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Natalie Tysdal 

The holidays are supposed to be fun and happy. So why am I having trouble finding joy, the help you need, and some inspiration to get you there just ahead?

Hi everyone. Welcome to the podcast today. It's Natalie and it's Christmas time. Things are busy. I get it. I'm actually feeling slightly ahead of where I usually am this time of year, but that doesn't mean that things have been easy. In fact, it has been the hardest year of my life. Our two college-aged daughters were home for Thanksgiving. They're going to be coming back for Christmas. I can't wait. It's been nice having the whole family back in the house.

All my birdies in the nest, as I like to say. The hardship of the past year and a half, for me, it's been overwhelming. And yet I know that that's part of the big picture and part of God's plan. Surprisingly, it's actually one of the most joyous Decembers I can ever remember because I'm more grateful than ever before. It's all perspective. And that's really what I wanna talk about on the podcast today, finding joy when it just doesn't even seem possible.

Maybe you feel like many people that you're chasing joy. And I understand that feeling. Life can feel like a whirlwind from managing careers, taking care of families. It's easy to get caught up in the never ending to-do list and then forget about the importance of joy and what joy means. But amidst the chaos, finding moments of pure happiness, that can be a game changer.

So it's just me on the podcast today. And before we get started, I have a favor to ask you. Would you subscribe to the podcast and click the show notes or go to my Instagram page in the bio and you're gonna find a link there to sign up for my new.

It's just me on the podcast today. And before I get started, I have a favor to ask. Would you subscribe to the podcast and click the show notes or go to my Instagram page? And in the bio, you'll find a link to sign up for my newsletter. I have lots of tips for managing your busy life and also some gift ideas if you're in shopping mode, like most of us. So let's talk about joy now. Finding it and creating it instead of chasing it. I think joy spring from being grateful. It comes from embracing each moment as it passes, knowing that when it's gone, it's never going to come back again. Romans 12.12 says, rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. I think that we sometimes confuse joy with happiness. While happiness is often linked to external factors, immediate things, joy is more eternal.

While happiness is often linked to external factors or immediate gratification, joy is internal. It's a deep-rooted feeling that doesn't depend on circumstances. Author Leo Bascoglia once said, the person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing, and becomes nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow, or love chained by assertitude. He's a slave. He has forfeited his freedom. Only a person who risks is free." I think this quote is really about joy. It's about taking risks. It's about embracing growth and feeling the results of actually trying. So how can you tap into this reservoir of joy? Here are some tips and some strategies that I have found, and I hope they help you. First of all, prayer. When we are focused on our relationship with God and we are in partnership daily, even hourly with Him, we're going to feel more joy. It's that simple. He wants us to be in relationship with Him, not just in church, but in our daily lives, walking with Him. That alone is going to bring you so much more joy. Next, mindfulness. Being present and fully engaged in the moment can allow you to experience joy in the simplest things. Whether you're sipping your morning coffee or maybe watching your child play, mindfulness can help you find joy in the everyday moments. Next, gratitude. I talk about this a lot on the podcast, on my blog, in my social media, because I believe so much in it. Practicing gratitude can shift your focus from what's wrong to what's right in your life.

When you start feeling overwhelmed or anxious, take a minute, look around, list what you're grateful for. It can be as simple as the breath in your lungs, the sunshine, the friend who texted you just to say hi. Those are things you can be grateful for and it's gonna shift your mind from what's negative. So when you start feeling that way, pause and just look around. There is always something you can be grateful for and being grateful,

Let me just tell you, it's a habit. It takes practice, but once you start practicing it, you're gonna get better at it and you're gonna start to feel more joy. Next, are you taking care of yourself physically, emotionally, and mentally? It's crucial for experiencing joy. Regular exercise, eating healthy, adequate sleep, activities that you really love, those are gonna contribute to your overall well-being and your happiness and more importantly, your joy. Joy also comes from connection, building strong relationships and spending quality time with loved ones. That's gonna help bring you joy. We tend to think that we can get by on our own. I am so guilty of this. I'll do it, I can do it, I can handle it. Just let me sit down and focus and I can handle it. Some of that's true, but remember, joy shared is joy doubled. A few other things that

I have found helpful in this whole idea of joy is creating an atmosphere that helps you with that. Let's talk about, for instance, your morning ritual. It could be anything from journaling, maybe it's yoga, I've tried to do yoga, I'm not good at yoga, or maybe simply enjoying your coffee in peace. Start your day on a positive note and you're going to be surprised at the ripple effect that it has on your entire day.

It might mean setting that alarm 15, 20 minutes. I try to set mine 30 minutes before I know I have to get started and it makes such a big difference. I walk downstairs in my robe, I sit by the fire if it's a cold day, I read my devotion and that starts my day off just right. It usually leads to, in my devotion, it usually leads to looking up a few other verses, writing something down and all of that just sets the tone for the day.

And it's also so different from the rush out the door, hurry up, get everything ready, yelling at the kids and the rat race that many of us face. And for me, it was that for many, many years getting up so early, I didn't have time for that. My alarm went off at 2.30 in the morning when I did the morning show and I just got to work and got as much sleep as I could. But that never started my day with joy. Along with that, set aside some tech-free time.

Maybe it's an hour in the evening. Maybe it's a complete day over the weekend. I know it's hard. People need you. They want you. But if you disconnect from the digital distractions, you can reconnect with yourself. One thing I love about this time of year is the act of giving. But sometimes I think we forget that good feeling of giving doesn't have to be limited to the holidays. Gandhi said, the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. The Bible tells us, it's more blessed to give than to receive. That's Acts 20.35. By the way, did you know joy is mentioned in the Bible more than 200 times? Let me give you a few of those. Romans 15.13 says, may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

In all of the tips that I have given, I deeply feel that joy comes from peace and from a relationship with God. Other Bible verses about joy include, rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, thus the hard times, be constant in prayer. Let me say that again because I inserted. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12.12.

And how about this one? These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full, John 15, 11. Ultimately, joy comes from connecting our hearts and our minds to God. As we get closer to understanding his will for us, that's when our joy deepens. We can find joy even in the darkest moments and in the chaos of the holidays and of life.

I had a pastor at the school where I teach tell me that in the fire you will see God and that is when you're going to feel more joy. I hope this week's podcast has given you hope. I hope it has blessed you and I pray it is a joyful season year round. Of course, not just during the holidays, but all of the time. Let me know what's going on in your life. You can leave me a voice message. You can send me an email. You'll find those links in the show notes and on my social media.

I am so happy to connect with you. Talk to you next week.