Finding the ability to experience Joy

[coolcat]

Hope this helps guys and gets you thinking.

The world is filled with small and large things that can bring pleasure. The ability to feel joy,even iflong absent from one's life can be developed.

try noticing one small thing each day that brings you a little more joy(even the tiniest bit, especially if you are struggling at first)than you experience durning other moments. Write it down.

Think about what you noticed in the above exercise that brought that joy. Is there a way to make that part of of your day each day?

If so,do you want to do that for yourself?

What brings you joy? Even a little bit? How can you put more joy in your life? What would be the smallest sign? Do you want to do that again? What will happen if you continue to do this?

What would need to happen to have these experiences in your life more ofter?

What causes the experiences or moments in the list of above to be different(even alittle bit) than the other experiences in your daily life? what enhances them?

Are there things you want to do more of in order to enhance these moments? Are there things you like to do less of? What would be the end result of doing this over days, weeks, months, years?

If you like the imagined result, you are on the right track. If not, what would you like add, subtract or change?

What is the first step,one small enough that it is not too intimidating to try today?

Hope it helps. Take care of yourself and each other.

 

[Mike Church]

Hey brother it is refreshing to see something like your post. Too often we ignore and that does not help.

P.S. You ever fished for Winnipeg Golden Eye
I spent some time in gods country otherwise know as SHILO

 

[Brayton]

Yes, it is good to be reminded that along with the sadness, pain and anger we also have access to joy, contentment and satisfaction.

I am made up of many parts. There is a part or parts that were deeply injured and the emotions that are part of that will probably continue for the rest of my life.

There are other parts, however, that got shoved to the back. Those include compassion, creativity and joy.

I believe, like you say, that these parts can be deliberately practiced, excersized so that they can finally grow and thrive.

I used to think that I was looking for a cure. Now, I have begun to think that what I am working towards is balance. I think for me that that is the form that recovery will take.

I will learn to accept the pain, sadness and anger having to do with what was done to me. Those are the right responses to that and, as such, will always be a part of me. Learning boundaries for inappropriate behavior is different than suppressing appropriate feelings.

I will also defy my abusers by concentrating now on developing all those good, positive feelings that they sought to undermine, stunt, and bury.

 

[phoster]

i'm fighting very hard to find that joy again. i'll try anything once, so i'll try your suggestions. thanks for an inspiring post, at the end of a very dark period for me.