Achieve lasting well-being in 2021 with Operation JOY!

“Joy is not a philosophical concept, joy is a revolution.” — PATCH ADAMS

Happy New Year my friends!

A few years ago in an interview, I was asked "What do you believe people are missing the most when it comes to a healthy lifestyle?” My answer was - and still is - “the ability to cultivate joy on a daily basis.” Make no mistake, I was speaking as much personally as I was collectively. 

I learned some time ago that living as the energizer bunny ultimately leads to a system breakdown. Well I think it’s fair to say that this past year was one big system breakdown if there ever was one. Life was turned upside down, and many of us felt cracked open. We had to redefine so much, including our relationship to health and well-being. In doing that it seemed apparent to me there was an essential ingredient missing and preventing us from true healing: Joy.

Of course good nutrition, exercise, and sleep habits are vital aspects of health, and I’ve written and shared plenty on these very topics. However, even if you’re practicing all the “right” wellness protocols, true health and well-being will remain elusive if you are living a life without practicing this underrepresented and necessary tool for greater fulfillment - joy.

But how? Well, there’s no blueprint. So I’ve decided to take my cue from kids, who will often use play and movement to help them process and regulate their emotions (a skill from which most adults could benefit). 

Here are some playful activities that may remind us how possible it is to feel joy again - even from six feet away. 

- Dance to your favorite song (one of my personal favorites)

- Paint a picture or make a craft

- Laugh more often (even if it’s forced at first - go on, try it)

- Go to a playground and swing on the swing-set

- Relearn a musical instrument

- Build something

- Take a bubble bath

- Go shopping in your closet and dress up 

- And of course... Move your body regularly! 

Do you notice how children just get up and move? You don’t need to do an intense or in-depth exercise program every day to get the stress relieving benefits of movement. Besides, the world is heavy enough. Being playful reminds us that our wellness routine doesn’t necessarily need to be so serious.

So forget those one-and-done “resolutions” and put “joy” on your to-do list. Think of it as a necessity - like a hearty meal for your spirit. After the year we’ve had, cultivating and celebrating moments of joy has never felt more cathartic, life-affirming, and essential to lasting well-being. 

Of course, a day on the calendar doesn’t mean that we are out of the woods, or that great change will happen overnight. But as we acknowledge the passing of one year and the beginning of a next, I feel it offers some relief to say “good riddance” to 2020, and to say "hello and welcome!" to 2021. 

With that, I’m heading to the park to do cartwheels. Time to have some fun!