a joyful expert.

you’re probably wondering what makes me qualified to be educating others on how to find joy and live more intentionally. you might be thinking, how is this high school graduate, college drop-out, lady who can’t even find the area of a triangle, coming up with all this information?

well, the truth is, i’ve become an expert of my own life.

an expert is defined as: having, involving or displaying special skill or knowledge derived from training or experience [Websters Dictionary]

did you catch that? experience.

not only have i spent the last year getting a PHD from google university on all things related to joy, mindfulness and intentionality, but i’ve spent 30 years living, loving, losing and healing. i’ve dissected every instant in my life where i’ve experienced an emotion other than joy, like my divorce, the death of my brother, a time i felt little self-worth, questions of my spirituality, marriage struggles and parenting trials, and i’ve used these experiences as “case studies” to learn how i overcame (or am currently overcoming) the lack of joy i felt during these difficult times.

i’ve read numerous books, researched articles and studies, listened to podcasts and ted talks, listened to stories from friends, family members and strangers about their struggles with joy. all the while gaining a greater understanding and knowledge on what joy truly is and how to make it a constant in our lives.

i’m an expert from experience and intention. i’ve intentionally been choosing to live my life focused on the things that bring me joy, so that I could see, feel and learn from what joy brings to my home, my relationships with others and my life in general as a human being on planet earth.

when my husband and i talked about our dreams and goals recently, i told him that i want to change the world. i want to be a light to others who may be struggling. i want to share what i’ve learned through my experiences and research and give anyone i meet or interact with hope that they to can overcome, heal and find that joy that we all desire and deserve and are worthy of.

we live in a world where information about anything is literally at the tips of our fingers, and i want to create a space where information about joy came from a place of love, understanding, experience and encouragement.

i want to share relatable experiences and actionable tools so that anyone, no matter what they are currently struggling with can come and be inspired, uplifted and hopeful that they to can live an unrestricted joyful life.

so here i am. putting everything i know and am passionate about out on the table for you. intimate and personal details of my life and struggles along with facts and tools to help you see the light at the end of your own heavyhearted tunnel.

remember, you to are an expert in your life so, take time this week to write down 10 things that have brought you joy throughout your life. it can be a memory, a song, a movie, a book, a person, a story, anything!

allow your mind to travel back in time through your journey that’s brought you to wherever you are now, then recall and reflect on moments or instances or things that brought you that pure and peaceful feeling of happiness.

i’ll share mine below:

1. the day i won a poetry entry contest in 8th grade. my poem was published in a coffee-house table book. the joy that i was an established and published author kept my head big for months.
2. the day i got my driver’s license. the joy from my new-found freedom made me feel like i had wings.
3. the year i went without drinking ANY soda. the joy i felt from having the strength and will power to give up my most favorite guilty pleasure (dr. pepper) made me feel like i could do anything.
4. the day i knew that i was going to marry my husband. the joy and peace i felt knowing that i was safe and with someone who would love and protect me for the rest of forever.
5. the day i married my husband. the joy i felt making it “official” and hearing the promises that were promised to us in the temple.
6. the day my family did the temple work for my brother. the joy and peace i felt in the celestial room knowing that i would see my brother again someday lifted a heavy weight that i had been carrying around since he passed.
7. each time a child was born. june 22nd, 2012. february 3, 2014. december 27th, 2016. the joy i felt each time holding that precious, innocent and beautiful little baby that my husband and i created.
8. the day i decided i wanted and needed to change the world. the peace i felt knowing that sharing my story could help someone, even just one person, in their own struggles, hardships and lack of joy, was enough motivation to dive right it and put everything i had learned and am learning out for everyone.