You need More Joy (Here's How To Get It)

One moment of joy can change your day. One day of joy can change your life. And one joyous life can change the world. Unfortunately, joy is not something that’s ready-made. It must come from within. Fortunately, you have a choice to allow joy to flow, once you know how. The knowing part is easy. It’s remembering that you actually have a choice that can be a challenge. But with a bit of practice and mindful awareness, the spirit of joy can become a central part of who you are. And when that happens, your entire life will change for the better. 

This week, make happiness a priority by giving yourself permission to experience the positive side of life. Avoid the tendency to criticize, free yourself of any lingering stress or negativity, and take inventory of your emotions to start creating the joyous life you deserve. Here are five quick tips that you can put into practice right now to see immediate results:

1. Filter your world

This week, avoid the negative voices in your head. Surround yourself with books, people, and information that uplift your spirit.

2. Finish things

Take advantage of the spare time you have between meetings and phone calls to work on and complete the things on your to-do list. Finishing things you’ve been putting off can create a satisfactory sense of joy. Choose production over perfection to boost your momentum.

3. Build confidence

Confidence is like a muscle—you build it through consistent action. The next time you’re afraid of doing something, count down from five and just do it.

4. Health check 

Take time to ensure you’re doing something every day for your physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Take a walk, read something educational, meditate or spend some quiet time listening to the sounds of nature. Breathe deep and relax. Balance is the key to true happiness. 

5. Practice self-care

The next time your anger gets the best of you, be quick to recognize it, learn from it, and move on. Stop beating yourself up over your mistakes. We all make them. The key is to learn from them and continue to improve. 

Life offers unlimited opportunities to be happy. All it takes is awareness and a willingness to unwrap the gifts that surround us at any given moment. Where will you find your joy?

What are some of the ways you can think of to increase your joy? I’d love to hear about it. Leave a comment if you enjoyed this article. If you can think of someone who would benefit from reading this post, please pass it on. 
Until next time...

- G -

"If you're searching for that one person who will change your life, look in the mirror."

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If you like this post, please leave a comment and pass it along to others.

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The Power of Equilibrium

"A powerful book that provides an interesting

 cross-section of three different points of view for 

the balance of body, mind, and spirit."

~ Amazon Reader Feedback

Get your copy of this insightful book

on Amazon.com TODAY!

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***********

Step into the mind of Author Luc Vors.

"Keep producing things, great or small, and you will find that your 

creative mind will blossom with more and more ideas." 

***********

Check out the wise, knowledgeable, and often entertaining perspectives of Author Elisabeth Auld inside the editions of

 Gals in Blue.

************

Check out our new affiliate partner, J. Jane, a fascinating blog of mentorship for, by, and between women.

j. jane 

-------------------------------------------------------------

Get your copy of Gary's best-selling novel 

Dream Operative, 

 NOW AVAILABLE 

on Audible.com!

FEAR Is a Thief is on Amazon.com 
and is NOW AVAILABLE on Audible.com too! This inspiring book is the first in a self-empowerment series that was written to help people get past fear using five fundamental truths as a basis for understanding and taking action for a better life. 
Get your copy today at FEAR Is a Thief/Amazon.

Also be sure to check out: KEY HORIZON, the second novel in the G. Weston spy series. This thriller is receiving rave reviews across the spectrum and has captivated a new following of "spy-fi" readers. 

Order your copy of these exciting novels today at Amazon.com.

Fall in Love with the Process...and Find Yourself Along the Way

Philosophy 101 tells us that, if we want to get anything done, we must first actually do something. Seems simple enough. If you’re not actually moving in the direction you intend for your life, you can be sure of only one thing—you’ll never get to your intended destination. But what if we don’t actually like what we have to do to reach our objective? Well, the short answer is that we will likely fail. I could end this article right here because the point of the matter is that nothing gets done without action. But you already know that. What you may not know is why it becomes so difficult to get things done when you’re faced with the less-than-desirable tasks required to effect real and meaningful change in your life.

