Today is the National Day of Joy!

Yes, while it is a wonderful thing for us to experience joy each and every day, apparently today, June 26th, is the National Day of Joy with a focus upon helping us, "enjoy everyday moments to improve our general well-being." So, what is joy?

According to Psychology Today, "Joy is something one can practice, cultivate, or make a habit. Consequently, joy is most fully understood as a virtue which involves our thoughts, feelings, and actions in response to what matters most in our lives. Thus, joy is an enduring, deep delight in what holds the most significance."

Let's take a look at some of the differences between joy and happiness -

Joy is seeking meaning and purpose in life. Happiness is seeking pleasure and comfort.

Happiness is temporary and lasts for a short duration of time but joy lasted for a long time based on internal conditions.

Joy endures hardship and trials and connects with meaning and purpose. Happiness is finding pleasure in any activity.

A person pursues happiness but chooses joy.

You will find more examples at this link. So, how do we find joy? Consider the following . . . 

• Look for meaning.
• Be present.
• Volunteer - do good for others.
• Connect with nature.
• I have to add, connect with - or reconnect with - God.

You will find more ways to find joy at this link.

So, and National Today says, "Celebrate this day by looking into yourself. Discover the things that bring that warm smile to your face. Then find a way to hold onto it. Give yourself a reason to smile. Everything might not be going well with you recently. We remind you to look deep and find a purely beautiful or joyous moment. Be a source of Joy. Today is also a good day to be the reason for someone's happiness. How fulfilling would it feel to have someone smile just because of you?"

You will find more information about this special day at the following link.