🌟 Stop Chasing Happiness: Why Joy Lies in the Here and Now
For years, I lived in pursuit of a ghost. I was chasing happiness—that elusive, conditional feeling that only showed up when my life looked perfect: when I met an expectation, when I achieved a goal, or when I was validated by others. I spent my life waiting for the next good thing to finally grant me permission to feel good.
But happiness, I found, is fleeting. It’s dependent on the world playing by your script. And the world rarely cooperates.
My life changed when I stopped chasing happiness and stumbled headfirst into the profound, quiet power of Joy.
The Great Deception: Why Happiness Always Runs Out
The crucial distinction I learned is this:
Happiness is an effect. It is the result of favorable circumstances. It is a temporary high.
Joy is a source. It is an inner state of resilience, peace, and spiritual assurance that exists regardless of my circumstances. It is an anchor, not a sail.
Coming from a background born and raised in Mauritius, and finding my faith later in life, I realized that true contentment wasn’t found in external success but in an internal foundation—a foundation I discovered the moment I let go.
🕊️ How I Unlocked Joy: The Power of Letting Go
Joy flooded in the moment I dropped three heavy burdens I had been carrying:
1. I Let Go of Expectations
I stopped creating rigid fantasies about how my life should look. Expectations are just unfulfilled fantasies, and they are the primary source of disappointment. When I surrendered control over the outcome—and placed my trust in a higher power (Christ my Lord)—I eliminated the tension between reality and fantasy. Joy accepted what is.
2. I Let Go of Fear of the Future
Worry is simply the present moment stolen by the future. I realized that my anxiety never solved tomorrow’s problems; it only robbed today of its peace. By choosing to remain grounded and in the now, I found that right now, I was safe, provided for, and whole. The crisis the mind predicted rarely, if ever, arrived.
3. I Let Go of What Others Thought
I finally stopped looking to external sources—friends, family, social media—to determine my value. This was the moment of ultimate freedom. When your value is sourced internally (or from your relationship with Christ), the need for validation dissolves. In that silence, I found the unconditional peace that is the birthplace of joy.
☕ The Real Secret: Joy is Found in Savoring
Joy does not require a grand miracle; it only requires attention.
It comes from watching the sunset or a beautiful fireworks display. It comes from hearing a child laugh, having a nice cup of hot chocolate while watching your lit Christmas tree, or simply hugging your child.
These small moments are not the bonus features of life; they are life.
Your greatest daily work is to savor these simple gifts. Don’t let them go by! Don’t let the worries of this world—the emails, the deadlines, the political noise—steal those beautiful, grounding moments that remind you of the profound goodness available to you right now.
💫 The Joy Command: Where Magic Unfolds
The power of joy creates magic in your life. When you radiate this unconditional joy, even the universe cannot resist you. It seems to say, “Your wish is command,” and here comes another rush of joy.
What you feel attracts more of it. Joy is your magnetic frequency for all things good.
So come on, start applying joy in everything you do today and let the magic unfold.
Here comes the festive season, a moment to celebrate with joy. Let this time be your reminder to protect and amplify the moments of presence and peace you’ve worked so hard to find!
What is one small, simple moment of joy you will commit to fully savoring today? Share it in the comments below!
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