Reading this article will make you younger and healthier. I (almost) guarantee it!
by Dr. Sandy Gluckman | Contributor
I have some amazing news for you! Researchers have discovered that when we feel joy there are some amazing benefits that we never realized. Feeling joy causes a healthy chemical change in our bodies and brains that . . .
• Helps prevent illness and keep us young.
• Increases our feelings of emotional and physical wellbeing.
• Increases our energy level.
• Helps build great relationships with others.
Who would have thought that to get these incredible benefits, all we need to do is feel JOY – as long – and as often as we can?
What’s difficult about that?
Who wouldn’t want to feel JOY?
The answer to these questions is just one word: STRESS. STRESS IS THE ENEMY OF JOY. Stress causes us to feel unwell, creates disease, sucks our energy, affects our relationships, interferes with our thoughts and our behavior, and makes us go through life tense and anxious. Not a pretty picture, is it?
The solution is easier than you think. YOU NEED TO REPLACE STRESS WITH JOY. The truth is that we live in a stressful, pressure-filled world, but fortunately, we can choose how we respond to the stressors in our lives.
3-Steps to JOY
Indulge me in an exercise – it really does work. Imagine that there is a knob on the side of your head just behind your right eye. This knob has 2 settings and by turning this knob you can change the setting from “Feel Stress” to “Feel JOY.”
Stop reading for a moment and think about this: Is my knob set at “Feel Stress” or is it set at “Feel JOY?”
If it is set at “Feel JOY” congratulate yourself! If it is set at “Feel Stress,” read on for an amazing 3-step process to reset your mind from stress to joy.
1. Place the thumb, forefinger, and middle finger of your right hand around this imaginary knob at the side of your right eye. Turn the knob to take it off the STRESS setting and onto the JOY setting. It is important that you actually physically make the turning movement and ‘see’ the words JOY at the new setting. When you have done this, sit upright, smile, and take a long, deep breath. Let yourself feel the impact of performing this seemingly ‘silly’ yet powerful step.
2. Now think about a situation that you are dealing with – diet, kids in college, your marriage, parents visiting from out of town…any situation that you were stressing about before you reset the knob. Write, or think about, at least 3 things regarding this situation for which you are deeply grateful despite the challenges of the situation. When you have done this, sit upright, smile, and take a long, deep breath. Recognizing that the challenging situation brings blessings with it, changes your chemistry and allows you to have a sense of JOY.
3. Finally, make a more joyful choice about your thoughts and behavior in this situation. Choose thoughts and responses that focus on the aspects of the situation that you are grateful for. For example, tell your teenager the things about him or her that give you joy – instead of focusing on what you want to ‘fix’ (do this in a 5-1 ratio).
Practice these 3 steps in every situation that you are stressed about. In just a matter of minutes, you will experience a sense of lightness. You will notice that you really do feel happier and blessed; you really do feel JOY.
Editor’s Note: Dr. Sandy Gluckman works with parents who have kids age 4-20, helping them eliminate behavioral, emotional, and learning difficulties. Her unique whole-child treatment approach addresses all aspects of a child’s health – spirit, body, and brain. Dr. Sandy enables parents to recognize and encourage the talent and inner strength within every child.
FIND JOY AT DR. SANDY’S SEMINAR SERIES
3 Things Your Child Needs Most from You so They Can Behave Positively, Feel Good, Love Life, and Achieve Success.
To learn all about this seminar, email Dr. Sandy at sandy@gluckmangroup.com or call 214-682-8980.
