As the new Year begins, we often sit down making lists or what we want to accomplish, weight we want to lose, jobs we would like to have money we want to make, and yet very little is spent on Finding Joy!
Desmond Tutu and The Dalai Lama sat down together for a week and the essence of their conversations may be discovered in their new book – The Book of JOY. Like layers of a birthday cake these great men ask hard questions.
“Is it possible to be joyful in the face of daily troubles — from frustration of morning traffic, to the fear of not being able to provide for loved ones, from anger to those who have wronged us to the grief of the loss of those that have dies or who are informed. They ask can we experience joy even when others are suffering?
The second part is really an explication of the current science of joy and the qualities they see are essential for lasting happiness. In short the joining off science and spirituality. The third layer is the stories of connection that we weave together.
What do we mean when we say the word joy? — a state of bliss of gaiety of discovering happiness in sorrow, happiness in happiness. As a behavioral science expert, I think back to Erik Erikson when he speaks of Ego Integrity — as the last stage of development that we are able to reconcile that somehow life is ok , and that the quality that emerges from a positive resolution of ones life experience is as Erikson (1982) defines as wisdom kind of “informed and detached concern with life itself in the face of death itself” (p. 61). In as ease to embrace ego integrity one also has to work on embracing joy .
This year, I invite you to find joy in both your personal and professional lives
Surely the work all of us do in the behavioral health field is designed to help others transcend their misery. Surely the behavioral health field is both an art and a science. So perhaps the next time a client asks us to help. We might just say, we are happy to help you find a solution. We are honored to help you on your path to joy.
I thought about myself and what goals I was setting for the New Year and then said, I am not setting goals as invariably those fall by the way side. I am intent on Finding Joy.
On a personal level what does that mean for me? To be present for my family: my husband, my children, my beautiful grandchildren — and to relish the experiences I never had and now am so fortunate to experience.
- To embrace each day with a grateful list .
- To take care of my body thru exercise and food and to nourish my soul with friends, collaborators and clients.
- To Travel to Buthan and Katmandu- on a spiritual journey
- To take the good with the challenging
And Professionally
- To Continue to help Families by working with them — by writing, speaking on the national circuit and creating a world class family program
- To know that even in failure (an arbitrary word )there is success.
- To continue to be open to learning and to serve when wanted as a teacher and student.
Let me know — how you are FINDING JOY?
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