How to Let Your Joy In
Recently it was my partner Kirk’s birthday. In addition to being my life partner, he’s also an amazing practitioner (click here to learn more about his hypnotherapy and coaching services for SDG Heal). Normally, we’d celebrate his birthday with dinner out. But this year, we decided to do something a little differently by getting tickets to the world’s largest bounce house.
A few weeks earlier, my daughter Sofia told us she was going with her husband and some friends. We immediately knew we had to try it too. Kirk said it was one of the best birthdays he’s ever had. Why? Because it reconnected us to joy.
At the beginning of the month, our angel card pull included Willingness, Joy, and Compassion. Remember, our willingness to get outside our comfort zone helps open us up to joy. And when we connect with joy, we expand our capacity for compassion.
This month, I invite you to explore joy in 2 ways:
1. Breathe joy through meditation.
Close your eyes and take slow, round breaths. Allow the breath to breathe you, the eternal you, the you with no beginning and no end. Listen to the sound your breath makes. Allow all of your attention to arrive in this moment.
Look up and inward to the center line of your body, the third eye, the neutral mind. Rest your awareness softly here, just above and behind your eyes. This is your place of calm.
Take in deep, round breaths, allowing them to fully relax you. Imagine a large piece of sheer material drifting down over your entire body. As it does, your head, face, neck, shoulders, arms, chest, back, abdomen, hips, legs, and feet relax even deeper.
From this relaxed state, place your awareness above your body. Notice how your perception shifts as you see yourself from all sides. Let your awareness go higher, like a feather in the breeze drifting skyward.
Once you’re comfortable here, explore your new skill further by taking your attention to a place that brings you joy. What do you notice from this place? Sometimes opening ourselves to joy just takes a shift in perspective.
2. Seek joy outside your comfort zone.
As children, joy comes naturally. But as adults, it can be more difficult to access beneath the weight of our responsibilities. This month, be willing to do something new, playful, or even silly. Whether it’s laughter, creativity, or movement, give yourself permission to fully feel your joy.
It all starts with your breath.