A dear client of mine, who’s in my CLEAR course, just shared that she had a major breakthrough and manifested her dream job (!!!) — and then, of course, had a suuuuper difficult convo with a family member. She mentioned that she felt like the person was trying to steal her joy.
I think I used to believe that joy could be stolen. Like someone else could just take my sparkle. Because it felt that way.
Now, I see that we are the guardians and generators of our joy.
So if it feels like your joy was stolen, you probably just gave it away. I’m not saying that people aren’t jerks and sometimes emotionally manipulative and abusive jerks. Your joy is your responsibility. This is your power.
If it’s gone, then you released your claim on it. You forgot, temporarily, that you were worthy of that joy. And maybe you forgot that it’s YOU who generates it. No one else. No person/ place/ thing outside of you.
It’s an inside job this joy stuff.
Sure, we’re inspired by the world around us (yin flow is outside in vs yang flow is inside to out), but the world is always the world. It’s your job to find the beauty.
While my time in NY a few months back didn’t feel particularly joyful — apart from the time spent with beloveds, of course — I didn’t let all the stink and crowds and the two Targets in the Lower East Side (blasphemy!) steal my joy.
I didn’t even give anything or anyone a chance to touch that golden place inside of me.
Because my joy cannot be stolen. That’s a practice I’ve cultivated through inner work, grounding, slowing down, and learning to trust and love myself and the universe.
It’s a practice of believing I’m worthy. That I deserve joy. That it’s already here and I just have to say yes…even in the teensiest tiniest ways.
Once I start saying yes to joy and self-worth, more comes. I see it. I feel it. I have this feeling in my body of deep knowing. I TRUST that there will be more. Always more.
Stop giving it away. Stop letting people touch that golden place inside of you. Close the doors. Be your own palace. Your own glorious temple. Your own safe space.
Go back in time and connect with those parts of yourself who didn’t feel worthy. Who felt/ feel like they have to be on guard constantly, no rest. Those parts of you want to evolve and grow.
Be attentive to yourself. Notice when you’re lashing out or in. When you’re sinking into something that feels shitty (even especially if it’s comfortable in its shittiness).
Know that you can change it at that very moment. You can find joy. It’s there. I promise.