Here is a post from Sati Life by Patricia  — she is an exercise guru that promotes using postive affirmations while exercising.   And then below that is some of my thoughts.

Check out The Power of Joy by Dr. Christiane Northrup. You can download it on http://www.facebook.com/l/027b1;audible.com.  It is a great! I was starstruck when she came to intenSati yesterday and I was even more thrilled when she agreed to give me a quote for my book! What a great day! I know you’ll love it.

The next couple of weeks I am continuing on the theme of, “There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way”  The new series is all about you.

If you want to increase the amount of joy in your life it has to begin with the way you love, treat and honor yourself. If you are reaching outside of yourself for people, things, food, drugs, alcohol or the job to be your source of joy, you will be at the mercy of circumstance. Real power comes when you realize you can feel that joy for no reason at all.

There are always things to complain about and there are just as many things to appreciate and love. Being negative is so much easier than being positive so you have to have discipline and practice.  Here is a great way to practice…bragging.

Learn to brag about yourself.  When someone asks you “what’s new”.  Don’t settle to just say, “fine”.  Tell them something that is really great about your life and yourself.  This will help you keep the joy and appreciation alive and it will give the other person the opportunity to brag about their life. Encourage them to tell you what great things they are experiencing.

When you look in the mirror, tell yourself how great you are looking today.  Find some thing to focus on that is worthy of a compliment.  This may not be easy but unless you make an effort you will let that negative voice take charge.  Every time you let the negative voice take charge you are sacrificing your joy! Instead, sacrifice the negative voice so the joy can continue to grow!

“Joy is your natural state. It makes you smarter, younger, more intuitive and healthier. It is the path to healing, enhances your immunity and changes your metabolism.  Joy creates success not the other way around” Dr. Northup
Instead of sacrificing your natural joyful state, fuel it by bragging, giving compliments to yourself and to others.  It is a small but powerful way to find your way back to your natural state!

Love,
Patricia

I have read this and it gives me pause to think.  Our culture in itself tells us that we are not worthy of joy and of pride in ourselves.  Especially raised as a Southern Appalachian Woman, I have been trained to make less of myself, and to put myself as a far second (or even further down the list) to everyone and everything else.  What is even worse is the stress we are trained under to be perfect.  If we fail in being perfect to EVERYONES estimation we fail not only ourselves, but our family and friends as well.  We and our culture set ourselves up for unhappiness and the lack of Joy.

One of my biggest issues is my self esteem and beating my self up over all of my failings and slip ups, for today however, I am resolving to choose JOY.

Blessings,

Ginger/Gellis