Joy In Chaotic Times?

Are We Available to Joy?

How do we keep our head and our heart in these chaotic times?

I am no longer shocked by news of a world in crisis — where cruelty is a tactic and war never seems to end. An out-of-balance world where wealth, concentrated among “the few,” sets the rules while “the many” struggle to survive. A system where corruption and greed are brazen and seemingly without accountability.

We all feel it.

And we each find our own way to deal with it. Often we don’t even want to talk about it. We keep on keeping on. Sometimes we do OK, and other times we feel off-kilter and quietly depressed.

I get it.

My heart goes out to you, and I honor your courage and persistence.

So here is the paradox I live with.

Even in the middle of all that craziness, life is still astonishing.

Morning light still arrives.
Music still lifts the spirit.
A deep breath still steadies the mind.
Creativity still flows.
And miracles still happen.

Personally, I am enjoying my best life.

And yet I also feel intense grief and sometimes vibrate with outrage. At times I react so strongly that I cannot create art or music or experience joy.

I am grateful that I have learned, through mindfulness, how to work with those reactions and choose joy again.

My many years of personal mindfulness practice have helped me live inside this paradox — to acknowledge the intensity of my feelings and see the difficulty clearly, while still making choices that increase my capacity for joy.

In times like these, that is not a luxury.

It is essential.

Mindfulness is not some mystical spiritual experience that requires chanting or hours of meditation.

Mindfulness is simply learning how to choose joy in each moment while doing what is right for you.

It helps us preserve and champion the self — our clarity, our humanity, and our ability to choose how we live regardless of the surrounding noise.

What feels right for me now is to share the simple tips and practices that have helped me bring more joy into my life.

That is why I created Bright Moments — a small and growing collection of simple mindfulness practices for staying steady and alive in complicated times. If yu find it useful feel free!

That is also why I have created the Art Of Joy blog. I hope it becomes a source of inspiration and joy. Feel free to text me your questions at 719 428 7117.

“Joy is available today.

The real question is: are we available to joy?”

Joseph