Oh Joy

 If you're an Eeyore like me, joy doesn't come so naturally to us.  Anyone who has a stronger melancholic personality knows that even a smile takes a bit of effort, let alone being joyful in all things.  See, we aren't naturally happy a lot of the time, and if we aren't happy, where's the joy in that?

But without joy, life just seems to be a bit of a miserable existence, doesn't it?

That's why it's so important to be joyful even without happiness.

Joy isn't a feeling.  Happiness is an emotion, but joy is a choice, and a virtue.  It's a fruit of the Holy Spirit, and therefore can be felt even in the darkness of life if you're in a state of grace.

But joy isn't always the easiest to achieve when you're stuck in a rut.  Trust me, I've been there more times than 1, or 100.  So how do you overcome your melancholy when it seems to outweigh all the joy buried inside you?

Try smiling.

Smile at the person you walk by on the street.  Smile at the sound of a baby laughing.  Smile at the memory that pops into your head.  Smile at the pretty flower on the side of the road.  The more you make the effort to smile intentionally, the less effort it will eventually take.  Smiling can become a habit that soon you won't even think about.  If you make that effort to turn your resting face into a smile because you say so, your countenance will become happier and much brighter all on its own soon enough.  And a happier countenance brings joy not only to those who see you but also to yourself. 

Be thankful.

Think about it.  If you woke up tomorrow with only the things you thanked God for today, would you wake up with much at all?

I know there was a day I realized the only thing I'd have were green lights at stop signs.  Not much good without anything else... it made me stop and think throughout the day about all the things I take for granted and can really be grateful for.  When you think of those things, say a little thanksgiving.  Nothing extravagant, just a simple, "thank you God for this delicious milkshake I'm having," or, "thank you so much for that person who made me laugh at work."  It makes you realize that there are so many good things in your life that you might not have even realized, and that life is full of God's gifts and blessings.

See joy in the sorrow.

This might be the hardest of all.  When we've lost someone or something, the last thing we want to see is that there can be joy found in it.  It's so much easier to wallow in sorrow which often turns into self-pity.  But the truth is that even the worst of hardships can be opportunities to find joy.  When you're sad because you're thinking of a loved one that you lost, remember the times you got to spend with them and be thankful for the happiness it brought you.  When you feel like you've become stuck in life with no foreseeable options of work, school, or anything, realize that maybe you need to slow down and be happy you have some time to work on yourself and better yourself for the things you can't see.

People always say, there's a light at the end of the tunnel.  What they forget to include is that it was also at the beginning, and if you hold on to the memories of that light and don't focus on the darkness, you'll be able to reach the end without dispairing.

And these are only a few of the things I've found helpful.  Talking to a friend who you know will lift you up is another great way to bring joy into your day.  Singing a song, painting a picture, any little thing you can look at and smile, be thankful, and think happy thoughts.  It takes time and effort, but so does anything that's truly worth achieving.  And in the end, your Eeyore-ish days won't seem so gloomy after all.