Today we’re going to talk about happiness versus joy. (My brain just imagined the two as Luchadores, but, aside from making me laugh, that’s not relevant right now.) Happiness is a circumstantial thing. We feel happy when things are going right, when we have cute shoes, when there is no traffic on our commute, when we get tasty snacks.
Joy, however, is not. Joy is a way of being in the world, more of a mindset than something dependent on how things are going. We achieve joy in a variety of ways, including integrity and gratitude. Joy is a practice.
So what’s the connection with fitness?
The most obvious connection is… connection! That mind-body connection is a real thing. When we tune in to what makes our body feel good, when we experience ourselves as moving beings designed to move, we open ourselves to the joy of existence.
Then there is that whole practice bit. When we move with intention, we learn. We grow. We learn to appreciate our capabilities. We practice being grateful for bodies that can do so many things in so many interesting ways.
Finally, as we move our bodies, we treat ourselves with love. That love spills over into things like better sleep, good-for-us food, reduced pain. All those things contribute to our sense of joy in the world.
Bottom line: happiness is good and joy is even better! Get both!
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