It’s fair to say that most people who follow a process with regularity are the same ones who produce results. What makes them so different? I mean, how do they get through the drudgery of following the process when tasks become chores, obligations become burdens, and details become overwhelming? After all, these people have lives just like us…or do they? 

We have all seen the attractive slogans and overly simplistic and alluring catch phrases promising a path to a better life: Enjoy a higher standard of living; Make more money the easy way; Your path to riches; Do whatever it takes, etc. Even I have written articles designed to teach people the fundamentals to success and goal achievement. 

We’re all attracted by headlines. After all, they hold so much promise for…seemingly so little work. The trick is to get past the headlines and into the actual process to truly see what it takes for change take place. Headlines aside, if you actually follow through with the advice, philosophies, and instructions in most of these articles, you’ll find a prescription where you too can absolutely achieve anything you desire. Why then do we seem to get stuck when it comes to following the process? Because, candidly, most of us don’t typically care for the work part…unless we actually do. Which brings us to the real point. 

What separates most experts and achievers from everyone else is the level of commitment they provide to their goals. These are the people who choose productivity over leisure, delayed gratification over immediate reward, and education over television. They are also the ones who stay up late and get up early to squeeze out a just little more time to devote to their dreams, goals, and objectives. So, how (and why) do these people do it when most others don’t? Are they more motivated, determined, committed, or just plain maniacal? While some people may, in fact, possess some of these traits to reach a certain level of success, nearly all of them profess to an experience of enjoyment they find in doing the things that bring them closer to their goal. 

“When you enjoy a task, you will always find happiness in what you do.” ~ G. Westfal

Seldom is hard work associated with happiness, unless you are properly aligned with your purpose. The closer we are aligned to our purpose—that which truly makes us happy—the more joy we will discover in the work we do, the journey, and the path that leads to the fulfillment of that purpose. As we come to understand the message in a purposeful alignment, we begin to free ourselves, and we begin to allow ourselves to interact with the world around us with greater success, joy, and fulfillment. 

Another reason you may have such a difficult time finding joy in the process is that far too many of you do things to please other people. Opinions should never matter more than your purpose—your reason for doing things. Newsflash! The only opinion that should ever matter is your opinion. If you allow someone else’s opinion to shape your life, then you are not living your life at all. You’re living theirs!  

It's time to stop sabotaging yourself with your aversions to work by first finding that which you truly desire to do. Once you find something that ignites your passion, you’ll be in a position to do whatever it takes to accomplish your goal, your mission, your objective, your purpose. Only then will you find joy in committing to the process of finding meaning and fulfillment in your quest become everything you are meant to be. If you’re aligned with your purpose you will find a way to fall in love with the process. After all, it is the process that ignites the progress and momentum leading to the ultimate realization of your dreams, goals, and aspirations. 

Until next time…

~ G ~

“It all begins with the first step. Follow the process.” ~ 
G. Westfal

-----------------------

333

The Power of Equilibrium

"A powerful book that provides an interesting

 cross-section of three different points of view for 

the balance of body, mind, and spirit."

~ Amazon Reader Feedback

Get your copy of this insightful book

on Amazon.com TODAY!

Available Now!

***********

Step into the mind of Author Luc Vors.

"Keep producing things, great or small, and you will find that your 

creative mind will blossom with more and more ideas." 

***********

Check out the wise, knowledgeable, and often entertaining perspectives of Author Elisabeth Auld inside the editions of

 Gals in Blue.

************

Check out our new affiliate partner, J. Jane, a fascinating blog of mentorship for, by, and between women.

j. jane 

-------------------------------------------------------------

Get your copy of Gary's best-selling novel 

Dream Operative, 

 NOW AVAILABLE 

on Audible.com!

FEAR Is a Thief is on Amazon.com 
and is NOW AVAILABLE on Audible.com too! This inspiring book is the first in a self-empowerment series that was written to help people get past fear using five fundamental truths as a basis for understanding and taking action for a better life. 
Get your copy today at FEAR Is a Thief/Amazon.

