Good Plain Joy

Good Plain Joy!

By Tess Whitehurst

As a feng shui consultant and inspirational writer and speaker, I talk a lot about getting into a positive state of mind so that we can manifest the desires of our hearts. Not just accepting what is, but adoring it! Not just being in the moment, but being in the joy of the moment.

In the midst of so much fear and seeming insecurity in the world, why don't we try creating some good plain joy for it's own sake? After all, what else is there, really? Isn't that why we wanted the job, or the date, or the raise in the first place, so we could spend our precious time on earth experiencing that most beautiful of emotions: joy? And while working toward our goals and desires can be a joyful pastime, the only time that we have to truly experience joy is, of course, the only time there is: NOW.

Joy Activator #1: Clear Your Clutter

Do you remember how in the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding the dad swore that Windex was the master cure and solution for all illnesses and problems? I am like that about clutter clearing. Only clutter clearing really is the master cure and solution for all problems. And besides, it's coming up on springtime! So, get out the compostable trash bags and get clearing. Remember, your external environment mirrors your internal environment and vice versa. And so, to create that feeling of lightness and flow that so characterizes joy, you must let go of the old! No more outfits or pictures that bring you down. No more piles of junk mail or reminders of old failed relationships. Get them out of the house now and create the space for joy! Invest time and energy in this project. Believe me when I say that it will pay very large and joyful dividends.

Joy Activator #2: Speak Kindly to Yourself

For many years I taught dance and gymnastics to young children. I learned very quickly that the only way to help children learn was to praise them profusely. Telling them what was wrong with them was the quickest way to lose their interest and set them up for failure. We are the same way. Of course we will make mistakes! And of course we will be called upon to work through old issues and challenges, sometimes again and again. But it is only when we to speak kindly to ourselves that we make real progress. Not only that, but we will no longer live in fear of our inner critics, and this will free us up to experience the wild joy that kids feel in dance class when they know that they are a success the minute they step up and try! Notice the words you use when you look in the mirror, or the words you use when you coach yourself through a challenging situation, and begin to shift them into positive, loving, and supportive words.

Joy Activator #3: Have Fun

My boyfriend Ted and I love to go camping. Just one night next to the campfire and under the stars immediately reconnects us with our inspiration and our joy. On my own, I love to wander the Huntington Gardens for a few hours, to bliss out on the flowers and fountains and treat my imagination to all those old Shakespeare and Whitman manuscripts. Fun is like sunlight, you can survive without it, but you can't thrive. Inject fun wherever possible. Paint your nails an unexpected color, bake cookies, take a bath, plant a pot full of tulips, watch a funny movie, dance in your underwear, play a game, or call an old friend just to chat. With the busy schedules that are so popular these days, it might be necessary to actually schedule your fun, like you schedule exercise and work activities. But for joy's sake, it must be done!

Tess offers monthly classes and private Feng Shui Therapy Sessions at Indigo Rising. You can also learn more about what she does by visiting her at her website: www.fengshuimama.com