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Photo by intimaj

 
There is a park a few minutes from my house with a little pond and a bench.  I first saw this place about 9 years ago and told myself that I would sit on that bench one of these days.  Driving back from work one day I finally decided to stop by and just sit, and I’m glad I did.  On that day the sun was out and the sky was so blue.  The newly cut grass had that fresh, comforting smell.  The breeze was just right and felt nice.  There were ducks on the pond that day and they were waddling around.  The ripples that they made in the water had a calming, almost hypnotic quality to them.  And as I sat there taking it all in I felt calm, relaxed, and happy.  It was a simple moment for sure, but the feeling of contentment was undeniable.  This was the feeling of happiness in the moment, the joy of now.

We live in a world of excess filled with instant-gratification, where style takes the spotlight from substance.  A society where we tend to get caught up in career building and wealth accumulation that we tend to forget the simple things in life that can bring us happiness and contentment - the joy of now.  Here are a few things you can do to get to that place:

  • Spontaneity is your friend: Shake things up once in a while.  Not only is it fun, it’s the cure for ruttification.
  • Cut through the noise: You will think of a lot of different things trough the course of the day, most of it will just be fluff ( I blame it on our ever decreasing attention spans ^_^).  So allow yourself a few minutes each day to tune out the chaotic, extraneous noise that is everyday life and focus inward and listen to your inner voice.  You may be surprised at what it tells you :)
  • Be in the moment: No matter how mundane it may be, if you put your entire being into an activity it becomes another experience entirely.  Don’t believe me?  Try it the next time you wash the dishes.  Open yourself to the experience.  The temperature of the water and how it feels against your skin.  How the plates look when the light (natural or artificial) reflects off of it.  The squeaky sound of the sponge on the dish.  The smell of the dish soap…and so on.  The rest of the world just disappears doesn’t it?
  • Give them another chance: Weather it be an object, an event, or a person.  Something (or someone) that you may have dismissed in the past may end up providing you some fun, learning, or both:)
  • Be cautious, but not overly so: There are risks, and there are calculated risks.  Keep track of what you may lose, but do not dwell on it.  Focus on what you may gain instead. 
  • Don’t be afraid to get hurt, and to fail: Easier said than done I know, but very important nonetheless.  How many opportunities have been wasted because you were too scared to try them out?  Regret ain’t pretty my friend.
  • Have an open mind:  My friend J has this motto - “I’m willing to try anything at least once.”  While this mantra may get him in trouble from time to time, it sure ain’t a boring way to live don’t you think?
  • Excess leads to complications, complications lead to unhappiness:  Was what a homeless man’s sign held up in downtown Reno during my last visit there.  It was a very powerful statement, offset only by the sign of the guy standing next to him which read, “I’ll be honest, I need a drink.” ^_^.
  • Be a kid from time to time: The genuine curiosity, the zest for adventure, the high-level energy, and the stinkiness that comes afterward.  Things to look forward to when you unleash your inner child:)
  • Daydream: Contrary to what the name suggests, can also be done at any time regardless of the amount of light present.  Where inspiration and joy intersect.

 

Happy, happy, joy, joy my friend.  Welcome to the joy of now.

Thanks for reading.