A Simple Guide to Joy Riding
Written by Katie Tallo
Joy. I love the word. It’s short, sweet and playful. Even the letters are blissful. The ‘j’ swoops, the ‘o’ is all cozy in the middle, the ‘y’ cradles the ‘o’ and yet has an openness about it. When it’s uttered your mouth forms a kiss. Its meaning is sublime, evoking bliss, pleasure and happiness, and it’s derived from the Latin ‘gaudium’ meaning rejoice.
Joy is a rejoicing, a celebration, an utterance, a shape, a sound, a place deep within and a sensation.
Recently, I felt this sensation of joy overwhelm me for no apparent reason. It was a grey day. I’d just dropped my daughter at the bus stop and was driving down a city street on my way to run errands. It was a Tuesday morning. Nothing special about the day really, other than this intense feeling of joy that permeated my insides.
Where was it coming from? Why was I feeling it so strongly?
There was no rousing music on the car radio, no inspirational sunrise on the horizon. In fact, I was sitting in a construction zone in a traffic jam surrounded by bulldozer dust clouds. Smiling like an idiot ear to ear. The guy holding the stop sign must have thought I was either bonkers or flirting – badly.
As I navigated past the construction, headed through town, got my groceries, visited a friend, picked up some stuff for work, went home, made lunch and sat down to write, joy was there, my constant companion.
Why did joy come along for the ride? Because I invited it. I opened the door to joy. And that’s why it sometimes tags along unexpectedly.
This is my simple guide to joy riding:
Open the Door
It doesn’t matter where you are, there is room for joy. No matter how small your space, how nervous you feel, how far afield you are from your dreams, how old you are, how young, tired, sick, trapped, sad, stuck or lonely – joy will fit. Open your heart to the good around you – the small blessings, the sweet moments, the gifts, the silence, the space, the abundance, nature, love. Even if all you have is yourself and your health. Make that enough and make room for joy. When you let joy in, more follows.
Listen
When life feels joyless, listen carefully. Joy tends to reverberate from what you truly love and from what is good for you – not from the colours, foods, places, ideas, labels or people that were chosen for you, are unhealthy or that you are addicted to. Listen to your joy and begin to surround yourself – even if it has to be done slowly, one person, one object, one task or one habit at a time – slowly and simply surround yourself with resounding joy.
Learn
Study the science of you. Not the you that people tell you to be, but the you that is made up of all those tiny details, quirks, likes and I-get-its that make up you. Joy comes from paying close attention to your you-isms. Learn to recognize what makes sense to you, what feels right, what you want your world to look like, what you really get and don’t get. Knowledge is the leverage you’ll need to let joy in.
Embrace
Don’t fight your joy. Embrace your you-isms. When I was growing up, I was bossy and independent. I also hated Sundays. They gave me an empty, sad, disconnected feeling. That feeling had a lot to do with being told I had to go to school Monday to Friday. Now, Sunday is one of my favourite days of the week because I embraced my joy by creating a life that is anything but Monday to Friday. When your you-isms drive your life, joy comes along for the ride.
“Joy is prayer. Joy is strength, Joy is love.” ~ Mother Teresa
I encourage you to open that door, discover what your joy sounds like and find a way to embrace it in each and every choice you make about how you live. Why not make your life a joy ride?
38 Responses to “A Simple Guide to Joy Riding”
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Hi Katie.
A joyful start for me today. Our busy lives in this rushing world has made us to forget what joy is. We are running after the luxuries and striving hard to become prosperous, earn handsome money and live a happy life. But ultimately we are a bit wrong here, we may find the external or material happiness but our inner real happiness and joy fades away.
I liked your concept of opening the doors to joy, listening to it and deeply embrace it.
One can really feel the joy if one wants or at least try even slightly to feel its blissfulness.
If you wish to read my recent post which is titled as “In search of happiness”, You will come to know how we are searching for happiness in vain.
Thanks for sharing Joy.
Sangita.
Sangita, I’m so blessed to have readers like yourself sharing your insights, your thoughtful comments and your inspiring links. Many thanks.
Katie!!
This is just so…joy-filled!!
And I think immediately to a similar experience I had last month. I had just dropped off two of our kids off for a soccer seminar – on a lazy Saturday morning. And as I was driving back home – I too just had this deep sense of joy. Joy…for no apparent reason. Well…there was no construction to drive through (and that would have looked REALLY weird to the construction worker!!!). It really was this “deep within” joy. And it felt so, so good!
Do I always feel this way? Well…no…. And perhaps that means I DO need to leave that door to joy open a bit more. I think I do…and yet I also know that there are moments when joy doesn’t feel all the present (and it’s noticeable!!).
Mmmm….good stuff Katie!!
