Spread More JOY!

One of the many things I love about traveling is getting to know people from all different cultures who have their own unique story. We are all connected through our love of exploration and expanding our knowledge of this wonderful world. Everyone is seeking something different and we are all thousands of miles away from home. One thing I have found great joy in doing is being able to serve these people through the spreading of joy and acts of kindness. I started becoming more conscious of what little things I could do to brighten their day. While working at Kimi Ora Resort, I began by simply cleaning the staff lounge and decorating the table with fresh flowers so that when the wwoofers came in to eat, they would feel appreciated. I also began posting inspirational quotes up on a message board in the lounge to offer a bit of encouragement. Today, the co-owner told me that they really helped her throughout the day and she was thankful for them! So Cool! See how something so simply can bring joy and comfort to someone? Even if something I do just impacts one person positively, I have succeeded.

For Valentine’s Day I bought some candies and placed them in a bowl with a note that said, “Happy Valentine’s Day! Enjoy some chocolate and give someone a hug today!” Everyone was so excited to see the chocolate and I got lots of hugs and smiles. People were commenting me on how special I make them feel. I don’t do these things to take credit or for people to like me, but it is for a deeper purpose. I am learning that it is better to be generous. I feel I have been a fairly generous person in the past, but I am experiencing it on a whole other level now. I think my self-doubt in this topic was that I didn’t think that what I did really mattered to people. I challenged my doubts and found that through these simple gestures, I can really help change the way someone thinks or feels. Whether they had a bad day or need a bit of encouragement, each of us has the power to help transform lives. It’s about being aware of the needs of others and what would make their day. For me, seeing someone smile because of something simple is amazing and it probably brings me MORE joy than them! The $5 I spent on chocolates and the 10 seconds it took me to write the note, created priceless joy for them and me. I am discovering that I have re-defined my mission in life and that is to truly serve others and bring them joy and encouragement. There are so many interesting ways to do this and I am exploring them at the moment. J

My challenge for you is to find a way that you can bring joy to others. This doesn’t just have to be through flowers, chocolates and quotes. Think of a creative way to bring a smile to the people in your path. Find your unique way to communicate joy to others. You’ll be amazed at what you discover.

Please leave comments with what you decided to do and what you learned from the process.  HAPPY JOY SPREADING!!