8 Ways To Cultivate Joyfulness In The New Year

Photo by Tolga Aslantürk

If you’re like me at all, you sometimes struggle with discontent and negativity. Why can’t things be easier, more how I wanted them? However, if we think like this, then we risk missing out appreciating the blessings all around us, as well as seeing the possibilities that always exist for us to actively create more joy in our lives. So now that we’ve started a new year, why not strive to be happier? 

Here are some of the practices I strive to implement every day, with the hopes of becoming a more joyful and pleasant person to be around: 

01 | Have a gratitude practice.

You don't have to buy a fancy gratitude journal, although you certainly can! I have a quick and easy gratitude practice that I do as part of an evening review (see this video to learn more).

Basically, at 7:00 every evening, after I put my baby down to sleep, I reflect with just a couple sentences on a printable journal sheet: what did I accomplish today? What did I learn today? What am I thankful for about today?

This short practice is so powerful in reframing the way I think about the past day and setting up for the next one.

02 | Send handwritten thank you letters.

This old-fashioned custom has lost none of its charm, even though it has now fallen out of practice among some. There’s nothing like the feeling of receiving a card in the mail, and knowing that someone took the time to thank you for a kindness that you did them, however small it was.

In past times, people would regularly send a handwritten thank you note not only for material gifts, but also for things like being invited to dinner at someone's house or spending an afternoon together. Old-fashioned forms of communication like this, and the sentiments they contain, are always appreciated. 

03 | Be quick to apologize.

None of us are perfect, and even with the best intentions, we still fall short on a daily basis. When you make a mistake, even by accident, apologize as soon as you can. Then, receive forgiveness and move on. There’s no need to feel guilty about something after you’ve apologized and moved on; know that you are forgiven.

In a situation where you messed up but no one was directly offended or hurt, you can still acknowledge your mess-up directly to God and receive forgiveness from Him. He loves us more than we can imagine, and doesn’t want us to carry around negativity for no reason.

04 | Smile more.

A lot of research has been done on how smiling, even when we don’t feel happy, literally changes the chemistry in our brains to help us feel happier! I’ve found it helpful to form a habit, when something occurs to upset, confuse, or disappoint me, to respond by smiling (preferably, at the person who has offended me, if he or she is present — but if not, then just a general smile).

This practice is small, but empowering! I don’t need to be bossed around by things that happen — I can be in charge of how I respond to them. 

05 | Do what needs to be done.

If you’re like me, when you read that, something probably popped into your head. Most of us have something we’ve been procrastinating on. The good news is that the hardest part is just getting started.

Try setting a kitchen timer for ten minutes and working only for that long on the task you need to accomplish, and notice how much you get done in such a short time!

06 | Try breathing and sitting still (no phone allowed).

Today, screen-free quiet time is quite a rarity. Try sitting for just five minutes and focusing on your breath. If you’re like me, then at times you may notice all of a sudden that you’ve been holding your breath or breathing shallowly.

Focusing on the motion of our breath is a powerful way to remember that God is sustaining us moment by moment, holding us in His love. 

07 | Drink more water.

One way I try to drink more water each day is by putting something delicious in it, like a cinnamon stick, citrus wedges, frozen berries, or mint or rosemary sprigs.

If you want to develop the habit of drinking more water, you could use a habit tracker to keep track of how many days in a row you drink your target amount, and then reward yourself after a certain point, by buying a beautiful new water bottle. 

08 | Read more.

With reading, every page adds up. You don’t have to set aside two hours in order to feel like you had a worthwhile reading session — even five minutes makes a difference.

If you don’t have a daily devotional, you could simply read a chapter or part of a chapter from your Bible, or just a chapter from a good novel. Gladys Hunt says that “good books are rich in honey...honey symbolizes the sweetness of life, that special quality that makes life sing with enjoyment for all it holds.” 

In short…

These are just a few powerful tips to increase the joy in your life. Which ones will you try this year?