness of happiness and joy supports the idea that we ALL have a personal opportunity, and maybe even accountability, to promote and manifest joy around us with deliberate intent.
To quote Lou Tice from The Pacific Institute,“ it starts in the inside (of us), and works its way out”.
My challenge to you? Deliberately choose to be in a happy state, conduct random acts of kindness, offer a smile or encouraging word, purposefully look for the good around you - in others and in circumstances.
As it turns out…how we are inside makes a huge difference to those around us.
Wishing you a joyous holiday season surrounded by an abundance of joy clusters and the people you love.
Cheers,
Lauri
Joy to the world is contagious: study
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