Joy and happiness can be fleeting emotions if you don’t consciously strive for them. Our brain is wired to look for the negative. We are trained to focus on problems, look for potential danger, and prepare for the worst. As humans it’s a proven fact that we will do more to avoid pain then we will to gain pleasure. Even though there can be many moments throughout the day where we experience joy, it can be difficult to stay in that state. Maintaining a positive mindset isn’t necessarily natural to our overly analytical minds. It takes work to stay in a joyful state. 

I’ve recently become aware of how difficult maintaining a happy mind can be. While I have so many things to be grateful for in my life, I find that the more complicated my world becomes the harder it is for me to maintain that sunny outlook. There are a lot of moving pieces in my life that have to be evaluated and managed. I’ve become more focused on watching out for the negative and avoiding potential pitfalls, then I have on looking for the positive. I have to navigate through many challenges on a daily basis which can leave me feeling overwhelmed and pretty down. From that point it is easy to get caught up in that negative spiral of destructive thoughts. You know what I’m talking about, we have all been there before. You start out frustrated about one small thing, and the next thing you know you’re curled up on the floor crying feeling that your life is a total sham.

I’ve noticed this negative spiral becoming more of a pattern for me recently. One that I wanted to break ASAP! I realized that the only way to break this pattern was to consciously reach for the positive. To work towards that state of joy. This is not easy. Sometimes when you are in that funky state the last thing you want to do is feel joyful. It may even seem impossible. But you have to ask yourself if that negative, depressed state is serving you. Guaranteed it’s not. You aren’t going to solve any problems or fix your life by remaining in that funk. The best thing you can do for yourself and others is break the pattern with some joy interrupters.

I decided to make a list of my own personal joy interrupters and keep them posted on my fridge. These are tools that help break my negative mindset and allow me to feel more joyful. And they work every time. I should explain that whenever I am spinning out into a negative spiral I allow myself some time to wallow in my misery. In other words I throw myself a bit of a pity party, but I put a time limit on it. It might 30 minutes, a few hours, or even a day. I’ll give myself permission to be in a bad mood, but I know that there is an end to it. When my pity party is over I have to muster all my willpower to consciously choose joy and turn myself around.

Here are a few of my go to Joy Interrupters:

• Music: Playing happy upbeat music is one of the best ways to get yourself into a positive state. When I really need cheering up I’ll actually play Christmas Music, even if it’s in July (God knows what my neighbors must think).
• Dancing: This really goes along with playing music. Dancing is a great way to feel joyful and to release any pent up emotions.
• Getting Outside: A nice transitional activity is to either go for a walk or a run in a beautiful place. I normally go the beach to clear my head. This allows me to begin to process all the thoughts and pent up emotions I have. But just breathing in the fresh air, and appreciating the beautiful nature around me helps to elevate my mood.
• Looking for Inspiration: I have a huge library of self growth/spiritual books. I’m a bit of an Amazon junkie to be honest. But when I am feeling down I am so grateful for this collection of inspirational material. Sometimes all I need to do to change my mindset is to pick up a book and turn to a random page. This is a great intuitive exercise that always delivers to me just what I need to hear.
• Call a friend: Be careful with this one. You want to call a friend that will let you vent, but will not join in on the drama with you. My girlfriend and I just made an agreement that when one of us is down we can call the other and have an allotted amount of time to vent. After which the conversation has to turn positive. The other friend should then help you see things from a different perspective. Help you to find the silver lining and look on the bright side.
• Laugh: The best way to bring more joy into your life is to laugh. Watch a funny show or movie. Try and think of as many funny moments from your past where you couldn’t stop laughing and relive them. Converse with that friend that always cracks you up. Do whatever you can to laugh!
• Immerse Yourself: We all have an activity or project that we are deeply passionate about. It might be your work, a book you are reading, or a creative project. Whatever it is that you feel passion for dive into it whenever you are feeling down. Not only will this take your mind off of what was bothering you, but it will lead you into a state of joy and happiness.

Make a list of your own joy interrupters and keep them somewhere handy for the next time you need a positive shift. Remember that when you are in that negative place you will have to consciously work towards that joyful state. And while it’s not always easy, it is most definitely worth it. Never take your happiness in stride. You’ve got to hang on to it, savor it, and make an effort to cultivate it every day.

If you feel inspired list your own joy interrupters in the comments below.