Which Lens Are You Looking Through?
I used to think that how I felt was just “the way it was.” As if my moods were some immutable force I had no control over. I was buffeted by my up-and-down emotional state, wondering if tomorrow might be a better day. It dawned on me that all the personal development books I had read might be right. Maybe I could change the way I perceived life and how I felt and reacted. My experiments with those ideas changed my life almost immediately. I suddenly had a choice about how I felt! About how I showed up and how I treated other people. My perspective had shifted. With a shock, I realized I was living in the same world but seeing it through a different, much happier lens.
How to Change Your Lens to Joy
The beginning for me was a twice-daily gratitude practice. At first, it felt like practice, just like practicing guitar as a kid when I didn’t want to. It felt forced, inauthentic, and just a little silly. But then, just like learning chords, it got easier and felt more like the flow of real music. I looked forward to it. I was listening for more music, looking for more joy in my day. Pretty soon it became second nature, and other people could sense the difference.
What To Do With Your Lens of Joy Once You’ve Found It
Being a writer, I wrote. I had gone from feeling like a depressed failure to living in the much higher frequencies of gratitude and joy. Initially, I wrote just for me, to figure out what I was feeling and how to keep that feeling going. Eventually, my writing became a burning desire to share the practices that had brought me back from darkness. I felt driven to get that message into the hands of people who were looking for a change, a new perspective, a new way to experience life.
That desire turned into The Gratitude Connection: Embrace the positive power of thanks. Other authors I work with write about their journey of healing from trauma or illness, discovering positive coping skills, developing new ways to navigate life and business, and even changing their lens through adventure.
If you feel like you need a dose of joy, visit the Author Spotlight to learn about their inspirational stories and how they make a positive impact.
I invite you to find happiness, to shift your perspective so you feel gratitude on a regular basis. And if you feel compelled to impact others in a powerful way with your story, consider unleashing your inner author – let’s talk!
May you live today in joy and happiness, and find a way to spread that joy every day.
* I first heard the term “Lens of Joy” from motivational speaker and new author Lauren Danielle, who learned it from her fabulous coach, Lisa Foster. I’m full of gratitude for both of these powerhouse women who do such good work in the world!
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