Spark joy
Have you heard about the netflix series Tidying Up With Marie Kondo? To summarize its about the KonMari method of cleaning and tidying up by going through your stuff and with each item asking "Does this spark joy?"
How do you know? Pay attention to your body and how it responds. What speaks to your heart? According to Marie, joy is personal and everyone will experience it differently. The focus is on what you want to keep. "Cherish the items that bring you joy, and let go of the rest with gratitude"
I find this to be a very good mindfulness & gratitude practice and I think it can be applied to other areas in our life as well.
Is there someone or something in your life that sparks joy? Maybe there are certain habits, routines, places you go. Pets, people. That cup of coffee in the morning. A moment you cherish. What gives you that happy feeling in your body?
Let's share!
Tagging some people @kindSoul10 @CreatingHappiness @soulsings @sunshiningandsoareyou @amiablePeace77 @ListeningToYou2782 @SparkyGizmo @FrenchMarbles @WinterFrosty @cristlecares @Ninziesss @DonaldDraper
@Sunthruclouds Awww sun🌻 For me it's meeting new people, a good conversation, a warm cup of coffee, a rainy evening, a really good song, a bus ride, nature, movies/series, spending time on 7 cups, beaches.... Gives me sooooo much joy😄🌻
@cristlecares lovely ❤ I relate so much.
@Sunthruclouds
Hi Sun! 😊❤️ Thank you for this amazing forum post and also for tagging me! ❤️
I have heard of "Tidying Up" and I have been meaning to sit down and watch it! I guess the universe works in mysterious ways and you brought me, today, the reminder that I needed to invest some time in that. 😊👍❤️
I have heard great things about that series and really want to watch it! I, for one, truly enjoy organizing, decorating, renovating, etc. A calm and tidy space can help for a calm and tidy mind. I believe in making your space "rise up to meet you". I love an aesthetically appealing home and using organizing and decorating tips, tricks, and mathematical formula's to let the "eye rest" when needed, then move along to see "pieces of interest". It's fun to even challenge myself to do this on a budget, find antique pieces even at yard sales that are sold off for very little, then refinishing them and bringing them back to life as long as it won't destroy the monetary value of the piece. Sometimes even doing so is worth it just to make it yours. Not about the money, it's about your space.
Some things I already do in the area of organizing is try (it's a challenge) to leave at least 10% of my closet, drawer, cabinet, etc. space open. Kind of feels like it sends a message to the universe that there is room for more if the universe decides to bring something to me. I also look at everything and think "is it beautiful, useful or of high sentimental value"? If not, it's clutter and needs to go and I can gift it to another to keep the good karma going. Even if something is of high sentimental value as well as high monetary value, it's okay to consider finding a new home for it, something for someone else to enjoy if for some reason, seeing it daily only brings back painful memories. Letting go in all areas of life can be quite freeing.
Sun, I really love how you broached the topic of organizing but also then tied it in and made it applicable to lots of things that spark joy and opened the floor to all thoughts! ❤️😊 Total rock star move! *high fives* 😊 Quite impressive my friend! ❤️
I loved your question as well as your list. For me, yes, there are people in my life and things in my life that spark true joy! For me, agreed, I love habits and routines, places that I go, people, gratitude for even that hot cup of coffee in the morning! I have many moments that I cherish in the way of memories and I honor them and try to hold certain traditions all through out the year that are really quite special.
You also mentioned pets. ❤️ Well, my beloved pet, my dog, my "princess fur pants" passed away on September 23rd of this year. She was 15 years old and was a part of the family. I had her since right before she even turned 9 weeks old as a puppy. She had a wonderful life and the vet was even surprised that she made it that long as 15 years is quite a stretch of the imagination. As a puppy, she slept on my chest every night until she got too heavy and then she slept right next to me. Truly, my "velcro dog" lol. Odd to "look" for her everywhere but know that she is gone.
Action plan, lol 😊.......my neighbors have an adorable, sweet little dog that I've always simply loved to bits and now they have even gotten another puppy to add to the family. 😊 I can't replace my "princess fur pants" because she was one of a kind. Things aren't that easy, I can't just get another dog. That doesn't work for me and won't try to fill the void in that way. Not fair to the memory of my beloved pet or to a new pet. Just a bit too "fresh" I suppose. I'll offer to walk her sweet little fur babies for her, give her a well deserved break and enjoy the company of her pets. Being of service to my neighbor and spending time with her doggies will spark some joy too! ❤️
Sun, *high fives* 😊 big *hugs* ❤️ for your thought provoking forum post! And again, I love working along side of you in the LSR! You spark my joy by being there! ❤️
@SparkyGizmo
Oh wow, Gizmo. Sounds like you should come to my home to decorate & organize. ❤ I bet it would be cozier and more peaceful after. I love what you said about how our space should rise up to meet us. I really want to apply that to my apartment to make it feel more like home. That is so true and having a calm and tidy space does really affect our mind. I'm working on that but sometimes it's a struggle.
