5 Simple Reasons Why You Need Joy In Your Life

JOY: we all need it; we all want it--but do we have it? And if we don't, how do we get it? Where can it be found? 

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) defines Joy as "a vivid emotion of pleasure arising from a sense of well-being or satisfaction." 

To me, joy is more than an emotion--it's a state of being; a way of dwelling in the world. 

So maybe I would stand the OED definition on its head and claim that "Joy is a state of well-being that gives one a vivid emotion of pleasure." 

Does it mean there is no sorrow or pain? No. In fact, in many traditions, whether religious or psychological, joy and sorrow are often thought of as married to one another--that in some ways we experience a joy that arises from sorrow, as we sometimes experience sorrow in some moments of joy. 

Why should you seek joy? Because there is a lot about our world that we find trying, depressing, mind-numbing, meaningless. As well, there is no shortage of health-ailments as a result of our world--as a result of those systems we've built only to find out decades later that it's making us sick. 

There are many benefits to joy. Here are some for you to ponder.

1. You feel better about yourself and your world: When you seek joy, even in sorrow, you feel better about yourself and those around you. You carry an "aura" some would say; you light up a room; you serve as the contagion of joy itself. Part of being joyful is realizing that you are unique, that you are precious, that you are loved. That's a good thing.

2. You touch those around you: When you are joyful and bring that to others, you are able to touch them, to make a difference in their lives, which, in turn, brings more joy both to yourself and your world. You help others feel precious and loved and valued.

3. You can touch suffering: Those without joy hide from suffering, which just leads to more problems. Hiding, deflecting, avoiding suffering can bring on health issues, addictions, and self-devaluation. When you are joyful, you know that joy can also be found in suffering, and thus experience joy in moments of pain and hardship. This does not imply some state of perfection or bliss, but a presence to yourself and that which you're going through out of which joy can come. 

4. You experience laughter: A good laugh can release endorphins, which leads to a greater sense of well-being, and even, in some studies, a higher tolerance of pain (which may be why those who are joyful can endure hardship better than those who aren't). Laughter can also increase blood flow, which can defend against hardening arteries.

5. You experience peace: In our crazy world in which there is so much uncertainty, tension, and anxiety, when we seek and experience joy, we also find peace. Not a slothful disinterest in the world around us, but rather an active peace--a kind of calm while we're out there living our lives and trying to make the world a better place one day at a time. It seems, as well, that peace can lead also to joy; that when you experience a state of peace you are in a state of joy.