Cultivating Joy

How to Cultivate Joy into Your Family

Here’s a list of powerful actions you can start right now to cultivate joy. You don’t have to do these all at once, but you should try most of them sooner rather than later. Pick one and start today.

1. As always it starts with you

Children do as they see, not as they’re told. If you have a joyful attitude towards life, then your family will probably will do the the same…

2. Spend time together

Nothing leads to joy as efficiently as connecting with other human beings, cultivating relationships, and bonding with others. Spending time with the people you love is one of the easiest ways of cultivating joy. Make it a priority to schedule time with the people you love.

3. Give out hugs

Hugs are FUN way to put the JOY in your day.

More importantly according to The Happiness Project, you need to hold a hug for at least six seconds to get the oxytocin and serotonin really flowing. Those are the chemical messengers that help bonding and make you feel good.

4. Encourage Contentment

Joy and contentment are closely related. Joy comes naturally when we are content with what we already have.

5. Practice Gratitude

Gratitude has magical powers. Learning to be grateful for what’s in our lives and for the people who love us is a powerful way to nurture joy.

6. Help Others

Is there any better feeling than helping a fellow human being?

7. Unplug and get outside

Go outside with your family each day. If you’re lucky enough to live near some woods, or a mountain, or a creek, go exploring. Make Land Art or build a fort together. Think of time outside as time invested in nurturing joy.

8. Slow down

Life is a journey not a destination. Take time to enjoy the journey. Going slowly helps to reduce stress and frees up space for you to spend time with each other.

9. Make time for play

Have you ever watch your kids play? They can spend hours in games of make-believe and wonder. This kind of activity is a gateway to joy.