| So, I was looking at different people’s blogs and websites and I realized I could be sharing more with you each week. I am not here to overwhelm your inbox, but I truly want to bring you value and give you some tips and help to hopefully make your days go more smoothly. I will be attempting to share one email each with a tip, share, checklist or something to help you along your flourishing life. I do hope what I bring to you each week will be valuable and you can find ways to implement what I share each week to enrich your life. This week I have been really looking into organizing and it has been so fun. A friend of mine and I are going to begin a new adventure and help someone with the organization of their home. I have always loved organizing things and can fall into the trap of Pinterest boards and IG reels of organizing hacks and storage containers. Anyone else do this? Ha ha! It is a big passion of mine and until recently, I, well, forgot about it. I know that seems crazy to forget something about yourself, but I did. Over the last few years, like many of you, we are picking up the pieces of a crazy few years with the Covid fiasco that hiit our world in 2020. I really didn’t think the whole ordeal affected me much, but looking back now, I have seen so many ways it has altered my life. I am so grateful the impact though in the broader scale, has changed our world as we knew it forever, was subtle for me. Or was it? I am grateful it didn’t affect my health, though I know so many that the virus now has changed their lives forever. From permanent taste issues, to lung difficulties and loss of energy and some even death, it affected so many. It is hard to wrap our minds around all that took place and I am not going to talk much about it anymore. I don’t want to get into any debate about why it happened or what should or should not have been done. What I did want to talk about is back to the ways I think the virus impacted us most of all. Emotionally, our world was turned upside down. So many people were isolated and lonely and truly lost. We really recognized how our need for community and interaction with others is so vital to our health. Mind and body, both of them are affected by not having the connection with others. I believe we all interact with one another differently than we did before this happened and for some, they will never be able to restore back to how it “was” back then. So, what does this have to do with me remembering about my love for organization? I guess it isn’t exactly about the organization love specifically, but about the fact I lost who I was for a bit. I have been walking through a journey of growth and acceptance of who God has made me. I have learned how to see myself as God has created me and not what I think others should think about me. I am STILL a work in progress and sometimes (maybe more than I can count) I need to be reminded of my value in Christ and not what I do. He loves me and you for who He created YOU to be! He loves you and longs for you and I to trust Him for all we do and say. He equips us to move and do and become what He has designed us to be. Over the last few years of striving to become what I thought I should be, I think I lost a little bit of Stephanie. Now, I am not going to put myself down, because I have also made Tremendous growth! I am so grateful EVERY SINGLE DAY I stepped into growing into who I am becoming. I have learned so much about myself and all God gets to do in and through me. I get to step into helping others like you see their value and use what I have learned along my journey to encourage and inspire others to do the same.I am re-discovering the good parts of me I may have set aside as I was leaning into who I was becoming. Honestly, I think I was trying to fit into a mold of who I thought I should be rather than who I am. Have you ever done that? Now, I know organizing seems like a silly thing to lose about yourself, but I did. I spent a lot of time trying to do things that are me, but were maybe trying to fit a mold that wasn’t all me. I remember being asked a while ago what it is I like to do for fun and I really couldn’t think of anything specific. I didn’t really see any hobbies and felt like I was working and striving more and not really doing things I love. Now, let me say this before I go on, I LOVE coaching others and doing my podcast and connecting with you is truly a HUGE passion for me and I am grateful every day I get to do this as my “job”! The amazing community I get to be part of and the personal growth I get to step into is amazing and I would not have changed a thing!What I do see is that I get to step back into who I am, what makes Stephanie, Stephanie. What excites me and makes me geek out on reels and Pinterest boards. I get the opportunity to re-become who I am on the creative side. I get to live my full life and not just the “striving” part I was living. I know my heart has always been so full of passion because I truly believe what I get to do as I help others in their life create a healthy wellbeing is my purpose God has given me. |
Finding who we are and what brings us joy can be so helpful. Embracing the joy in your life is a wonderful way to live out your day to day. So now, I get to throw aside the WORRY of not doing Enough, not sharing Enough, not being Enough to not allow myself to be me Enough. I get to step into my full person and create the life I truly want, full and flourishing!Before I let you go I want to make sure I am bringing something tangible for you to takeaway from my personal discoveries.
Here are Four Tips to Help You Find Your Joy:
- Seek God’s Presence:Turn to the Bible and seek the Lord as you are finding your joy. The true joy is found in Christ and Him alone. Read His word and fill your heart and mind with reflection, gratitude and praise to Him. Psalm 16:11 says, “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
- Reflect on Past ExperiencesNow, don’t dwell here, but take some time to reflect on past experiences or activities that have helped you feel fulfilled. Were you engaged, inspired or deeply content? What activities, places or people were surrounding the joy you experienced? The patterns and other reflections of your past can help point you toward what gives you joy.
- Pay Attention to Your Emotions:Now, I don’t want this to be your only basis to finding your joy, but your emotions do play a part in discovering true joy. What experiences have given you a sense of joy, enthusiasm or fulfillment? Like me with my organizing, it isn’t a deep emotional connection, but I truly get excited to take part in organizing and it brings fulfillment and ease to my day. What are areas where you felt negative energy, a lack of fulfillment or heart? These emotions may be a sign for you to recognize what doesn’t bring you joy.
- Experiment and ExploreYou need to try things to know if it brings you joy! Engage in new things and explore different activities, hobbies and interests. When you experiment and try new avenues, you will be able to discover the sense of joy and fulfillment different activities bring. Don’t judge a book by its cover, try and explore and you may be surprised what joy you will find.
| Thank You!I truly am grateful I get to be in your space each week in my emails, social media and my podcast. One of my truest joys is serving others and helping them see what life truly can become. I hope this email encourages you and allows you to start to step into or rediscover what brings you joy! Love, Stephanie |