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I hope you all had a great summer! I took last month off from writing, but I'm now back in action. May this month's workout allow you to experience joy in the midst of whatever else is going on in your life. If, at any time, you would like to unsubscribe, simply go to the end of the newsletter. Cheers,  Jean M. DiGiovanna, President, ThinkPeople |
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Feeling Joy in the Midst of Everything Else Imagine, for a moment, that we are put on this earth to feel joy and that our true path and purpose is that of ease. Sound unbelievable? Our natural state is not that of struggle, suffering or dis-ease. But, what can often happen is we forget. We forget what joy feels like when challenges come up in our life, be it a layoff, a divorce or health issues with ourselves or loved ones. Life transitions, a challenging teenager, or a stressful job or project can all be triggers that prevent us from remembering joy. In the last month, I experienced a decline in my mother’s health and it was quite a trigger for me. She and I are very close being her only daughter after raising four boys and although she has had on-going health issues, it was this time that was the scariest. In moments when things hit you like a ton of bricks, unexpected, or perhaps you even saw it coming, you never really know how you will deal with it. Sometimes it feels like life just stops and you are no longer in the place you were. Often, our survival instincts kick in during times of stress and we just do what needs to be done. But, in the midst of that, we often leave ourselves behind, we put other’s first because we need to and next thing you know, we begin to get off course ourselves. We forget what joy feels like. We forget what it feels like to be “alive” again. We forget who we are. How can you feel joy in the midst of what is going on in your life, be it stress, overwhelm or the discomfort of others? And, not also feel guilty for feeling such joy when others are in pain. Is it truly possible? I continue to be intrigued by what we are capable of as human beings and I do believe it is possible. It is not always easy, but, in order to feel that joy, sometimes we must step outside of ourselves, beyond our current situation and begin to reconnect with the beauty of life itself. Reconnect with what you are grateful for. Reconnect with the joyful experiences you have had in your life and the people who bring you joy. Sometimes, when joy may not always feel accessible in the moment, we can look outside of ourselves to remind us. We are only human and the richness of our lives comes from the wide spectrum of feelings we experience. Go where you need to go. Don’t ever force or push a feeling, but know that, in any moment, you can experience joy by simply “remembering”. And, if the guilt comes up for feeling joy in the midst of what else is going on, send love and healthy thoughts to those people most in need. They will feel the love you are sending and it will be so much healthier for you both. My mother is getting stronger and stronger each day and she just came home today, on her birthday, a beautiful gift for my entire family. No matter what happens, what I now know is that as much as she and I are deeply connected, we are also two individuals who choose our unique experiences in life and we each have the ability to feel joy. Take this month to choose what you most need and remember that joy is accessible to you in every moment. Happy Birthday, Mom!! Cheers, Jean M. DiGiovanna  Monthly Workout: Feeling Joy in the Midst of Everything Else Is there an area of your life you feel stressed, overwhelmed or unhappy about? Or a particular person you are currently struggling with? Using that area or person, take on the following questions and process below for this month’s workout:
Poem of the Month: Feeling Joy It’s not easy to separate yourself from those you deeply care for. Feeling what they must feel, longing for them to soar. Sometimes, it’s hard to access the joy underneath it all. But it is still there to uncover, when we remember and recall. Be grateful for what you have. Appreciate what is around you. Send loving light to those in need and feel the joy breakthrough. ~ by Jean M. DiGiovanna EVENTS & OTHER WORKSHOPS Stress Management for Moms! Facilitated by by Kimberie King, Ph.D. Friday, Sept 28, Oct 5, Oct 12, 10-11:30 am (may be taken separately or in series) . Feeling overwhelmed, guilty, tense, or under-appreciated? Then this workshop series may be for you. Jefferson-Cutter House, Arlington, MA. For details and to register, contact Dr. King at de-stress@hotmail.com or call (617)784-3858. PUBLIC APPEARANCES Thursday, Sept 27th from 7:30am - 2:30pm South Shore Womens Business Network hosts Discover Attract Connect A professional development day where Jean will lead the morning with "Attracting Perfect Customers/Clients" followed by Keynoter Paula Lyons. Details or to register: http://www.sswbn.org Curious about ThinkPeople's other services beyond Coaching? Check out Corporate Facilitation/Training/ Consulting I hope you've enjoyed ThinkPeople's Monthly Workout and found it valuable! Feel free to forward to your friends, family and colleagues. To read past editions of ThinkPeople's Newsletters and to learn more about our services and products, visit us at http://www.thinkpeople.com/resources.html If you wish to unsubscribe, please e-mail unsubscribe@thinkpeople.com Copyright Info: ThinkPeople's Monthly Workout for the mind, heart and soul is ©2007 Jean M. DiGiovanna. All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be reproduced without express written permission from the publisher. Amy Rewakowski, Editor ThinkPeople ~ Bringing Individuals and Organizations Alive! jdigi@thinkpeople.com http://www.thinkpeople.com/ 617.489.7494 |
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