Your Own Joy

OTHERS MAY NOT LIKE IT

You have read over and over throughout this book that all change
comes from the inside. Trying to change things using the outside-in
approach is always doomed to failure. On the surface this looks selfish,
but you know by now that we can only change the planet one person at
a time.

As you begin to search for and follow your joy and excitement you may
feel this process appears a bit selfish. There may be other people
around you that feel you are being selfish, but that is only because they
cannot understand that by allowing you the freedom to find your joy and
excitement that this will in turn make it easier for them to find and follow
their joy also.

In the beginning having family around you and also having children can
at times make following your joy and excitement more challenging.
Sometimes following your joy may feel like you are not being practical or
looking after your responsibilities. You could subconsciously be afraid
that you will end up playing away your time, or indulging yourself, rather
than looking after your family. In the beginning it can be a delicate
balance, but as time goes on you will be much happier and the quality of
time you spend together will improve considerably. Also, other things
that need to be done will seem more enjoyable when you allow yourself
to do them when it feels right rather than when you thought you should
be doing them.

As you follow your joy and excitement people will automatically see how
much happier you are and how much more you are enjoying life. This
gets their attention and will slowly rub off on others around you. So in
the beginning you could possibly receive some resistance from those
close to you, even some resistance and fear from yourself. This will
pass as you become happier and more excited to live each day. Joy is
very addictive and draws people towards you. As people see that it is
okay to follow your joy and excitement and that it is creative rather than
destructive, they will very quickly attempt to bring this process into their
own lives.

A STEP AT A TIME

Following our joy is not one large step, like quitting our job and spending
our days sitting under a tree. That is not following our joy - that is
escaping. There is a big difference between following the things that
truly excite us and doing things to escape from a life that does not bring
us joy.

The trick is to find, in the present moment, the things that would bring us
the most excitement, and then do whatever we can to follow that
excitement, even in the smallest way. This causes a chain reaction that
brings us more opportunities to do what we love to do.

I think that the hardest time people have with following their joy is trying
to make a living and at the same time trying to follow their joy. I have
noticed that one of the very first things we fear is our financial concerns.
That's why we start off slowly following the path little by little and letting
things build upon themselves slowly.

However, I will tell you this, whenever I followed my joy it always turned
out to be the most financial rewarding thing at the end. When you follow
you true joy, wherever that leads you, and even if it changes from time
to time, then the details will work themselves out on their own. If you try
to work out all the details and debate them to death, you will go insane
before you find the right answer. But if you just follow your joy and what
brings you excitement then you will end up doing what is best for you
and everyone.

Whatever we desire is waiting for us to claim it. You have already
learned you do not have to know the details or how do anything. All you
have to do is focus on what you want. I can't take away your fears and
doubts no matter how many pages I write. You will just need to trust
yourself and the Power within you that you can truly follow your joy and
do things in a way that bring you joy and have it all work out.

The greatest obstacle to happiness is not living in the present moment
and not following your joy. The solution is to do just the opposite. If you
find yourself focusing on the past or the future, remind yourself that the
present moment is all there is, and then surrender to what is and see
how life suddenly starts working for you.

If you put the same amount of effort into finding what gives you joy as
you put into going to work at a job you dislike, you will end up with
results that will make you think, "Why did I wait so long to do this?"

-Dr Robert Anthony