Find the Joy

That's what my husband said to me after we had spent over two hours mopping up water in our house.

A hose burst under the utility sink in our laundry room, and at 1:00 in the morning my husband walked into the house after a busy day of planting to find an inch of water on our main floor. By this time, it had soaked through the floor and traveled to our finished basement. The damage was extensive.

Now, I don't know about you, but my first thought was definitely not to "find the joy". At this point, I was only finding frustration and negativity and focusing on all of the bad things happening. But that is what is remarkable about my husband. He is that guy who looks at a glass as half full and truly never has a bad day. He actually doesn't remember telling me to "find the joy," but I'll never forget that moment. Because I've been thinking about it ever since.

How often do we go through life only focusing on the negatives?

No matter where we find ourselves, there is always room for joy. My mother died from stage four colon cancer when I was a senior in high school. Through one of the darkest chapters of my life, I remember feeling joy. My husband lost his uncle to suicide. A loss that nearly ruined many people I love. And yet, I remember feeling joy. In fleeting moments there was joy.

You might be thinking, "But Courtney! There is no joy in the hardship I'm facing!" And at this moment, you could be right. Joy is not found in every second of every day. But you can still look for it. And if you don't find any, then it's up to you to create it. Live in your emotions. Accept the feelings you have and know that they are valid. But don't live in the negativity.

Find the joy.

XO,

Courtney