Tag: joy

It's time to waste some time

Like the rest of the population, I get a rush when I complete tasks and work toward my goals. I have dreams and a vision, and I get excited to move forward and check things off the list. But I simultaneously believe in wasting time.  I actually don’t like that language very much – I... Read more »
By Cathy Adams,
October 31, 2013 at 12:56 pm • 

Where joy really comes from

I picked up my daughter from Kindergarten today and she said, “I just feel so like me today….I love feeling like me.” As we walked to the car she held my hand, skipped, and hummed. Today she wore hand-me-down clothes from her sisters, some barrettes she found under her bed, and some bright blue shoes.... Read more »
By Cathy Adams,
September 13, 2013 at 1:25 pm • 

Want to be happy? Be happy for others

It’s so common it has its own name: Schadenfreude – finding pleasure from the misfortunes of others. And although few will admit to it, it’s a very human experience.  If we see others fail, we feel better about ourselves. This is on full display in our obsession with the entertainment industry (build them up and... Read more »
By Cathy Adams,
August 27, 2013 at 10:38 am • 
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Quit hurrying and notice: Lessons from The Fault in Our Stars

I finished the book and went to bed thinking about Hazel and Augustus from The Fault in our Stars, and I woke up thinking about them.  Not just their love story, but their worldview, the way they faced each day knowing that time was real. What is life like when you are sure your days... Read more »
By Cathy Adams,
August 9, 2013 at 3:56 pm • 

What is the difference between happiness and joy?

Happiness is a gift from a friend or a kiss from a child. Joy is feeling love for someone and noticing when someone loves us. Happiness is a day when things are going really well. Joy is finding a way to laugh when things get too scary, or smiling at someone on the street, even... Read more »
By Cathy Adams,
May 16, 2013 at 1:04 pm • 

Are you enjoying your joy or pushing it away?

Joy is always around you, ever present, everywhere.  But we have been trained to not take it in; we have learned to push it away. Why?  For protection.  We don’t want to get too happy or the “other shoe may drop”.  We don’t want to get too joyful or maybe we won’t be prepared for... Read more »
By Cathy Adams,
February 26, 2013 at 12:38 pm • 
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A letter to my daughter about self love

Lately you have been asking about your body – wondering about your size and shape, why you look the way you do, why others look different. Important questions that I’m glad you asked, and for now, this is my best answer: You were born to be you.  You are not supposed to look like your... Read more »
By Cathy Adams,
December 5, 2012 at 1:10 pm • 

Appreciation for life and an awareness of time

Recently my husband and I were at a resort in Arizona called The Boulders. And just as the name suggests, we were surrounded by huge, beautiful, red boulders. The boulders are balanced on each other, and to me they looked like they could roll any minute, but the locals assured us that the boulders were... Read more »
By Cathy Adams,
April 4, 2012 at 1:46 pm •