How do we cultivate joy? We live the joy of our dreams. We experience true joy while pursuing our desires–dreaming bravely and living passionately. It’s not merely about fantasizing but about the wholehearted act of bringing our visions to life. As we envision who we want to become, joy manifests through the process of becoming and doing.
Joy is the natural outcome when our actions align with our highest aspirations. Each aligned thought, word, and deed adds to a life that resonates with our dreams, producing joy.
Joy is found in the courage to pursue our dreams with unwavering devotion.
The Joy of My Dreams
Sitting at our kitchen counter, thinking about what brings me joy, I begin writing ideas. I realize how joyfully enlivened I feel at this moment. I dreamt of becoming a writer, and I’m living that dream. My beloved husband is sitting near me, on his screen, working on our latest project. I always wanted happy, lifelong love, and so did he. We’re living the love of our dreams. I remember my work as a fashion designer, how I immersed myself in becoming that, and how joyful I felt. Reflecting on every dream I’ve ever had, I realize how much joy is experienced in doing what is necessary and becoming the liver of that dream. I think of the current dreams Gary and I share and how much joy we feel as we do what it takes to live them.
Align your actions with your highest aspirations, and joy will follow naturally.
The Pathway to Joy
There is a structured path to achieving joy through our dreams, composed of five key steps, each beginning with the letter ‘D,’ symbolizing doing or action:
- Dream: Our dreams are the seeds of possibility, the starting point of everything. They illuminate our desires and guide us toward fulfillment.
- Decision: The journey from dream to reality requires a decision—a commitment to live boldly and pursue our wildest, most beautiful dreams. Every decision, even indecision, shapes our path.
- Devotion: Once we define our dreams, we devote ourselves fully to them. This devotion requires focus and the willingness to decline paths not aligned with our dreams, which demand priority.
- Discipline: Discipline fuels our journey, guiding us to act consistently in alignment with our dreams. It’s the bridge between aspiration and actualization.
- Delight: Delight is the joy found in the process—the pursuit itself is the reward, far more enriching than any destination or accolade. We find joy in each action, each moment of becoming.
By living our dreams, we awaken to the joy of our authentic selves.
Keeping Joy Alive
Once we’re living our dreams, we keep our joy alive by improving into mastery. We move the target. We are seekers of progress, and when aligned with what we seek, we experience joy. Our curiosity and passionate aliveness expand, and we see how much more we can bring to life.
The Joy of Our Dreams in the Present Moment
Living our dreams means being and doing everything they hold. There is no final destination or grand prize. There is no ‘there’–only ‘here’–just us doing what we’re doing, being who we’re becoming.
Ask yourself regularly, “Am I experiencing joy?” If the answer is yes, persist on this path. If the answer is no, it’s a signal to realign with your dreams and aspirations.
To pursue our dreams is to walk hand in hand with joy.
Joy is a decision. It’s also a by-product of doing what we love and loving what we do. Do the dream, feel the joy. Let’s embrace our dreams with such fervor they become second nature. As we refine our ability to live our dreams, we cultivate a life driven by joy and guided by our innermost passions.
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Many of our essays reflect on joy since it’s a cornerstone of the Mundancing principle. For more about joy, read:
Journal Your Way to Clarity and Joy
Wishing you every possible joy!