Joy Spotting

Every now and again when I become overwhelmed with life and the never ending pile of responsibilities, I remind myself of a simple exercise that I created years ago called joy spotting. It's a wonderful way to get back to centre and remember what's truly important and to be mindful of the present moment. And it involves nothing more than taking a look around and making a mental note of the places, friends and people in your environment that bring you joy - so I simply call it joy spotting.

If you're in a place where you feel completely overcome and need a quick fix - something that will snap you out of it - joy spotting can be that process. Examples of joy spotting include; a brand new birds nest in a tree, or some ducks that come to visit the yard that you haven't seen before. The laughter of a child, the beauty of fresh flowers, or it could be the kindness that somebody shows you at the market. Nothing's too big and nothing's too small; it's just a matter of keying in and noticing. You can make a mental note of what brings you joy or, if you like, you can keep a journal of your joy spotting.

Daily Joys: Five a Day, Every Day

I recommend that you begin by keying in on five things that bring you joy each day and then if you're interested, you can grow the list from there. One of the things that my family and I like to do is share the five best things that happened in our day at the dinner table. That's another way of joy spotting that allows us to reconnect and become involved in our loved ones lives outside of the family.

What kind of joy will you be spotting today?

Photo by WanderingtheWorld (www.LostManProject.com)