The Meaning of Joy & 3 Ways to Feel More Joy

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I recently looked at all the issues my clients have brought to me over the years—the things they most wanted help with. The highest-rated issue?

Wanting to experience more joy in their lives.

We're all meant to be experiencing joy. The secret longings and drives in our hearts are there for a reason. They align us with our purpose. We feel joy when we are living our true purpose.

The Meaning of Joy

A feeling of great pleasure and happiness. Often described as "tears of joy”. It can look like delight, great pleasure, joyfulness, jubilation, triumph, exultation, rejoicing, happiness, gladness, glee, exhilaration, exuberance, elation, euphoria, bliss, ecstasy, rapture.

Here’s the antonym: misery

I think we would all like to be feeling joy rather than misery. Sadly, many are living lives filled with frustration at their inability to feel joy. We were created to feel joy, though some of us have never known what it feels like. If you’ve never felt joy, it may mean you need more healing before you can access the positive aspects of who you are.

There might be parts of you crying out to be seen, heard, witnessed, and acknowledged for the pain you have endured.

Our Core Beliefs

For some, childhood was filled with fear and disappointment, so it was never safe to let go and feel joy. Letting your guard down meant opening yourself up to emotional or even physical harm. You may have inherited ancestral anxiety and fear — passed down through generations, along with the limiting beliefs that shaped your early sense of self.

Healing is possible. Joy is possible. Even after trauma, even after years of pain, it’s never too late to hope. That longing — that deep need for freedom and joy— when met with courage and action, can lead you to the healing you seek.

Are We Always Going to be Feeling Joy?

There are times in life when we face challenges — when we’re in a season of growth, or feel stuck, or simply worn down.
We lose our jobs. Money stops coming in. We care for sick loved ones. We live with physical pain. Someone we love dies — or leaves.
Disappointment follows disappointment.
The list can feel endless.
And in those moments, we wonder: Where is God in all of this?

And yet — even in the midst of difficulty — joy is still possible.

I don’t mean only the “kick up your heels and sing in the rain” kind of joy (though that’s wonderful when it comes).
I mean a quieter, deeper joy.
A sense of inner peace.
An inner knowing that, even in the storm, it won’t last forever.
Things will get better.
That you are not alone.
That God is with you — believing in you, loving you, holding you — even now.

Joy isn’t the absence of pain.
It’s the presence of hope, love, and comfort, even in the darkness.

1. Law of Gratitude

When you're going through difficult times, it’s easy to spiral into negative thinking.
What I’ve found when that happens is to find things to be grateful for and write them down.
It might be as simple as a pillow to rest your head on, a blanket to keep you warm, a friend you can call, or finding ten dollars in your coat pocket.

There’s something I call the Law of Gratitude:
The more you cultivate and express gratitude, the more positive things will be attracted to you.
The best thing you can do when life is really difficult is to find things to be grateful for.

Science backs this up.
Studies show that practicing gratitude is linked to:

Greater life satisfaction
Increased resilience in the face of health challenges
Better sleep
Lower levels of burnout
Reduced stress, inflammation, and symptoms of depression

How do we access our purpose to experience joy?

The answer begins with listening inward. Before we can hear guidance about our purpose, we need to create space—quieting the noise of daily life and tuning in to the wisdom already within us. This is where we begin.

That Small Still Voice

To hear from that small, still voice, we have to be open to hearing without putting undue pressure on ourselves.

Take some time to be quiet, alone, and undisturbed. You could light a candle, play some meditative music, and get comfortable in your chair. Feel your feet evenly placed on the floor, and your butt in your seat.

Breathe deeply 3 to 5 times.

Shift your attention away from your busy thoughts and into your body. Scan for any tension, starting from the top of your head and working your way down through your body, letting tension flow through the bottoms of your feet, through the floor, and then down into the earth with the exhation of each breath.

Imagine you are speaking with this quiet, still voice. Some call this voice God, Source, Light, Higher Power. Some call it Inner Wisdom.

Sometimes this presence speaks through dreams, in nature, or in promptings to call someone, read a certain book, or watch a particular movie. God is always at work in our lives, moving through both the spiritual and natural realms. Keep your eyes and ears open to the messages you're receiving.

If the message feels positive and uplifting, you know it is likely from God. Anything negative or derogatory is definitely not from God.

To help you begin, here are a few journal prompts to get you started on your journey of experiencing more joy.

Set aside 10-30 minutes.

2. Journaling: Ask Yourself Questions…

Take out your journal and think of a time when you felt some feelings of joy. Make a list and expound on the experience in your journal. (If you can’t think of anything, then I want you to imagine how it would feel if you were in a joyful experience.)

What were you doing?
Who were you with?
What about this event brought you joy?
Who were you when you were doing these things?
How did this experience feel in your body?
Where were these feelings in your body? Describe them (such as warm, exciting, tingly, peaceful, in the zone, confident, and thrilling. The color blue, yellow, etc….
If you could give a metaphorical description of who you were at this time, what would it be? (examples could be perhaps an animal, a color, a specific character or person, or more "me" etc…)
How would you feel if you could do more of this?
How could those feelings inspire you in your life now?

Trust Your Heart and Your Body

How do you share it safely with others?
How could you be doing more of this in your work, free time, and family time?
Make a vision board where you can either draw, paint, cut out pictures, and paste them of all those things that bring you joy.
Put it up on the wall and look at it every day. Let it inspire you to create more.
Be aware of the feelings this evokes in you, either negative or positive.

If all you feel is anxiety or negative feelings, do EFT-Tapping to tap those negative feelings down to zero. If they are overwhelming, I encourage you to see a practitioner with whom you feel comfortable, who can help you identify what may be causing the overwhelm and negative feelings, and support you in healing.

Journal about it and delve into how those feelings can be used for further discovery, either about you or about others.

3. Never Give Up Seeking

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us to, “Ask and it shall be given you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you”. So do all of those things (ask, seek, and knock) and never give up until you find what brings you joy. Keep trying new things, drop them if you don’t enjoy them, and keep and expand them if they bring you joy.

If you are interested in discovering more of your joy, living your purpose, and letting go of anything that may be keeping you blocked from experiencing joy, click here to book a 20-minute complimentary consult. You deserve to be free and to experience joy.

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Love,

Gail Mae