I’m purposely spending my days looking for joy. This is partly for your sake, if you’re reading this, to encourage you to do the same. Yet, it’s also very much for me, to keep me focused on the positive. Knowing that someone might be reading this everyday is keeping me accountable to doing it. 

Yesterday, I was full of joy watching my daughter have a senior picture photo shoot. It was only a half hour or so, in freezing cold wind, but it was so fun. I love watching her smile and seeing her confidence and beauty radiate. 

Today, she’s working on my hair in her lab at school. I put on my purple winter coat to come over to her school, and as I did, I smiled because I love purple and am glad I have a coat this color. I know, that’s simple and maybe silly, nevertheless , it brings me joy. 

I’m finding that joy isn’t elusive if we look for it on purpose, in the middle of the mundane and ordinary, or in the midst of sadness, as well as in the big, heart filling moments like watching your children grow into themselves. Joy is there to be found in all of life. It simply takes an intentional “looking for it on purpose” approach to every day. It’s a matter of choice, and I’ve decided to choose to do this because it’s been changing my perspective for the last couple years as I’ve been more purposeful in this pursuit. I figured doing this blog would increase that perspective change.

It’s like any discipline we choose to practice. Over time and consistent effort, we develop habits and eventually, those actions become second nature. We are changed forever by the literal transformation of our minds. 

So, I’m going to keep chasing after joy wherever and whenever I can find it, big or small, and believe that God is going to use this to change me for the good, to be more the person He meant me to be from the start.