Joy writing

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    vivian chen

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    Every month I meet up with a group of colleagues in a support group of sorts. One meeting last year, we all found ourselves feeling low, dejected, frustrated. I challenged us to start looking for moments of joy and recording it in a journal–a spin on gratitude journaling. We even made a pact to share with each other every day for a week. Well, it lasted about three days and one after another we started to forget and guiltily stopped texting. The next month I brought it up, but no one was motivated to start it up again. Fine.

    Last night my stepson shared that he does do a gratitude journal each day. This has inspired me to start my joy writing again. I will be my own accountability partner this time. Let’s see how it goes.

    Joyful moments from the weekend:
    1. Birthday dinner for my hubs with the kids.

    2. Traipsing through the rain after dance class.

    3. Dancing to Beyonce’s Texas Hold ‘Em.

    8 responses to “Joy writing”

    1. arjeha Avatar
      arjeha

      I like the idea of a gratitude journal. So often we get bogged down by the bad things that happen that we forget about the good in our lives. This is a way to remind ourselves that good things do happen in our lives.

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    2. peacelovecarrie Avatar
      peacelovecarrie

      It seems there’s an ebb and flow to gratitude journaling. I do it consistently for awhile, grow content, stop journaling, grow discontented with my world again, start again… And I’ve done joy too. Noticing the things that give joy and that which I can choose to be grateful for, changes me in a good way and I like it when I do it. Being your own accountability partner allows you the freedom to pick it up again whenever you stop and need to motivate to start again. I mean, why not just start again, you’re free.

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    3. Trish Avatar
      Trish

      I love this and laughed out loud at the photo of rain dancing! We should all be doing this as a daily thing. You just gave me joy!

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    4. NYOCW Avatar
      NYOCW

      This video! Thanks so much for sharing. What a fun way to exercise. I love everything about this–the song, the energy, the dance, and the smiles at the end of the song. You just gave me a wave of gratitude. First smile du jour.

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    5. chuizar Avatar
      chuizar

      I am like your group. Excited. Forgetful. Then shameful and embarrassed. I love that it was the younger folks, your son, that motivated you to restart. You are motivating me to give in another try. Thanks!

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    6. Glenda Funk Avatar
      Glenda Funk

      Vivian,

      The joy shines in the videos. I love seeing your smiling and laughing face, and I want to learn that dance. Is there a video tutorial somewhere? I’m gonna search for one. I started my blog in 2010 as a way to find joy in teaching at a difficult time in my career. I wanted to focus on the good. As I’m sure you know, that’s not always easy. I still approach blogging that way most of the time, and practices like yoga and writing poetry, and spinning help, even though I’m a news junky constantly immersed in the detritus of the political world. In many ways I’m a more hopeful person than I was 40 years ago.

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    7. edifiedlistener Avatar
      edifiedlistener

      Seeking joy or naming things we’re grateful for or just finding some outlet for our busy brains makes so much sense. Thanks for adding the images and video! That choreography is awesome! Well done!

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    8. cmhutter Avatar
      cmhutter

      So glad you are starting your gratitude journal again. I have been doing it for over 5 years now. I do think it makes you more aware of small joys through ordinary days. I write down 1 sentence each morning about the day before. I really loved that traipsing through the rain was something you were grateful for. I love walking in the rain.

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