Step #4 Be an Encourager

 In the 7 steps to finding your joy, sometimes this can be the easiest or the hardest. 

Being an encourager makes you not think about your situation for a minute so you can encourage others. Sometimes we want to not look at our own situation so we deflect it by throwing encouragement elsewhere. Thats okay, but you have to be careful that you are not avoiding something. You can't be an effective long-term encourager if you aren't filled with encouragement. 

You have to make sure you are encouraging others because you are so filled with encouragement it is literally spilling over. Read that again.....not so easy during this time is it.  I have been struggling with it myself. In order for me to do this, it requires that I take care of myself first. It has always been that way. The more I am taken care of, the better I can take care of those around me. So, how do I do that?

I post a pampering Sunday video on one of my pages. It makes me think about how I am taking care of me. This week, it's drinking a hot beverage. In my case, tea. I choose my tea carefully, I have a special cup I drink it from, I savor the smell as the tea steeps, I wrap my hand around the warm cup, and I give thanks for the quiet time I have to recharge. Even 5 minutes will do a soul some good. 

So, I encourage you to fill up, in whatever way you can by taking a few minutes or even an hour to re-charge yourself so you can be an encourager to others. 

Here are my Joys for the week ending 11/28

1. A short week at school. We all needed the break.

2. Having some wonderful conversation with my colleagues at work Tuesday.

3. Preparing Thanksgiving dinner.(Really Mark did A lot of it, I'm so lucky)

4. A quiet Thanksgiving day

5. Having tea before I get ready for this week at school

#findyourjoy

Step #3- Find Your Community

 Step #3 in finding your joy is to find your community. When we have trouble finding joy, we need a trusted group of like-minded people who can help us and lift us up when we need it. Then we can continue on our journey to finding joy.

Sadly, since I went through these steps the last time, I feel like my community has decreased slightly, and that is ok. It's really nothing I've done, or anyone else has, it's just how life works. People come in and out of your life at different moments. It's up to you to recognize that and be okay with it(I'm still working on that one). 

I do have constants that have been there all along, and that is good too. 

However you find them....just do it. Find your community of people who will be there when you need help and lifting up.

Here are my Joys for the week ending 11/21:

1. Nate subbed all week in the middle school, it was nice to ride to work with him

2. I have some dear friends who are retiring VERY soon. It spurs me on to keep my financial goals intact so I can retire someday

3. Saw Escape to Margeritaville this weekend. Not a great plot but it didn't matter because the music was FUN!

4. House and animal sat for Paige and Jared. It was a nice little get away.

5. Super deep cleaned the bathroom. It is so nice to have a clean bathroom!

Step #2- Tell Your Story

 Step #2 of Finding your joy is to tell your story. Say it out loud! When you say it out loud, then YOU hear it. Sometimes we keep things in, and then we don't deal with them. We keep bad things in, but we can also keep good things in too. 

Now, this doesn't mean you have to shout it from the rooftops(unless you want to), but even writing it down so you can re-read it, or to tell a trusted friend is a good place to start.

As you are telling your story, really pay attention to it. I bet you will find things that you have overcome, become stronger for having gone through, and you may find a lot of joys. 

If you do choose to write it down, don't go back and analyze it, just let it be. It is your story. All of it. The good, the bad, the sadness, the joy. It's YOUR story. So it is important. It is valuable. 

In fact, you might even have an opportunity to share it with someone who needs to hear it. If you have written it down, or told it already, you will be ready for when that opportunity comes around. 

Let's recap:

 Step#1- Only YOU can find your joy

Step #2 Tell your story

Here are my joys ending the week of November 14th:

1. We are putting a small choir together for church to sing on special occasions (it's nice to sing with Mark and Nate)

2. It was a 4-day week at school

3. We had Thursday off to honor our Veterans(thank you for your service)

4. My balancing my budget goals are going pretty well (it's a marathon, not a sprint!)

5. It was a good weekend to stay in, have soup, and snuggle!

#findyourjoy

Step #1

 For the next 7 weeks, I am going to highlight my 7 steps to finding your joy. I figure it's a good time to do this. I know I am already feeling anxious about the holidays. I'm busier than last year, and things are still different too. I need the reminder of finding my joy and thought maybe some of you do too.

Here we go!

Step #1- Only YOU can find your joy.

No one can find it for you. Honestly, it can be hard work. Really hard, but it is worth it. My hope for myself and you is that we can find deep down joys. The ones that really resonate with you deep in your soul. The ones that aren't fleeting. They are always there, but we can't always tap into them or recognize them. Other"stuff" prevents it sometimes. Busyness, sadness, being overwhelmed, or negativity can cloud our ability to get to those deep down joys. That is when you need to find the "surface" joys. They are just as important. 

You may be thinking, "Kim, I have no idea what the difference is between a "surface" joy and a deep down joy. " Let me give you an example:

Having my husband Mark in my life is a deep down joy. When I am upset with him because he didn't do something I asked him too, or I direct my anger toward him when he had nothing to do with my frustration, I can't find my joy that I have in him. He is a deep down joy though, because he lovingly corrects me and I find my joy again. It's always there, it's a constant. 

A "surface" joy is something quick and maybe temporary that reignites your joy spark. Things like sunshine, or birds singing. We need those joys. They have a purpose too. They are easier to find, and a good place to start. 

The key is YOU have to do the work. I can't say to you"hey, hear that bird, Doesn't that give you joy?" I mean I could, and would if you were really having trouble finding a specific joy, but it's better if YOU find it.

So, do some work this week at finding joys.... surface and deep down ones. You'll know if you are doing it when you start to notice people who aren't! 

I hope you can #findyourjoy this week!

here are my joys for the week ending 11/7:

1. A wonderful All Saints Sunday service

2. A fun Vendor show Saturday

3. Meeting with our financial advisor, I am so thankful for her.

4. Being able to have worked with and known Penny Rutledge. What a sweet and talented lady. 

5. Being able to share a classroom with Donna