Also be sure to check out: KEY HORIZON, the second novel in the G. Weston spy series. This thriller is receiving rave reviews across the spectrum and has captivated a new following of "spy-fi" readers. 

Order your copy of these exciting novels today at Amazon.com.

Happiness is the Key!

One of the most common traits I see among successful people is a foundation of genuine joy. Oh sure, they’re happy because they’re successful, right? Wrong! They’re successful because they’re happy.

Most people find success by doing something they enjoy. They operate in the lane of their purpose. We all have a purpose in life. Some of us have discovered it while others have yet to do so. Fulfillment of one’s purpose brings true joy to those fortunate enough to have enjoyed the price of success. Notice I didn’t say “paid” the price, because success is a journey that should be enjoyed.  

Life was meant to be enjoyed, savored, and cherished. Laughter itself is contagious and is known to have inherent healing power and mood altering effects. Try it yourself. Next time you’re not feeling so well or find yourself in a less than desirable mood, find a private restroom with a mirror, lock the door behind you and make silly faces in the mirror. I guarantee you’ll laugh. At the very least, you’ll smile at just how ridiculous you look as you attempt to make yourself laugh. You may in fact be thinking at this very moment how ridiculous (and funny) that could actually be. Hopefully the thought of it made you smile. And test me on this – see if you don’t experience a noticeable change in your overall well-being because of it.

 Laughter begets laughter. When you’re around someone who is a joy to be around, you cannot help but smile and feel better. When you’re around laughter, you tend to be drawn to the energy perpetuated by that joy. I know that all too well because I’m married to one of the most genuinely joyous persons I have ever met.

Wanna be successful and make more money? Sounds kind of like a cliché, but if you find joy, you’ll find success. If you haven’t already discovered it, look for your purpose and begin to find things that support that purpose and you’ll begin to discover a newfound joy. Who knows, you may even discover a new career or lifestyle that makes you happier than you ever thought possible.  

True joy produces an attraction energy that brings with it the seeds of opportunity, clarity, peace, and more joy. People resonate with those who are truly happy. They tend to want to be around those who are joyous.

So smile…better yet, smile big enough to make someone else smile!

 

Until next time!

- G -

"Find your purpose and you'll discover true joy."
-G Westfal

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The Spirit of Generosity

The Spirit of Generosity Lives on!

Want to produce a crop?  Grab some seeds, a comfortable chair, an umbrella, and a tall, cool glass of iced tea or lemonade.  Find a really nice plot of fertile land to set everything up.  Now kick back, sip on your drink and watch the crops grow!!  

Yeah I’m confused too.  I seem to have missed a step. 

Let’s review:

1.       Fertile land…check!

2.      Umbrella…check!

3.      Easy chair…check!

4.      Fresh drink…check!

Oh, wow!  The seeds are still in my pocket.  I can sit there all week waiting on something to come up out of the ground and nothing will ever happen if I don’t take action and plant those seeds! 

You’ll have to pardon the analogy, but it does bear a striking similarity to how we can sometimes feel about our own lives.  We expect something when we’ve given very little or nothing at all to the process.  Oftentimes, we may think we’ve given, and given generously, when in fact we haven’t. 

My first rule of generosity is to give joyously. 

Whatever it is you give, give with a pure heart.  All too often, the term “generosity” is associated with money or something of monetary value.  To address this aspect, I simply say, give what you can, when you can, as often as you can.  And give joyously.  If you loathe at writing the check, then you’re not giving joyously.  Find something you can support and believe in.  You’ll know it when you find it.  But don’t fall into the trap of waiting for it to come to you. 