Lance, thank you. I wonder if dropping off our kids is linked to our joy. Hmmm. Let’s not go there. I love unexpected joy the most, but any and all kinds of joy work for me too.
Ha!!! Yes….let’s not go there…
Have a SUPER week!!
Hi Katie,
I’m always so happy to read a post that spreads joy! I do believe we have an inner spring of joy that resides deep down inside. It’s quiet and in constant flow – so we get used to it, and over time forget it’s even there. But, all we need to do is remember and it comes bubbling up again! Your post made me remember – and now I’m filling my cup drinking it all up. Thank you!
Angela dearest, I knew you’d like a joyful post. “An inner spring of joy” — that’s lovely. I’ll drink to that!
You write such beautiful essays about embracing life and the good inside. Thanks for sharing. Joy is in the small things, the simple bits of life all around us. Joy can be found in every day and every moment, but you do have to be open to seeing and feeling it. I found my joy when facing cancer. I treasured the simple things that mean the most – a child’s smile, a sunset, a flower blooming unexpectedly early, a note from a friend, holding a baby. When life becomes frantic, I remind myself of what really matters. Then let the rest go. Open the door and let joy into your soul.
Jaleta, I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been to find joy in your cancer. It has likely made you appreciate the joy in those little things you mention all the more. Life is joy. Thank you so much for sharing.
Katie! You’ve just described my approach to life. My reality demands that I find the joy in little things – my son’s chuckles, a home-cooked meal (by me!), 1 hour of reading with no interruption, a desk job (yes, I’ve even found appreciation for that!)….ANd the you-isms, that is so crucial. Particularly for me. I only started to really love myself and pay attention to my me-ness since my son was born. It is incredibly liberated and a real door-opener for the JOY! Lovely post. And thank you for your gorgeous words on the blog recently! Means the world and a half : )
Elana, you rock. Finding joy in your desk job makes total sense to me. We all have our “desk jobs”, “chores”, “have-tos” and joy is one way to do them — why not? The alternative is whining and unhappiness. I’m glad you’ve embraced you – because I’m a big fan of your “you-isms”, I hope you keep on knowing you’re great and growing to love yourself. Yeah, you!
JOY was my favorite word to decorate when I used to make holiday cards! So fun to outline with glitter, so economical yet packs a punch.
I love the idea of “opening the door” to joy and to all good things because it’s such a simple way to let them flow freely into your life. And you’re so right — no matter what, it will fit.
I have my moments of melancholy but joy is a much more constant companion for me these days so much so that it finds me even when I don’t seek it. Stumbling on a street fair on a casual walk, hearing a faint sound of piano recital music from a neighbor’s house, running into a friend at the grocery store. There is an abundance of joy waiting to fill our days, our moments, our lives.
Belinda, I’m grateful to have such wonderful blogging friends and readers who share their moments of joy. Thank you for your beautiful words and thoughtful perspectives. I cherish them very much.
Every vegan has a superpower, a little known fact. Perhaps joy is yours – and a good one it is.
Ali, I always wanted a super power. Thanks, I’ll work on fighting evil and spreading joy, once I’m done the dishes …
A new look at the “joy ride”. I love the metaphors you include in your writing. They just flow. Here’s to “opening the door to joy.”
I had one of those mornings. My 3 year old woke me at 5:30am on a Sunday, a sleep in day. I was looking forward to a slow morning. I sent him back to bed, but he soon turned up again. I found the joy by snoozing and reading, snoozing and reading while he watch his cartoons. We stayed in our jammies for 5 more hours. I still had my slow morning, more sleep, and the day to look forward to.
Know yourself and you will find joy – love it!
Marci, great story of joy. I think you not only know yourself, but are also open and flexible to the whims and ways of a 3-year-old. What a lovely morning you had because you didn’t fight your little boy’s flow, and instead created a way to go with it and get what you needed too. Good on you!
Hi Katie,
What a joy it is to end my day by reading this post. Thank you, thank you for turning my distracted mind and heart in the direction of joy and for reminding me that it’s always available, always right here. Your words have been a blessing for me tonight and I’m grateful.
Ahhh, Eileen what a lovely way to start my day – reading your sweet comment. It’s so easy to have a distracted mind, believe me, this morning I felt both focused and scattered, joyous and overwhelmed all at the same time. Thank you for your wonderful words of wisdom.
What an uplifting and empowering post! I do love joy – I find it’s a bit like enthusiasm’s little sister.
It’s empowering to know that joy is always present and available.
“Why did joy come along for the ride? Because I invited it. I opened the door to joy.” – -even when we aren’t feeling joy it is near. It’s as though we simply can’t seem to figure out how to open the door and let in.
