Joy...

It's no mystery...I haven't quite been myself lately. A lot of things have been going on that I will not begin to boar you with, but suffice it to say, I've been having a little trouble finding the joy in my life. In an interesting coincidence, a book showed up on my doorstep for me to preview for a book club that has gone belly up. (In a side note...I must now pay for the book...it doesn't seem right to keep it now. I wasn't even going to open it, but curiosity...well, you know.) Anyway, the book is called "Toss the Guilt and Catch the Joy...A Woman's Guide to a Better Life" by Merrilee Boyack and being in the state of mind that I am, I just had to start reading it. So far, so good, but I really wanted to share this thought that Merrilee shared in her book.

Happiness is:

Courageously doing what you want to do, even if you are scared.
Experiencing your life as an exciting journey.
Stimulating your maind and caring for your body.
Realizing that you already have everything you need to make yourself happy.
Knowing that you are the only one who can decide what is right or wrong for you.
Accepting that you are okay even when you blunder and learn from your mistakes.
Knowing that what people say or do is a reflection of them not you.
Listening to your inner wisdom.
Giving and receiving love unconditionally.
-Anonymous

she then goes on to say...
"We can choose to be happy and to have a joyful life right now, but too many of us have let the joy in our lives be snuffed out because we are concentrating too much on the perfection list."

Isn't that the truth? Sometimes we try so hard to attain our impossible idea of perfection that we forget to look at how blessed we are and how wonderful it is that we have the ability to choose joy. The late President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gordon B. Hinckley said, "In all living have much of fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured." To that I say..AMEN!

Go find some joy this week!