When you first think about living a life filled with more joy, what comes to mind? How does it make you feel? Do any triggers or self-limiting beliefs arise? Take a moment to reflect on what you believe your life should look like if it were truly joyful.
Now, let me ask you this—did you picture a life that feels somewhat or completely different from the one you're living now? If so, why? The answer often comes down to judgment of the present moment—believing that life would be better if only you had "X,Y & Z."
I know this pattern well, and I’m certain that most people, at some point, have fallen into it. We aren't typically taught how to embody joy. Schools don’t teach it, the media conditions us to seek it externally (often teaching the opposite), and while some are fortunate enough to learn it from their parents, many of us are left to navigate joy on our own. In fact, some may go through life never truly learning how to access it. If any of this resonates, I’m excited to open your heart and mind to a new way of experiencing joy.
As children, we naturally embody joy. We are creative, emotional, wild, carefree, and full of love. Without even realising it, we live in alignment—honouring our emotions, following our instincts, listening to our intuition, and allowing joy and curiosity to guide us.
Have you ever watched a child playing alone? They exist in their own little joy bubble, free from limitations, stress, or the need to control. They allow joy to flow through them effortlessly.
So, what interrupts this flow? External expectations.
Parental figures might tell a child to stop daydreaming, to grow up, or that their dreams are unrealistic. They may push them into academic or athletic achievements based on their own beliefs about success.
Beyond that, media and social influences shape our understanding of joy. Social media, advertising, and celebrity culture reinforce the idea that happiness comes from acquiring more—more beauty, more money, more status. We absorb these beliefs daily, convincing ourselves that joy is something outside of us, something we must chase.
But the truth is, joy is an internal experience.
On my own journey back to joy, I discovered two profound truths:
Joy is created within.
Only you can cultivate it for yourself.
At one point, I kept asking myself, If I am responsible for my own joy, how do I create it when it feels impossible?
This question lingered in my awareness for weeks, maybe even months. I was in a place where joy felt distant—something I couldn’t grasp, something I didn’t know how to reconnect with.
Then one day, it hit me. The times I had felt true joy weren’t random. They had something in common: I was simply being—but with purpose.
Let me explain.
Imagine you're asked to carry a heavy bucket of water up a hill. If there’s no reason given, the task feels exhausting and pointless. Your mind drifts to how difficult it is, how unfair it seems, and how you’d rather be doing anything else.
Now, imagine that same task—but this time, you know the water is for a dry, wilting tree that provides shade and fruit for your community. Suddenly, the weight feels lighter, the climb has meaning, and the effort becomes rewarding. You may even feel joy in the process, knowing your actions are contributing to something valuable.
Joy is found in purposeful action.
However, purpose must be rooted in something meaningful—something that lights up your soul, not just your ego.
For example, let’s take exercise. Many people work out with the goal of losing weight, but this purpose is often fuelled by self-judgment rather than genuine joy. Now, shift the intention: instead of exercising to "fix" something about yourself, imagine exercising to connect with your body, to feel strong, to nourish yourself with movement. Suddenly, the process becomes fulfilling rather than a chore.
Having found this awareness around applying purpose to moments that felt mundane in life, gifted me with the inner power to shift the little moments in my life. Making them more magical again.
Since creating joy in the 'doing' aspects of my life, I began to question 'how can joy exist in the quiet moments of life? Diving into this question led me to a beautiful realisation:
Stillness has purpose too.
The purpose of stillness is to embody love, safety, trust, and wholeness within yourself. By slowing down and being fully present, you reconnect with your body, your emotions, and the sensations that exist within and around you.
If you're new to this, it may take practice. Many of us are so accustomed to distractions that sitting with ourselves can feel uncomfortable at first. But when you learn to embrace stillness, you begin to experience joy simply by being.
When you align both purposeful action and purposeful stillness, you create a beautiful balance between your masculine and feminine energies.
The masculine energy provides structure and action, ensuring you move forward with purpose.
The feminine energy allows you to soften, receive, and experience joy in the present moment.
Together, they create a deep sense of fulfillment, presence, and joy.
One thing I would love to bring awareness about joy, is that it does not need to felt all the time. Joy is not something we need to obtain to embody 24/7. Creating pure flow within means embodying all emotions. However, the purpose of this insight today is to assist you in becoming aware of your own power to change the way you perceive mundane tasks in your life. You have the complete power within to make any moment in life feel special. You are the key to experiencing the life you desire - by creating joy in the present moment.
At the start of this reflection, I asked you to imagine what your life would look like with more joy. But here’s the paradox: the very act of constructing an ideal future is what often pulls us further away from experiencing joy right now.
By becoming aware of what shaped your beliefs about happiness—whether from family, society, or personal experiences—you gain the power to rewrite the narrative.
You, and only you, are in charge of your own joy.
Find acceptance for where you are right now. Align your life with what truly feels right. Step into your power, knowing that your joy is something you create—not something you wait for. You are a powerful being, and I hope this insight helps you remember that.
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