Congratulations! You stepped out there to fulfill your dreams.
You clearly understand that having lasting, meaningful success means setting priorities and being focused on achieving your goals. You are not just a wish upon a star dreamer, your sleeves are rolled way up and the elbow grease is flowing. Soon, the success that began on the inside with purpose, determination, and vision will be bursting through the seams where others can see the impact. People will be talking all about your rising star momentum and your brilliant ideas. How fantastic!
People who study leadership and success found that highly successful people have an ability to delay gratification. Successful people have habits of self-control motivated by big dreams – a desire to do something meaningful. But when did you decide that delaying gratification also meant delaying your unspeakable joy? Unspeakable joy is that sense of good cheer, absolute delight, sheer elation, great happiness, or incredible bliss. How strong is your unspeakable joy today?
Yes, you must be serious about the work. Yes, you must prioritize. Yes, you must focus. Yes of course that determination and the no excuses attitude helps tremendously. Yes, it must be meaningful enough to put down or put aside things (and people) that get in the way of building strong habits of success.
And while you delay the gratification to reach that long-term goal, do not delay your joy. You do not have to wait until the dream is achieved and the celebration begins to feel unspeakable joy. I know there is a certain joy that will come from the achievement. This may be the joy you are focused on but is not the only joy life has to offer.
Today, I encourage you to create, notice, feel & express even more of your joy. I invite you to do what you can to feel unspeakable joy right now. Right here, in this moment. Find joy in areas of your life and circumstances that are and are not related to your delayed gratification. You will see how these joys, help you stay strong and focused while that long-term gratification is being delayed.
Here are five ways to feel even more unspeakable joy in this moment:
1. Decide to Have Unspeakable Joy
It is often the decision to have more joy that begins to create more joy. You are a capable intelligent creative person. When you set your mind to doing something, it gets done. So why not set your mind to feel more joy in this moment and in every day.
2. Be Present in Your Current Situation
Yes, things may be down but not out. You may be bent but not broken. Even though you may not see it, there is unspeakable joy right there where you are reading this. When we are young, we want to be old. When we get old we wish we were young again. When it’s hot, we spend time wishing for cooler places. When it is day, we can’t wait for night. When it’s Monday, like the O’Jays, we’re living for the weekend. What if you allowed yourself to be fully present right here and now? Notice more of the joys in your current circumstances by being fully present. If you can’t be joyful about your current circumstance, find joy in how you’re handling those circumstances. There is joy sitting right beside what you might not be joyful about. Notice the unspeakable joy that is presenting itself to you in this moment.
3. Name At Least 5 Things that Bring You Unspeakable JOY
Don’t be shy. No one has any right to judge you here. Nobody needs to cosign on what brings you unspeakable joy. However, if you have not experienced more than three of the things on your list in the last seven days, scratch that for a better list, or shift your priorities to make more time to do what’s on it. India Arie says it best when she sings “it’s the little things.” You may enjoy sitting outside on your break listening to the wind blow through the trees. You may enjoy reading a story that takes you to another place. You may enjoy dancing till your shoes fall off. You may enjoy getting dressed up as your favorite comic book character for a convention. You may find joy in eating carrots. There is nothing too random to consider something that brings you simple unspeakable joy. Your list is your personal list.
4. Speak Gratitude for 10 Joyful Things about This Day
Aside from your list of unspeakable joys, name 10 things that have already happened to and for you since you woke up today that brought you authentic joy. Challenge yourself regularly to create this list within 2 minutes, 1 minute, or 30 seconds. Yes, extra credit is given for a longer list.
5. Spread Joy to Someone Else
There is nothing more effective for generating your own joy as spreading, giving, sharing joy with others. Look around you and find someone that could use more joy. Speak an encouraging word. Do something courteous and considerate for someone that you have absolutely no reason to be nice to. Say please and thank you to everyone. If you are up for an even bigger challenge, spread real joy to someone you don’t like just for the joy of being kind.
What is your signature mood-shifting move that helps you feel more unspeakable joy? How did the strategy listed here help increase the unspeakable joy you’re feeling?
