Finding joy (an experiment!)

“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” – Annie Dillard

JOY: an original mixed media painting. A reminder that simple moments can provide us quiet joy.

Over the past few days I’ve been thinking about finding joy. 

I have a tendency to always be five steps ahead of myself. This may be a productive way to live, but I find that if I’m not careful, I miss the opportunity to truly experience joy.

I’m sure we’ve all heard at one point or another to live in the moment. To stay present.

How many of us would love to live a life where staying present is possible in each and every moment? I know I would!

And yet, generally this is not possible.

So what to do?

I tried an experiment this weekend, motivated by this Annie Dillard quote – how we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. 

The experiment consisted of tuning in to small moments of joy so that I could acknowledge them as they happened and so I could stay in those moments until they passed. There was no judgment about how long each moment lasted or if I reverted back to my go-go-go mentality afterwards. I wanted a simple appreciation that the joy existed in the first place, and that I could live there for a few moments each day.

Here’s how I’ve been experiencing joy this past week:

• Reading my novel for a few minutes before bed. Do we have any other book lovers here? I adore reading novels, and yet no longer prioritize reading. I realized I haven’t been reading because I don’t have 2-3 hour blocks of time to get lost in my book these days. Instead, I have 20 minutes in bed before I can’t keep my eyes open anymore. So, I’ve been reading for 20 minutes each night and it’s been glorious.

What I’m currently reading. Joyce Carol Oates is my FAVORITE author.

• Allowing myself a few minutes throughout the day to pet our cats when they come up to me wanting attention. Sometimes I look at them sleeping, or purring, and I think: I’ve got nothing to do today but smile (Paul Simon).
• Making dinner with Eric, which gives us time to catch up after the work day.
• Walking in the sun. I only had time to take a 10 minute walk outside over the weekend, but the sun was warm and the trees are turning beautiful shades of red and orange and I felt my spirits lift almost immediately. 

These leaves feel like little treasures

• Connecting with friends. A dear friend and I have a weekly phone date to catch up on each other’s lives. In this world of computers, there’s nothing quite like hearing someone’s voice.

And what did I learn? All of these joy-moments require me to focus on one thing, instead of many. They require me to focus on someone else, or to feel the strength of one sensation, whether that be love or warmth.

Essentially, they are the moments when my life feels simple.

I want to invite more simplicity back into my life. This acknowledgement feels like a good start: that there is joy in my life and it’s my choice to recognize it each and every day.

If you have ever done a similar joy experiment, I’d love to hear what you discovered. How do you keep joy present in your life?

Here’s to happiness and simple, quiet moments,

xo,