Aileen, I think you’re right – joy brings enthusiasm for life, and enthusiasm stirs up joy. Your post (http://www.kaizenvision.com/2010/08/the-legendary-john-wooden-series-enthusiasm-and-industriousness/) on enthusiasm brings that message home. I guess we’re on the same page, which we often are.
Yes, we definitely are on the same page.
I think we’ve figured out the magic and power of joy & enthusiasm… beyond just lifting our spirits and allowing us to feel good for no reason at all – it’s actually productive.
How fantastic is that? By indulging in joy we end up being wildly productive
Ah, joy. Something I had to learn to see in the simple things. The every day.
“Why did joy come along for the ride? Because I invited it. I opened the door to joy. And that’s why it sometimes tags along unexpectedly.”
Beautiful.
Hi Cathy, Thank you. Yes, joy is in every day, everywhere. I hope you have a joyous day.
I love the way you define each letter in joy! I’ve been taught to have a “to be” list instead of a “to do” list. Top on my To Be is Joy. I will be joyful today. I’ll be joyful in this moment. Sure helps me. Nice one!
Thanks Tess. Fun with letters is a joy in itself. I like your “to be” list idea very much. Hope your day was joyful.
Dear Katie,
I love this beautiful post about joy and the photo is fabulous!
For the past few years JOY has been my favorite word. I feel it’s because I’ve learned how to experience more and more joy and I’ve defined joy as my life’s purpose.
Learning to expand appreciation deeply opened me to tremendous joy. After months of voicing to myself my appreciation (which could include aren’t those trees BEAUTIFUL that I’m driving by, etc…) for so many things my joy started to overtake me.
As you describe so beautifully in your post on the day you were driving along smiling like a Cheshire cat. Somehow that’s the best – joy arising out of seemingly nowhere, joy at being alive on this planet!
I’ve also really looked at what brings me joy. Seeing and being on the ocean (which I now am daily), being with wonderful friends, relaxing, blogging, drumming, hula hooping, boogie boarding, all the things that bring me joy – I remember to include them often!
I love the joy in your joy post and obviously the joy that lives in you. To joy!
Hugs,
Lauren
Lauren, thank you so much for sharing. Affirmations are a wonderful way to infuse life with whatever it is you’re seeking. I tell my daughter she is beautiful everyday so that she learns to believe and know it inside. Words can be powerful. I envy you living on the ocean. It must be a constant source of joy, and the life you describe sounds like a complete and utter blast. Well done you joyful goddess you.
Just what I need to read, a topic as uplifting as joy swimming in the poetic, rhythmic, colorful and rich words of Katie…..It has made my day – and I have been looking for all of 5 minutes to come over here to read this for over a day now. Now I am full of – well – joy
! Thank you Katie!
Farnoosh, well you have made my day right back. I write to give you joy my friend. I appreciate every time you return the favour.
Katie,
What a joyful read! I always have said joy and happiness comes from simple things and from within. Many times we make things complicated as how to feel joy!
Sometimes, simply feeling the fresh air in my hair cheers me up, other times, seeing my kids’s smile does wonder to me. Other times, I am simply grouchy and nothing cheers me up, and then I read your post and it does the trick! Thanks for it.
Preeti, you always seem to boil things down to the basics — the heart of what matters. Keep it simple, let yourself be grouchy, read Katie’s blog. I like this approach very much! Haha! Thanks, you’re the best.
**Now, Sunday is one of my favourite days of the week because I embraced my joy by creating a life that is anything but Monday to Friday. When your you-isms drive your life, joy comes along for the ride.**
I love this! When I read what you wrote about Sunday, it struck a cord with me. I remember getting anxious about Sundays. Partially the result of forced Catholicism and partially the result of fret related to Monday mornings. I have really let that go, a wonderful feeling,actually. The woods are my church now, and the fields are my sanctuary. On Sunday afternoons, especially this time of year, we take the dog for long walk through red/golden/green vineyards and hold the moments close in our hearts. And I don’t have to worry about bad things happening on Monday because we are out of that routine by choice.
You are an excellent writer/motivator. I love reading what you write!
Diana, I bet Sunday anxiety is quite universal. The picture you paint of how you now worship and embrace joy on Sunday is vivid and lovely. Thank you for sharing. I feel like across the globe there are joy practitioners everywhere. I love seeing your comments and appreciate that you enjoy what you find here. All the best to you, Diana. I may have to come to Italy to embrace joy some day soon — I’ll call it research into the practice of joy. I hear there’s a great B&B near the vineyards.
….and can you believe it’s a B&B where they actually serve brown rice with sauteed veggies and tempeh for breakfast!!!!
But only for certain guests, of course!
Hi! This is my first time visiting your blog and I am including it in my blogroll because I like what you share. I just wrote about Joy in the Journey today and I find that your blog completely compliments mine, so I included a link to it.
Thanks for inspiring! Have a great day! Janelle