“What can you do to make yourself happy today?”

she asked me.

And I remained silent for a while.

I didn’t know what to answer.

It occurred to me that something was missing in my life.

 

Perhaps I had closed myself off from joy and for most of my life, I didn’t feel its presence.

For many years, I was too much in my head and didn’t allow myself to let go.

I also had difficulty expressing my feelings to others.

I preferred to wear a poker face as a shield to protect my vulnerability.

There were only a few situations where I unconsciously relaxed a bit, mostly during parkour training or after a few drinks.

 

After this conversation with the coach, I began to look for ways to bring joy back into my life.

I started listening more to my intuition, spending time in nature, and doing things to myself happy.

 

A little later, I learned how to experience joy and happiness whenever I choose to.

Now I can find joy and happiness within myself anytime I want.

It’s just a matter of “switching” and even though my ego sometimes resists this change, I can do it.

 

I started painting this image as part of a new series on connecting with our deity.

But then I saw the face for the first time and decided to leave it there.

It struck me as funny.

 

So I gave in and painted Joy for joy’s sake.

Now it makes me smile every time I see it.

It improves the mood of everyone in its presence and reminds us not to take life too seriously.