On my walk to the tennis courts last week, I had conversations with my inner critic archetype, Broomfield a/k/a Broomie and inner child/little girl archetype, Puf that helped me face self-care sabotage with JOY!
What a juicy conversation we had that reminded me of how powerful JOY is! Watch my latest video to learn what happened.
How do you define JOY?
What does JOY feel and look like in your life?
For me, JOY is a choice to become aware of and rejoice in the JUICY moments that OPEN YOU up from the inside out. The JUICY moments are filled with goodness. When you can make this choice and appreciate and experience your own JOY, you are able to develop the capacity to rejoice in the goodness of others. That’s called sympathetic joy or mudita. It starts first with you.
Here’s some Thriving Mindfully food for thought. I invite you to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Need help practicing self-care and/or facing your self-care sabotage?
Click the buttons below to get my Thriving Mindfully self-care resources and sign up for Thriving Mindfully Mondays and/or my Thriving Mindfully as an Imperfectionist session for the Thrive@Work Series: How to Thrive at Work During Change and Uncertainty this month.
I’ve been writing and publishing my poetry chapbooks, novel, and memoirs since 1992. It’s wild to think that I have been learning and growing as a poet and author for over 30+ years.
Did you know I have written three mindfulness books that reflect aspects of my life journey?
Click the button below to learn about and purchase them online.
–Love’s Troubadours, a self-love and yoga-inspired novel that is based on some parts of my life and imagination –That Which Awakens Me, a mindful creativity memoir –Digital Sisterhood, a mindful technology memoir
I am currently writing my midlife memoir, Thriving Mindfully as Theresa’s Daughter and working on the release of my debut spoken word album, “Theresa’s Daughter.”
Contact me (ananda@anandaleeke.com) if you or your organization or book club would like me to speak about or facilitate a book discussion about one of my books.
Welcome to Week 3 of the Self-Care Challenge, a four-week experience that invites you to practice and reflect on loving kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity! Each week during the Self-Care Challenge, you are invited to watch a video and participate in an exercise that includes breathing exercises, reflection questions, and journaling. If you missed the first and second weeks, click on the links below.
Week 3 of #ThrivingMindfully Self-Care Challenge: December 18-24
Theme/Video: Joy
Joy is a choice to become aware of and rejoice in the JUICY moments that OPEN YOU up from the inside out. The JUICY moments are filled with goodness. When you can make this choice and appreciate and experience your own JOY, you develop the capacity to rejoice in the goodness of others. That’s called sympathetic joy or mudita. It starts first with you. Remember you are responsible for creating joy in your life. So get to it!
Invitation: Slow down and take three deep breaths. Touch your heart with one or both of your hands as you enter into a moment of stillness.
Take three more deep breaths. Right where you are repeat the first prayer out loud or silently three times: May I embody and express joy for myself.
Take three more deep breaths and repeat the second prayer. May I rejoice in the joy experienced by others. Inhale deeply and as you exhale thank yourself for showing up in the stillness.
Reflection Questions and Journaling Exercise: Take some time this week to reflect on and journal about one or more of the questions below.
1) What does joy mean?
2) What does joy look like in your life?
3) What prevents you from embodying and expressing joy for yourself? and joy for others?
4) What do you want your joy for yourself and joy for others to look like in 2018?
5) How can you add more joy into your daily, weekly, and monthly routines?
Ananda Leeke 