 How I managed to find what I lost. Joy is defined as the emotion evoked by well-being, success or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires; a state of happiness; a source or cause of delight.
Where do you find your joy? Does it come in a warm Starbucks cup? Or maybe it comes when you sink your toes into a sandy beach overlooking beautiful blue water. What about last minute Christmas shopping in search of the toy of the year? If that’s your joy- you’re hired to shop for me next year! Regardless of where you find your joy or how often you experience joy, to me, the most important thing is that you never lose your constant need for joy in your life. If you lose that thirst for joy, you ultimately lose the ability to see the glass half full. Someone once said that if you focus on everyone else’s joy and forget about your own joy that you start to drift to an empty place. When you’re at that empty place, you cannot pour into others. You have to stay focused on your joy, to provide others with joy. Why do I write this? Because I learned this very lesson this year. 2016 was a great year professionally, but personally, it was a struggle. After losing my mom unexpectedly, I poured from an empty glass and almost an empty soul. This is hard to write, but I thought if I provided everyone else with joy, it would allow me to be filled with joy. It didn’t. I ended up realizing that when your glass is empty, you often have to look to others to fill it for you. I, Lynn Johnson, had to ask for help! If you know me, you know that I wear my Super Mom cape tucked underneath my clothes daily and the “I can do it all” badge is always snug in my handbag. Well, not this year. I had to not only ask, but accept help from others to restore what I lost on February 29, 2016. What I was blown away with was the love and support that I received from friends, family and those that I didn’t even know. They all took joy in restoring me to the person I had buried under all the sadness. Am I fully restored? Not completely, but I have realized that I was so blessed to be my mother’s daughter and no one can ever take that or the memories from me. But, more importantly I realized that I am not alone. Nor will I ever be, not even in the bathroom, thanks to the kids! This year has taught me to never lose sight of the shore. Thanks to my wonderful circle, I am looking towards 2017 with a joyful heart and eagerness to do the things I love! I am so thankful for everyone that took the time to reach out to me, spend time with me, talk with me, work with me and be a part of my 2016 journey. Here’s to 2017 and all it has in store! Let’s do this!
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