Leaving space open to make room for it to be filled. So funny, I have heard about that too!! It was something I used to do before to some extent. And yes yes, I do believe it sends a message to the universe. It sounds like a mix of Feng shui and LOA (law of attraction) principles actually. If I remember correctly one LOA practice is to leave place for what you want in your life so it can come in. Be it a relationship or money, more things, etc. Then you are sending the message "I'm ready - there is room". Thank you for reminding me of this!
Yes the universe does work in mysterious ways 💫 If you decide to watch the series, please let me know what you thought of it. I always feel inspired after watching it. She has such a lovely approach to cleaning & tidying up. Reminds me of how we should value our stuff more in this very materialistic world we live in. We have a tendency to buy a lot of new stuff, collect and pile up. I'd like to go more minimalistic yet keep a personal vibe.
What a beautiful thing to do to give away things ❤ I think that is lovely. That way it can be cherished by someone else instead of discarded. Even if its just clutter. And I agree, some things can be painful to look at. I believe items with sentimental value can hold a certain energy. When I broke up with my ex I had this beautiful expensive glas heart. I didn't want to keep that in my home yet it felt wrong to just throw it away because it was unique. So I decided to leave it at a second hand store and they were so happy. That way it can serve someone else. 🙏
Aww thank you so much. ❤ I am happy you liked my post and thank you for replying. I appreciate all the feedback. It means a lot to me.
Oh your princess fur pants. 💔 I'm so sorry to hear that she passed away. Sounds like she meant a lot to you and you gave her a good long life. 15 years is a looong life. Now she is in doggie heaven watching down on you, I am sure ❤ It's always hard to lose a pet, they become a part of your family and life. I lost my beloved Emmett last year around this time, so I know what it is like. * sending love *
How nice that you get to help your neighbor with her dogs and aaw puppy 🤗 I'm sure she appreciates it.
I enjoy working with you too in LSR 💜
@Sunthruclouds
❤️❤️❤️
@Sunthruclouds smiling at putting smiles on others face sparks joy in me.
I also love to detect and enjoy details. I like to explore details and keep looking to find more.
@kindSoul10
Oh yeah putting smiles on others face 💜 that is something you are good at.
Exploring, detecting details. Interesting 🤗
Thank you for sharing 💖
@Sunthruclouds This is a great post and at a great timing Sun :D
I am about to cleanup my cupboard for Diwali and I am definitely gonna ask this qsn myself a 1000 times xD
Coz that's many items I probably have in my cupboard that I have been saving for years and even decades. Literally!
But this time I am gonna ask, "does this bring me joy?" and I will listen to my body
Thank you 💖
@DonaldDraper
Good timing then! 💖
I am happy you found it useful and yes those cupboards tend to get cluttered. 😅
@Sunthruclouds
Thanks for the wonderful post! ❤️
I'll definitely watch it, I have too much stuff that needs to be sorted out lol
I have a lot to be grateful for and there are a lot of moments that I cherish, sitting on the sofa with my cats or taking a walk by the lake near our house, being with my family, etc. 💕
It gives me a lot of joy! 😄
@Ninziesss
You and me both! 😅
That sounds lovely, Nina. ❤ Thank you for sharing.
@modestMelon0001
What brings you joy? 💜
@Sunthruclouds
Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful post ❤️ Personally I'm at a point where the "letting go of everything else" spoke to me more than the rest...and maybe that is another way to know what you really enjoy - by eliminating everything that doesn't serve.
I'm grateful to have a bit of peace currently and the time to relax a little and read and have a decent-sized room as well as breakfast. I tend to pick up a lot of things and people and end up straining really easy so I'm just happy for a slower lifestyle and I hope I'll be able to maintain it or gain a little more energy.
Thanks again for the post and wish you a lovely day !
@modestMelon0001
"Another way to know what you really enjoy - by eliminating everything that doesn't serve."
Interesting reflection. Those are words that ring true to me. By letting go of things that deplete us, we find more space for the things that really matter.
I'm happy to hear you have some peace right now. Thank you for sharing. 💙