Cultivating Joy: Embracing The Divine Within
Do you believe, as I do, that joy is our divine birthright—a gift woven into the essence of who we are and a way of life we’re meant to embrace?
Despite this inherent gift, many of us get caught up in cycles of fear, worry, and anxiety.
Living in joy doesn’t mean we’re untouched by pain or shielded from hardship. Pain and suffering are undeniable aspects of the human experience.
So can joy and suffering co-exist?
I’ve come to understand that true joy isn’t about the absence of hardship—it’s about the presence of love. At its heart, joy is rooted in a profound, unconditional love of the divine self, a love that arises from recognizing the divine within us.
When I began to fully embrace this idea of the divine within, something fundamental shifted in me. I stopped seeing myself as merely God's creation, separate and apart, and instead recognized that I am a part of God, just as God is a part of me. Together, we’re sharing this human and divine experience. With this shift, my love for who I am grew, my self-acceptance deepened, and a profound inner peace and joy began to blossom within me.
This is where true joy resides—a joy that can withstand hardship, pain, and suffering. In recognizing that we are one with God and All That Is, we can begin to love ourselves deeply, discovering an enduring joy that carries us, even through life’s most challenging times.
There’s a beautiful book I highly recommend on this theme of joy. It’s called The Book of Joy, co-authored by the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Douglas Abrams. Abrams facilitates a heartfelt dialogue between the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu, capturing their insights beautifully.
One especially powerful passage from Archbishop Tutu speaks to how recognizing our divine selves helps us access a deep well of joy that can sustain us through life’s greatest challenges. He says:
“Discovering more joy does not, I’m sorry to say, save us from the inevitability of hardship and heartbreak. In fact, we may cry more easily, but we will laugh more easily too. Perhaps we are just more alive. Yet as we discover more joy, we can face suffering in a way that ennobles rather than embitters. We have hardship without becoming hard. We have heartbreak without being broken.”
The Dalai Lama adds,
"We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy."
So, how exactly do we do that? How do we choose to live in joy? How do we deepen our love for ourselves and strengthen our connection to the divine within despite the chaos and turmoil that may be around us?
My answer to these questions is the same simple message I share in my book Whispers of the Soul. Make you your number one priority.
Making time for yourself isn’t selfish. Please, if you’re holding onto that notion, let it go. Taking time to nurture yourself and nourish your soul is one of the most loving, impactful things you can do for yourself—and for our world. Imagine a world where more people truly loved themselves; it would be a happier, healthier, more compassionate place. So remember, taking time to do loving things for yourself is far from selfish.
During this time with yourself, focus on developing your inner relationship. Think of it as a love affair with your own soul. Take yourself on a date, get curious about who you are and what lights you up. Be open, non-judgmental—just as you would with any new love. Explore all facets of your being and connect with the divine energy within. Reflect on those three key questions I’ve shared before:
Who am I?
What do I want?
Why does it matter?
Allow the answers to bubble up from within, free from judgment. This process deepens your connection to your higher self, to the divine within. And through this, you tap into a wellspring of joy and self-love.
As you may know if you’ve followed my work, my own journey to self-love and deep inner joy began with a 30-day challenge to walk in nature every day. My business coach at the time suggested it to help ease my anxiety and find clarity. It achieved both those things, but the unexpected gift was even greater: it helped me connect with God, deepen my self-love, and discover a wellspring of joy amidst the chaos of life and the challenges of the pandemic.
If you’re looking for a place to begin your journey to self-love, divine connection, and joy, I invite you to try the 30-Day Nature Challenge I created just for you. Visit joyfulinspiredliving.com/challenge to sign up. You’ll receive a daily email with inspiring quotes, beautiful images, and simple prompts to guide you. There’s even a short audio clip to set the tone for your walk each day.
I promise, if you spend just a few minutes each day in nature, connecting with the world around you and listening to the whispers of your soul, you’ll be led to a deep well of inner joy and love.
Other ways I can support you on this journey to deeper self-love and joy is through my book Whispers of the Soul, or through coaching. If you are interested in exploring ways to work with me directly, please reach out to schedule a discovery call.
In the meantime, have a beautiful, joy filled week.
Joyfully yours,
Anita
