I think we can all agree that we want to live a joy-filled life, enjoying and living every moment to the fullest.
A few incredible icons have led us down the path of learning how to live a joy-filled life through great relationships and contributing to society.
The Best Way to Find Out What We Really Need is to Get Rid of What We Don’t
Marie Kondo
Marie is simply AMAZING! She created the KonMari Method which calls for us to ask ourselves what sparks joy before deciding which items in our home we should keep and which ones we should thank and say goodbye to. Focusing on the concept of Kurashi-meaning way of life- encouraging followers to spend every day in the pursuit of joy.
But what if we applied this question not only to the items in our home but to our mindset and actions, too? By examining all aspects of our lives that spark joy for us, we can build a more fulfilling lifestyle.
As we express gratitude and create more joy in our lives it creates a better quality of life. Quality of life is the cornerstone to overall happiness and is linked to longevity. When it comes to health and longevity- genes and lifestyles choices are important but relationships are also a form of self care. If we focus on joy and living a life of enjoyment, we will not only live longer but live better.
According to Robert Waldinger, direct of Harvard Study of Adult Development, one of the world’s longest studies of adult life, the key to healthy aging is “relationships, relationships, relationships.” Doing things that create joy, community involvement, and successful key relationships actually make you live longer.
In the study they concluded over many years they found, “When we gathered together everything we knew about men at age 50, it wasn’t their middle-age cholesterol lives that predicted how they were going to grow old, it was how satisfied they were in their relationships. The people who were the most satisfied in their relationships at age 50 were the healthiest at age 80.”
Robert Waldinger actually has a famous TED Talk, titled, “What Makes a Good Life? Lessons from the Longest Study on Happiness” from 2015, which has been viewed over 40 million times.
Ask yourself, “what brings me the most joy in life”? … Well whatever the answer may be, hold onto those aspects of life, love them and enjoy them the best you can!
