Joyfilled People: Meet Gordon
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Welcome to the Joyfilled People Series, where people are asked to simply finish the sentence “Joy, to me, is…”.
This post is all about Gordon and how he defines joy!
Keep reading to find out what joy is to him!
Related Post:
“Joy, to me, is…”
Here’s how Gordon finished the sentence, “Joy, to me, is…” when asked!
Joy Reflections:
After hearing this answer to what joy meant to him, I realized something— there is such immense joy in seeing someone you really like/love achieve success.
“I’m really happy for them…”
“I’m so happy that _____ is…”
“I’m glad to hear that happened for them!”
When we take the focus off of ourselves, and focus it on others, such profound joy can be found.
I recently saw this video of the Dalai Lama where he is asked what to do when you have negative thoughts arise, and he said—in summary— one reason negative thinking occurs is from focusing on yourself/ experiencing self-centeredness.
If I had to summarize a joy tip based off of Gordon’s answer to what joy means to him, it would be: think of someone you really care about, think about something they are wanting and wish it to happen for them! See if your joy increases in doing so!
I feel that a great practice to try when wanting to focus on others’ successes is doing a Metta Prayer—which is also called practicing Loving Kindness.
According to the blog, Buddha Groove,
“[The Metta Prayer] starts by blessing oneself and gradually expands outward from there, eventually wishing good intentions for the entire world and all beings, even our enemies.”
Buddha Groove
There are a few different “ways” to do a Metta Prayer, but Healthline offers this simple way to practice the Metta Prayer:
1. Sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes. Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose and continue breathing deeply.
2. Focus on your breathing. Imagine your breath traveling through your body. Focus on your heart.
3. Choose a kind, positive phrase. Silently recite the phrase, directing it toward yourself. You can say, “May I be happy. May I be safe. May I find peace.”
4. Slowly repeat the phrase. Acknowledge its meaning and how it makes you feel. If you get distracted, avoid judging yourself. Just return to the phrase and keep repeating it.
5. Now, think about your friends and family. You can think about a specific person or a group of people. Recite the phrase toward them, “May you be happy. May you be safe. May you find peace.” Again, recognize the meaning and how you feel.
6. Continue reciting the phrase toward others, including neighbors, acquaintances, and difficult individuals. Recognize your emotions, even if they’re negative. Repeat the phrase until you experience compassionate feelings.
Source: Healthline
If you prefer to listen to a guided practice of the Metta Prayer, check out this YouTube video, this YouTube video, or this YouTube video as places to start!
It’s such a simple thing really, to shift from thinking about yourself towards someone else, but— in doing so—there truly can be such a rekindled sense of the feeling of joy! Give it a try!
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