Joyful Things

Personally, I have been one to spend a lot of my time living for others, instead of myself. How miserable! Right? Right. So, I took the time to ask myself one day, what was stopping me from truly living. I then took a moment to truly think about what I had just asked myself, instead of responding with the easiest answer. Let me say, the answer I came up with was probably the realest I've been with myself...ever. Still, the fact that I was able to be honest with myself and also realize how mentally draining it was to live a life where I made decisions based on other people's happiness instead of my own, was life changing.

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Let's talk about the importance of living a life that brings you JOY.

When you find yourself doing the things you are called to do, it brings you an unexplainable peace. Everyone has completely different life experiences. My journey is much different from the next persons, as theirs is much different from mine. Speaking from my own journey, I've never experienced more peace and happiness in my life, than I have when I started setting boundaries and choosing to make decisions for myself. This is probably where some people may say it's selfish. I disagree.

Consider, whenever our time comes to where we must leave this earth, and you have spent your time here, doing or not doing for the happiness of others, will you feel successful in what you have accomplished? Not going to school for what you want because you're going for what your family wants you to go for. Not starting the business you want because you've allowed others (mainly family and friends) to plant a seed of doubt in you that you will not succeed at it.

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Allow yourself to flourish. In order to reach your

full potential you have to become the "selfish" every one speaks of when it comes to self care. Be selfish about accomplishments and achieving your dreams. And be damn proud about it too.

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We allow so much of what we want to accomplish deteriorate with every passing judgement we allow to get into our minds. The moment you take back your power of saying "NO" and proceeding in doing what will elevate you, you win peace. You win happiness. I can not imagine leaving this world, full of unfulfilled dreams and aspirations that I never went after because I was too busy doing what everyone else wanted of me.

The calling to become something much greater than the current version of yourself though, that is what God wants for you. That is all you need. Let your focus be that life of happiness that you wish to acquire. Once you allow yourself to step into who God has called you to be, everything you've imagined times 100 is what you can expect. What you can not expect though, is to live for others and still acquire the happiness you wished to achieve had you lived for yourself.

With love,

Yanni Jay