Make 2021 About Joy
Make 2021 About Joy
It is a new year (finally! right?). Last year was a doozy and one many of us are happy to leave behind—bury the hatchet, so to speak. With all that we have been through the past few months, you may feel like it is time to make some positive changes—to make this year about joy. But how?
How can you find joy within yourself and your life? How can you move forward with a positive mindset? How can you make changes for the better? Here are a few tips to help get you started:
Make self-care part of your routine
It can be so easy to lose ourselves and get buried in stress, the daily grind, and mounting to-do lists that we often forget about self-care. Change that this year. Make 2021 the year of taking care of you —whatever that may look like. Maybe it is carving out some time each week to meet with friends or do a virtual book club. Maybe you want to focus more on your mental health and set up regular meetings with a counselor or therapist. Perhaps it is a daily exercise routine or a few minutes of mediation. Or, maybe you want to focus more on your physical health with healthier eating habits, less alcohol or caffeine consumption, or getting more sleep. All of these things can help you to feel better and discover greater joy in your daily life.
Appreciate the little things
There is so much joy all around us on any given day, yet we are often so consumed by technology or worrying about what is coming next that we fail to soak it up. This year try to be more mindful. Take in what is happening in the moment. Embrace your child, take a moment to appreciate the weather, play with a pet, cuddle with a significant other, drink your morning coffee in peace, practice gratitude. Train your brain to recognize all the beauty around you and, I promise, you will feel the joy.
Let go
How many of us get stuck ruminating over past events or tomorrow’s schedule? A lot (me included!). This year instead of worrying about all the things, let them go. Take things a day at a time. It isn’t doing anyone any good to worry about what is going to happen in a day, a week, a year, etc. and it is definitely not helping to worry about things in the past. Forgive and move on. It may be difficult to do but you will find that very thing can bring you joy.
Flush out toxicity
We all have toxic people, places, or things in our lives. Things that do us no good. We attend events we don’t enjoy. We spend time with people who bring us down and make us feel bad about ourselves. We have things in our homes that cause us stress. We may even participate in hobbies that we actually despise. The tip is simple: if it doesn’t bring you joy, get rid of it. Don’t attend things that make you feel bad, don’t stare at that ugly basket your Aunt Sally gave you for Christmas if you actually hate it, don’t hang out with that person who brings you down. Life is too short to waste energy on these things.
Eliminate negativity
Negativity is all around us. It is on the news, social media, in conversations with others, and our inner dialogues with ourselves. Flip the switch in 2021 and develop a positive mentality. You are beautiful, you are strong, celebrate all the positive qualities you have. Turn off the news, disconnect from social media if it is bringing you down. And, as the tip above suggests, avoid toxic people and toxic conversations.
Take baby steps
As with any life change, even the most positive, things can feel overwhelming. Maybe you want to make changes but you don’t know where to begin. That’s ok. Take baby steps. Strive to make a small change each day, ultimately leading to a bigger one. Life is fluid. We are always growing and evolving as people. For example, set your alarm a half-hour early so you can do some light yoga and moving meditation or go to bed a half-hour early a couple of nights a week. Maybe schedule a virtual consultation with a counseling office to begin your mental health journey. Or, plan one night a week to chat with friends. It doesn’t have to happen overnight.
Get help
If you are struggling with finding joy in your life or making positive changes, get help. Mental health professionals, licensed counselors and therapists, can help you develop a plan that fits your lifestyle. You don’t have to go through this journey on your own. At Whole Journey, we can help and we want to. Life is too precious and beautiful to not be enjoyed.
Ready to begin counseling in Virginia?
Whole Journey works with clients throughout the state of Virginia and North Carolina via our online and telehealth counseling platforms. We see clients in-person at our Chesapeake office. Our counselors are professionally trained in helping people to live healthier, happier lives. We want to see you thrive. Call our office at 757-296-0800 to schedule an appointment.