It’s okay to expect a return…

Hold the presses!!  Some may be thinking, “Does this not conflict with what’s written in the previous paragraph?”  Absolutely not!  I get a lot of debate on this one, as you may imagine.  It’s all in the attitude of generosity that strikes the delicate balance between the arrogance and a humble belief that life has a way of recognizing the true value of the gift or service you provide and will repay you with abundance.  If you give with an “attitude” of malice or expectation of a return favor, then the attitude is all wrong and you’re not giving joyously in the first place.  It’s okay, however, to expect the quality of your life to be favored by your joyful giving.  That favor is what we see when we see successful people enjoying more success, charismatic people enjoying more friendships, generous people enjoying more…generosity and abundance! 

There are several things we can give generously that will not only enrich the lives of others, but will enrich our own lives as well.  The next time you think of generosity, before thinking about money, think of one of these elements. 

1.       Time

2.      Integrity

3.      Respect

4.      Passion


Then...

5.      Money

Time – Our most precious commodity, we’re often the most selfish with time, and rightly so.  We want to spend time wisely, but I would suggest most of us aren’t very good at it.  Given an outside perspective of each of our lives, there would no doubt be revelations on how we could rearrange our lives to provide just a bit more time to be generous with it.  True, all of us are allotted the same twenty-four hours.  But there are so many things we could do that would allow us to donate our time with simple adjustments.  If this speaks to you, think about being generous with some of your time.  If money is tight, consider giving your time to a worthy cause.

Integrity – People are drawn to integrity.  It’s something that must be proven over time (our first element), but one in which the value cannot be overstated.  Many a business has succeeded or failed because of the value of integrity.  The very structure of family and friendships are built on the foundation of integrity and everything it imbues.  If you choose to be generous with your time, bring along your highest standards of integrity. 

Respect – Don’t pre-judge!  Everyone deserves the benefit of respect, no matter what their lot in life.  Ever find yourself being more outwardly respectful of someone famous or higher in rank or status than you?  Why does that occur?  Why do we tend to expect people to earn our respect?  I say, smile at everyone, get to know them regardless of rank, status, or bloodline and you will become known as cheerful, charismatic, and personable.  You become the respected one.  The rewards tend to return back to you rather quickly on this one most of the time. 

Passion – My all-time favorite, this one strikes a chord within me that resonates stronger and louder the more I share it!  You can’t fake passion.  It’s way too transparent.  Your passion, or lack of it, precedes you in so many ways.  Discover your passion and share it with everyone!  If it’s truly a passion, you will not only bless those with whom you share it, you will be blessed as well.  People will often be intrigued with your passion.  An amazing thing happens when you share your passion.  You ignite the passions of others.  You shake them…some gently, others violently.  Your passion provides an awareness they'll actually be witnessing for the very first time.  If you haven’t already discovered your passion, I encourage you to.  It’s one of life’s greatest pleasures that is beyond my ability to put into words.  When you find it, share it generously.  Your path to success will become clear and your generosity will be rewarded beyond measure!

Money – I left money for last, even though money, or any of the elements, can be used at any time and under just about any circumstance.  Your generosity with money can go a long way, even if you aren’t able to give a lot.  Remember to give joyously and as generously as possible.  If you can only afford to give a set amount, then do so joyfully.  If you’re able to give more, then do that as well.  If you’re already giving, consider an increase.  When you do so, expect the quality of your joy to increase, knowing your generosity is making a difference toward the greater good.  Your generosity may be the difference-maker in someone’s life. 

The bottom line is to give of yourself and to do so generously!  The universal law of attraction will perpetuate and come back to you.  Give it a try and drop me a line on how you see the gift of generosity working in your life! 

Until next time!

- G -

If you'd like to receive a notification anytime I publish a new blog (currently about every two weeks), visit my Facebook page: G. Gary Westfal, Author

Once there, click on "Get Update via RSS" on the bottom of the left column.  You'll be subscribed and will receive notification whenever I publish a new blog or provide updates to my novel Dream State.  And help me by recommending this blog to others and "liking" my FB page.

Please visit my All American Warriors! bog at: http://allamericanwarriors.blogspot.com/ 

Please visit my website: www.gwestfal.com

If you enjoyed this article, you can help by recommending it on Google by pressing the "g+1" button below...