A Ten-Minute Activity
This activity helps you get in touch with what truly gives you joy in life. It asks you, just for a moment, to imagine you are blissfully happy and feeling true joy – free of all cares and worry. You can’t help but smile (within or without) and you feel relaxed and at peace with yourself and the world. You may even feel a glow from within and spaciousness in your heart.
Instructions
- Allow yourself 10 minutes or so of quiet time to write your answers.
- Take 3 deep breaths to calm, center, and focus yourself. Count to 5 on the inhale and 5 on the exhale.
- Begin. Don’t analyze. Just write.
- Feel free to add extra ideas to your list that come up for you in the days and weeks ahead.
Helpful Tips
Think back to your childhood – what were you doing when you were most happy?
What are the things that you can lose track of time while doing them?
What things make you feel energized, lighter, and freer after doing them? Sure, this can include spending time with friends or family, but it can even include things that some dread or procrastinate about: exercise, cleaning, paying taxes!
Consider your 5 senses: sight, hearing, touch/feeling, smell, and taste and try to come up with one “joy” for each sense.
Some examples include watching the sun set, playing or spending time with the children or animals in your life, hiking a mountain, cooking, watching the world go by out your window, telling someone you love them, feeling the ocean spray on your face, fresh sheets on the bed, listening or dancing to your favorite music… or something completely different. The things you write down will be unique to you.
Now answer the question: What are my top 10 joys in life? What makes my heart sing and make me feel most alive?
Afterward
Reflect: What do you notice as you look at your list? What common themes, powerful messages or surprises can you see?
How can you bring some of these ideas into your present life? Write down one specific action you will take to bring more joy into your life. When will you do it?
Know that this is a living document and you can build on it and expand it as time goes on.
As you start integrating these moments of joy into your life, you may notice that they build upon themselves. Paying attention to what lights you up is the first step in creating your vision for the life you truly desire.