The Origins of the Joy Party!

I've been thinking a lot about joy lately, and have been wanting to explore the idea more.  And when I say "lately," I mean like the last two years, at least.  (I'm a BIT of a procrastinator!)  What makes someone joyful?  What makes someone feel joy?  I consider myself to be a rather happy-go-lucky person.  That isn't to say I don't have my times of being stressed out or crazy, but for the most part, on any given day, I am joyful.

I use the term "joyful" instead of "happy" because it really is about something more than just surface happiness.  I think joy is something that comes from deeper within a person, so that even when life's circumstances aren't perfect, there's still that underlying joy.

I've wondered...why do some people have more joy than others?  Is it a personality trait, that you either have it or you don't?  Does it come from life experiences?  My life, while far from perfect, has been rather blessed.  Maybe that's why I'm joyful--because I really haven't had anything in my life to drag me down.  But then I look at some people who have far less than me, and they radiate joy.  I see people who have had greater life challenges than me, and I see great joy.  And of course, I see those who have far more than I will ever have, who aren't joyful at all.  So maybe it's a combination of personality and life, maybe it's something that develops over time.  I don't know.  What I do know is that living a joyful life is something I wish for more people, and with that, The Joy Party is created!

I spend quite a bit of time in the car, commuting to various locations for my job and chauffeuring my kiddos to all their activities.  That gives me ample time to think about a great many things, including this blog.  I considered many different titles before settling on The Joy Party.  Discover Joy or Choose Joy (already taken), The Joy of Discovering Joy (meh), and Project Joy (sounded too much like work) were all contenders.  But at the end of the day, The Joy Party really embodied what I feel...that life, with all its trials and challenges, can still be fun, like...a party!  And if we seek joy in all we do, life will be much more worth living.  

Part of my hope with this blog is to explore the things in my life that bring me joy.  I have a lot of joy to share, and hopefully I can inspire others with my experiences.  But I'd also love to hear from you!  What's your life story?  Where do you find joy in your life?  You can comment below, send me an email, or visit my Facebook or Twitter pages to share more!  Thanks for joining the party!