Joy -- feeling it, not feeling it and giving yourself a time out

I think about Joy all the time. I write about it. I keep lists of it. I try to be conscious of paying attention to it and taking the time to really feel it. But sometimes, despite the circumstances, it's just not there. Yesterday was one of those days. I was GRUMPY. But I didn't want to be, which made me feel even grumpier. One of the main things that threw me into a funk was problems with a sewing project. I've been on a bit of a roll with sewing projects lately (I'll share the finished projects as soon as I have the chance for a photo shoot). Yesterday I was attempting some smocking with elastic thread and it was not working. I wanted to have a tantrum. I wanted to crumple up my top and throw it away. I didn't do either of those things. I took a break. But I was stewing all the while and contemplating how I was going to fix it. When something isn't working, I am not good at letting go. As soon as I was done eating some lunch, I was back up in my studio doing research on the Internet as to why my smocking didn't work. I pounced on a theory, got out my seam ripper, re-wound my bobbin and tried again. It DID work the second time, but that didn't fix my mood. Some days, no matter what I do or what happens, a bad mood won't be swayed. Does this happen to you, too?

So what do we do about it? Yesterday I kept running headlong into the bad mood trying to whip it into submission. And it did not work. I think what I really needed was a time out. I needed to let go of my desire to Get Things Accomplished and I needed to check out for a while. A book. A cold drink. And permission to spend the day outside of my expectations. That can be so hard to do. There is so much I want to do. So much I want to accomplish. And so few hours in the day.

Although my aim has been to focus on Joy and I have been trying not to focus on negatives, I think sometimes it's important to be able to say, I am grumpy (or sad or stressed or tired or hot or all of the above). Most of all, it's important to be gentle with yourself. The bad mood won't last. A day, or even just an afternoon spent in time out is not wasted. You can jump back into doing and accomplishing the next day and the Joy will follow. What do you think?

I do have a Joy List today, even though the grumpiness is still lingering.

The cooler weather isn't today. Certainly wasn't yesterday, either, and it won't be happening again for a while. But as one of the Joyfulest Joys of the past week, I thought it deserved a place on today's list.

I was so excited to receive my copy of the Dottie Angel book in the mail yesterday. It's gorgeous and comes with a fun little envelope of "stuff."  I had wanted one since before it came out and I finally treated myself to it. Glad I did.

I'm also glad that I ordered some full size business cards from Moo the other day during their summer sale. I love the mini cards I ordered earlier this year and I thought I should have some full size cards, too.

Love them!

I hope your week is off to a Joyful start!