My chest feels tight with indecision and my soul stings with disappointment. It feels hard to muddle through the day, wading through the noise of tiny children, and unmet expectations, and other people’s opinions.
It’s moments like these, the moments that feel too heavy for me to bring along with me, that remind me that joy is a choice.
It’s a choice for me to push through the greif and cultivate beauty by lighting the candles, using the good plates, and praising God for a messy, but crowded table.
It’s a choice for me to remember that the God who holds me is the same God who parted the Red Sea and set His people on dry land.
It’s a choice for me to set aside disappointment and instead of checking out by scrolling social media, to grab the sidewalk chalk and fill the driveway with colorful pictures with my kids.
Joy is something that grows in the soil of our souls when we choose to cultivate it. It’s not something we wait around for, like an Amazon package delivered to our doorstep. If joy feels out of reach for you, try doing something to engage your senses:
SMELL
Light your favorite candle, run a diffuser, or open up a window to coax a fresh breeze in.
SIGHT
Clear off just one area that’s giving you too much visual clutter or grab something green from outside to stick in a vase.
TOUCH
Put on something that makes you feel cozy, take a hot shower or bath, or get a hug from your favorite person.
TASTE
Make a fancy cup of tea or coffee, whip up a family favorite recipe for dinner, or throw your favorite cookies in the oven.
SOUND
Play a song that makes you want to sing along or a song that makes you feel seen. Maybe you need an absence of sound and to find a few quiet moments.
Just remember
Even if it feels heavy and even if it feel hard, it’s never to late to simply start where you are.
