discover what brings you JOY

…and make sure to incorporate it EVERY. DAY. 

So often, people go through their lives working, checking boxes, with the plans of, ‘I’ll take that vacation in a few months,’ or ‘I’ll enjoy my time off around the holidays.’ 

That’s not how life should be lived. 

You should feel fulfilled on a daily basis, and the way to achieve that is by incorporating things that bring you joy, EVERY DAY. 

I’m not talking about big things here, I’m talking about the simple things like watching the sunrise, going for a walk outside, playing the piano for a few minutes. 

You have so much time in your day, and everyone can easily give up an hour on their phone or watching TV to prioritize that time for things that truly bring them joy. 

I want you, and everyone, to feel like they’ve ‘won the day’ each night when you go to bed. And that’s accomplished by doing things for YOU and that bring you happiness. Every. Single. Day. 

WHY you need to incorporate things that bring you joy, daily. 

As I’ve started prioritizing things that bring me joy, I’ve found myself feeling way more fulfilled and overall happier. I wake up way more energized, and excited to start my day. Versus setting my alarm at the last possible second to make it to my first commitment.

I used to be that person who would grind day in and day out. I put off the things that made me happy for the weekend, or for that next vacation, I would take. I didn’t realize that all my happiness didn’t have to be tied to such ‘big’ things. But that I could increase my happiness levels by just ensuring I do a few small things that bring me joy each day. 

I’ve found since incorporating those smaller things each day, I don’t burn out. I’m still working just as hard, if not harder at this point in my life, but I’m loving the process, versus dreading it and looking forward to that ‘break.’ 

I’m enjoying every single moment, as I and everyone should. 

Because ultimately, you’re not always guaranteed the next moment or that future trip. 

So often you hear the sad stories of folks who worked hard their entire lives with the plans of traveling when they retired, and many times life situations happen so they can’t. 

You can’t put things off. If you want to travel, figure out how to do it now, or very soon. 

Don’t tie your joy and fulfillment to a future experience or time, but find ways to do it every day starting now. 

What brings you joy?

If you’re sitting there wondering, ‘what actually brings me joy?’ or ‘where do I start with this?’ You’re not alone. A lot of people wonder the same thing, even myself at one point. 

A super simple exercise to do is to grab a notepad, a pen and set a timer on your phone for 10-minutes. I want you to do a total brain dump of anything and everything that you enjoy or makes you smile. 

ONE CAVEAT. List only things that you can control. For instance, don’t write down, ‘when my boyfriend brings me flowers.’ You can’t control when he does that for you. And we want to come up with a robust list of things that you can do for yourself. 

Here are some examples to get you started:

• Fresh baked cookies
• A good smelling office 
• Morning walks 
• Making fresh juice 
• Yoga
• Extra toasty cheez-its 
• Calling and reconnecting with friends 
• Meditation 
• Learning new skills 
• Watching The Bachelor
• Going to a baseball game 
• Playing the piano 
• Doing sudoku 
• Making a morning coffee 
• Trader Joe’s (the atmosphere is so fun, and the people are always so nice!)
• Einstein’s bagels 
• Watching the sunset 
• Taking a bath
• Doing skincare routine 
• Journaling

You get the idea, hopefully. Things from snacks and beverages you enjoy to activities you can do, to spending time or connecting with loved ones. What fills you up? What makes you walk away feeling refreshed, energized? 

Write down as much as you possibly can think of. 

HOW to incorporate joy into your every day 

Now that you have your list. I want you to put it somewhere you can see consistently. And I want you to start doing 2-3 things EVERY DAY. At least. If you can do more, amazing. 

A great way to ensure that you are doing things that bring you joy daily, is to incorporate these elements into your morning routine. Mornings are a great time to prioritize you, and you’re able to do a lot of these things before you connect with the rest of the world. 

Depending on your job, I know it could be tough to incorporate things during the day, so mornings and evenings might be the easiest to start. But I’d challenge you to find ways to incorporate joyful elements into your workday if possible. For instance, if you love getting outside, make sure you go for a 10-minute walk during the day. No matter what your job, you should be able to accomplish this. And having a break and doing something that makes you happy will keep you energized for the rest of your workday. 

Wrap Up

Let us know if this blog was helpful to you – give us a DM @HabitBabes or you can reach us at habitbabes@gmail.com. 

Hope this quick blog has inspired you to do things that bring you joy daily.

With love,
Habit Babes