I had the most joyous day out with my friends and their children in the forest the other day. The clouds were thick and fluffy, the sun was still warm and puddles dotted our well trodden path. There was a joy radiating from the kids as they jumped into the puddles, they screamed and squealed with delight as the water splashed around them. It was infectious and so glorious to watch and to see such freedom and pure happiness radiating from them.
The sun light was dappled by the trees and as we walked on we came across red mushrooms dotted with white spots that looked like they belonged in a fairy tale. It was such a beautiful day and one that made me think when do we turn from the wide eyed child throwing ourselves head first into things to the serious grown-up aware of ourselves and our consequences.
Is it possible we can get to a point where we can balance ourselves out to enjoy both sides, to embrace all that adulthood brings us but still feel like we can our embrace our more free spirited inner child and do things on a whim and not be so self aware.
It’s a tricky balance and one I think I have been seesawing between for years. So many people have said that I have become a different person this year which I agree as I have been through quite a transformational time. I feel freer, I’m not sure if this version of me was always there, but it was compressed and hidden and only recently its been released with a lot of work and self reflection. I think slowly being less self conscious and happy has a played a large part in this and my desire to experience joy.
As this transformation has been happening I also found I was remembering a lot more things and memories from childhood. It’s almost as if by allowing creativity back in my life in a big way this year it’s pulled back all these memories and it’s brought me back to things I greatly enjoyed as a child. I don’t think I have ever read more this year than I have in a long time, I’ve brought books, read poetry, written and experienced feeling happy in the moment. It’s allowed me to be more open and enjoy the simple things in life which I often overlooked as an adult.
Of course there are some days where you end up doing ‘adulting’ tasks that seem grown up or purposeful. For example during this week I got petrol, my car washed, cleaned my bathroom and did some life admin. It’s funny how sometimes when you do these tasks it makes it you feel more like an adult for some reason. I don’t know if it’s because you are doing tasks that create a sense of accomplishment or because it feels like you are ticking a box of adult things that you could not have done as a child. It does feel nice when you do these things as ultimately you have control over them.
Maybe its to do with control, as adults we realise to a certain extent we have control but other times we have no control and so doing these types of tasks helps us in this adult world. Whereas when you are a child you have very little you can control. It’s human nature to evolve and it’s always fascinating to see how this changes when a number of new factors emerge such as age and maturity.
But there are days when all I want to do is ignore any responsibilities and just completely surrender myself to my desire to do something that is truly in my heart. We sprinkle things into our life that bring us joy and sometimes this includes things that we enjoyed in our childhood.
Joy is a powerful emotion and maybe it’s more about seeking something that brings us closer to this to help us mentally or physically. It brings a lightness and a feeling of contentment. We have to treat ourselves with kindness and listen to our inner voice. Like jumping in a puddle, having a swing on swing set in the park or losing yourself in an environment that brings you joy.
We have to abandon the awareness of our self and just jump in. We can find sparks of joy in our everyday life, from a cup of tea, a film, going to the seaside and embracing the little things that make us feel happy or enjoyment. Maybe that is the key, being truly open to a desire and taking the time to do something just because we can.
‘Joy looks different to each person and can be found in everyday situations. Some people find joy in caring for others, spiritual connections, spending time in nature or continually learning. Other people discover joy in different activities, relationships or personal empowerment.’
https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/tips-for-embracing-joy-in-daily-life
What brings you joy? Is is something from childhood that you like to do now? Or is it something you discovered on your life journey? Is is something you turn to when you know you need to give yourself compassion?