Happy May!
May is the official unofficial beginning of summer, graduation season, and the beginning of the wedding season…. New beginnings.
I am very much looking forward to this month. This year has been pretty hectic, pretty transformative, and pretty good so far.
During the winter it's easy for me to focus on just doing the necessities, getting back to the home and soon as possible and hunkering down - I have no energy for anything extra! But now that
May has arrived, it's a different story.
I plan to use this month to focus on being truly joyful. Maybe it’s the weather, or the flowers but I am letting the sun shine all over my life and nurturing the things that give me joy. And I really mean Nurture. I’ve learned that if you don’t actively nurture your joy, it can shrivel up and life can start to feel gray and bland even if nothing is actually going wrong. But to have a life that is blooming in joy, while total worth it, can take a little effort.
The first thing is finding out what gives you joy. This is the planting part. Get out and experient, try new thing, smell the roses until you find your favorite scent. Then figure out how to work that into your life or routine. It can be personal like trying some new art classes, or romantic like spicing up date night, or even getting back into the dating market at all. Even in work life, is there a skill you want to build or project that seems interesting that you can move onto? Go for any and all of it!
Next comes the pruning. It's time to cut out those things that are dampen our joy. Sometimes I know right away what is the thorn in my side to be removed, but other times it can be more subtle. Things that once gave me joy no longer do as I grow and evolve. Let’s take stock and be really honest with ourselves this month and let go of what doesn’t give us true joy. Plus, all those new things I mentioned trying? Everything won’t be a good fit so don’t be afraid to let it go and move on.
Lastly, and most importantly - it's time to water your joy! Give yourself over to the things (and people!) who give you joy. Continue to make time for it and keep the plans that you make for your “joy time”, not letting the more mundane necessities interrupt. Those things have their own time, and doing them will feel less mundane with a joyful heart. So water all the things that give you joy with time, energy, and attention. What is fed is what grows, so use this month to nurture your joy!
I want to hear from you on what gives you joy! Whether it's something new you are trying or something old you are committing to make more time for, let me know so I can share in your joy!
If you like my Insights of Success blog post, could you please share it? Post on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or simply share the article with a fellow colleague who needs some help. I’m on a mission to help more women be successful, and it starts with exactly this kind of knowledge. -Jackie
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