Host Library Joy

Joy. It’s easy to get caught up in our day-to-day
habits, obligations and routines, while forgetting

those things in life that light our fire. The Joy

modules help us stay on a positive, optimistic path.

Creating a Joy-filled Life Portfolio:
Living Your Inner Picasso

Often when our lives feel lacking in joy and satisfaction it is because we are way off balance, focusing far too much on the tasks and “shoulds” that are dictated by the expectations of others or our perceptions of the same. According to psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the greatest personal happiness comes from engaging in activities that challenge us, meet our core needs, and promote our growth. He calls this type of experience “flow”. It’s possible to sustain this flow by creatively incorporating more of our personal interests and passions into our daily lives. You can build a life around what’s important to you – your needs, values, talents and purpose – and feel truly alive and energized. Come create – as the artist of your life - a rich, diverse, joyful life portfolio representing the totality of your life.

Optimizing Your Strengths for a Happier Life

You don’t have to be an environmentalist to tap into your own natural resources. “Green” is one of the buzzwords of our time, and we’re all learning about the importance of responsibly using the Earth’s natural resources. But what about your own “natural resources” – the unique strengths and gifts that belong to each one of us? Too often, we try to achieve happiness by fixing what’s wrong. In so doing, we end up focusing on our weaknesses – it doesn’t work. Building strengths and managing (or partnering) weaknesses bring success. And let’s be clear – in the language of happiness strengths are not talents, like being good at math or skilled at drawing. They include qualities like courage, kindness, people skills, appreciation of beauty, etc. Come identify your strengths and develop a tangible plan to incorporate them into all aspects of your life. By using your strengths, you’ll be happier, more resilient, and life will feel a bit easier because you are doing what comes naturally and in a way that is uniquely you.

Making People's Day:

Finding Joy in Giving Joy to Others

Research suggests when you perform an act of kindness for someone else, it not only makes the recipient's day, it has a significant positive impact on your health and happiness. Doing good for others contributes to the maintenance of good health, and can diminish the effect of diseases and disorders serious and minor, psychological and physical. It's very possible to work acts of kindness into your busy day and become more mindful of the dozens of opportunities to spread joy that are around us all the time. At the Empower Party^TM you will learn specific strategies that lift people's spirits and lift your spirit as well.

Journaling Your Way to More Joy

Research now tells us that happiness is a choice that we can make. It is not simply the result of good luck or good circumstances. Happiness is a way of thinking and perceiving that can be developed and cultivated throughout our lives. There are many journaling tools and strategies that can support us in expanding our sense of joy and satisfaction. Join with other women to explore and experience several of these techniques and to share what you discover in the process. Group dialogue also offers a way to reveal a diversity of attitudes toward happiness and, perhaps, to expand your own definition and perspective. Take away a commitment and specfic action steps to savor and expand the joy in your life.

Grateful or Grumpy?:
Embracing Gratitude for More Joy

Gratitude is one of the most powerful ways to stop feeling gloomy, grumpy, or grouchy. You simply can’t feel grumpy and grateful at the same time. Unfortunately, though, it’s easy to get fixated on what’s wrong instead of what’s right. You can change this cycle by tapping into the positive, uplifting energy of gratitude. Learn practical techniques to infuse more gratitude into your life on a daily basis, even for situations or people who challenge your sense of joy! You might be surprised how quickly you can turn around a grumpy moment or day...and even train yourself out of negativity altogether with practice.

Caring for Self First?

Women, especially, have been taught to sacrifice and to put others' needs and expectations first at the expense of their own well-being and joy. So how can we talk about caring for ourselves as a "first?" Isn't that a sign of selfishness, pride and arrogance? Not at all! Developing self awareness and self-caring paradoxically leads to caring for BOTH ourselves AND for other people, creatures, and the planet as a whole. It enhances our ability to respond with a warm heart to our own needs and desires as well as to others. You can actually learn (grow to feel) that you not only deserve to pay attention to your own needs, desires and sense of fulfillment, but you have a responsibility to do so. So learn to rethink and clarify what you care about and what truly matters to you. Develop techniques to listen to your heart and focus creatively on what you need or want in order to become more balanced, whole and happy. You might be surprised at how many people in your life will support your new sense of self care and empowerment!

Finding Fulfillment in Your Work

No Matter What it Is!

Researchers on job satisfaction have discovered that there is a link between how we feel about our work and our state of health. Often, due to life circumstances, we find ourselves in a job that isn't the best fit. This Empower PartyTM is an opportunity for you to make the best use of your time in whatever job you have and work toward creating a more ideal work situation, even if it isn't your ultimate dream. Your coach will guide you in solidifying strategies for bringing fulfillment to your work, and ultimately other aspects of your life.