Defend Your Joy

Glorious morning!

Let’s expand on a quote from Paulo Coelho.

“ Don’t let anyone steal your joy “

Is that even possible?

Before we dive in let’s get to know a little about Paulo Coelho. He was born in 1947. He is a Brazilian lyricist and novelist. He wrote the international best-seller, The Alchemist. ( great book by the way )and wrote other books as well.

So can anyone steal your joy? Absolutely, but here is the catch, they need your permission. People can steal your car, break into your home and steal any of your belongings and even steal your identity. No one has the power to steal your joy. Joy is a birthwright that we all have. When we are born, and well fed and not sick, we are in a constant natural state of joy. We don't come here with sadness or hatred or grief. All of those things are experienced as we engage in this earthschool. They are learned. Joy does not have to be taught or experienced first in order to know what it is because it is who we already are, however, joy can be forgotten and or overshadowed by the lower emotions of worry, hatred, ect..

So actually no one can steal your joy but let’s say someone calls you a jerk? Then what? Well, then a choice is actually made whether you realize it or not as to how you protect your joy. You either believe that what they said is true and agree that you are a jerk and then of course you will feel hurt instead of joy. Or you can simply recognize that the person saying such a mean spirited thing is not in touch with their own joy and it's their OWN opinion and you can not accept their stuff. You have options.

I read a book called the four agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz . The book is an explanation of how by adopting just a couple of choices in life and applying them, you can transform your life experience. What were those four agreements? well I will tell you one of them. Yes you guessed it, don’t ever take anything personal. That applies to being called a jerk, or any other name for that matter. If you know and believe you are not a jerk, then the whole world can call you a jerk and it wouldn't move you in the slightest way because it’s someone else's opinion, someone else's stuff.

I have finally done enough self reflection and healing in my life to come to know that joy is something we need to remember constantly and protect fiercely. I remember a time in my marriage when my kids were younger, I was really tested in protecting my joy, this time I needed to protect my kids joy as well. Lets face it, if mom is unhappy or depressed, the kids suffer from mom’s lack of joy. I had come to realize I did not have to engage in my husband's “ stuff “, his negative issues that he was projecting onto me and trying to wreck my joy. Misery loves company, right? I came to know that when I refused to engage in those moments when he was being mean spirited towards me, I was able to salvage my own peace instead of engaging him and turning my peace into anger or revenge. The more I did that the less he used those tactics to get me to respond. I would only respond to him when he was being respectful and kind. He then learned how to communicate differently with me if he wanted to get anywhere. By protecting my joy and peace, I was actually teaching him how to treat me, which was not even my original reason for why I wouldn't engage, I wouldn't engage so I would keep my joy. I guess you could say I stopped letting him steal my joy, or how I like to look at it, I  protected my joy, I think it really means the same thing.

Is it hard for you to keep your joy a priority? Is there someone you know that lets everything bother them? I can help. Make a free discovery call today. Peace be with you, Dawn

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