Honestly, when was the last time you did something that brought you great joy? That made your heart sing? That was so exhilarating it made you feel alive on every level - mind, body and soul?
If only I had known back then, what I know now: taking time out to recharge, rejuvenate and restore - to find our JOY - make us MORE productive, motivated and focused. Life is about balance, yin and yang, ups and downs. If we're always ON and go-go-go then we are too much in our masculine energy and we need to learn to soften, let go and go with the flow. We need to nurture our feminine side to balance the two energies and to find the joy in the simple things.
Finding our joy isn't always easy though, especially in the times of a pandemic. So where do we begin? I always ask my clients what they enJOYed doing as a child? What were their hobbies? What could you spend hourssss doing without noticing the time or feeling bored? For me, it was dancing, being in the sun, spending time with my pets and going to the beach. I also loved tidying, decorating and re-arranging my bedroom (no wonder I am obsessed with interior styling!).
10 ways to soften into your feminine and follow your joy:
Dance, sing (in the shower counts!) or join a drama school/acting club - like Madonna said, "Express yourself"!!!
Be creative. Paint, draw, sketch, get into arts and crafts, pottery.
Be in nature, go for a hike, dive into the ocean, sit or lie on the grass and read a book
Hug a partner, pet, child, friend
Bake or cook. Get in the kitchen, roll up your sleeves, and get your hands dirty. Find a recipe you've been wanting to try or create your own delicious seasonal salad or soup.
Take a magnesium or epsom salt bath. Add some essential oils to suit, calm or elevate your mood, light a candle, sip a herbal tea and listen to your favourite music or a podcast.
Enjoy aromatherapy and diffuse uplifting or heart-opening blends such as grapefruit, orange, rose, ylang ylang, jasmine, bergamot and neroli - I like to diffuse oils while working from my home office.
Watch a good comedy or rom com with your besties (and a good block of dark dairy-free chocolate, such as Green & Black's or Pana Chocolate)
Seek travel and adventure. Obviously this one is a bit hard right now! But we can explore our own backyards! Go camping, explore a rural town, find a new healthy cafe to explore, go to a beach or conservation park you've never been to before
Rest. Put your feet up, even if for 10-15 minutes, and read a good book, meditate, listen to a podcast (currently listening to Jay Shetty, Connie Chapman and Melissa Ambrosini on repeat) or take a power nap. I don't know about you, but I'm always happier once I'm well rested.
Follow your joy EVERYDAY. Do something that makes you smile and your heart sing. Take time out to recharge and replenish the mental reserves. It's ok and it's healthy. We're meant to enjoy life, not struggle through each and every moment. So, what will you do today to inject more joy, more fun into your life?
