Hidden Hearts

I recently had someone ask me why I hide hearts in all my paintings.

There are two primary reasons. First, I feel that when I create art for someone, I am giving them a piece of me - of my heart - and I try to pack each work with as much love and gratitude as I possibly can. I really focus on putting everything into my work. When I am painting, I am lost to the rest of the world. I don’t listen to music or podcasts or focus on anything else. I LOVE being in that moment. I LOVE creating something that someone can find joy in. I LOVE using my gifts to embrace others and inspire them.

But I also use those hearts as a reminder that all of us can find joy in the little things every single day. I am a firm believer in the law of attraction, and the concept that what we focus on grows. If I can give someone a moment of happiness as they search for the love I’ve hidden within a work, it makes my day (and theirs) just a little brighter.

How often do you feel joy- delight and happiness unencumbered by the mundane parts of day to day life or the current challenges you are facing?

As a kid, I am sure it was natural to find those moments - to laugh with no inhibition, to create with no boundaries, to enjoy the given moment with no real thought of the future.

But as we grow, we start experiencing more and more expectations. School, family, work, finances- they all take a toll and we forget how we found that joy before.

Having a rewarding career is important. Being financially independent is a goal we should all strive for. There is no greater reward than raising small humans. But we can have all of that and still be bitter or angry or unhappy.

Finding joy in your life is an ongoing journey that begins with a set of practices that will ultimately lead you to happiness.

Here are five ways I have found to increase my joy and live a life that is less about expectations and more about impact.

1. LEAVE THE PAST IN THE PAST

Your future does not have to include your past unless you choose to make it. Living in the past prevents you from finding the joy of the present. I’ve been through some hard times in my past - abuse, homelessness, lost loved ones, failed relationships, financial struggles - and those are valid and important things to feel your way through. Being sad or lonely or angry is absolutely okay. The key is to ensure that you don’t lose hope. Take each experience and determine what you can learn from it - about yourself, your emotions, and your desires. Then let go and know that you deserve to feel joy again.

2. GRATITUDE IS GREATNESS

This is the primary reason I hide the hearts in my paintings. I think the best way to move on with life and feel joy on a daily basis is to establish a practice of gratitude. When we choose to be optimistic and look for the good things in our lives, we train our brains to feel joy more often. Tony Robbins says, “When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.” Choosing gratitude creates more positive emotions and the more you practice, the more those emotions become part of your natural state.

3. PICK YOUR PEOPLE WISELY

I talk a lot about the power of community. There is a reason that the saying “you are who you hang out with” has been around for so long. When you choose to associate with other people who value positivity and growth, it becomes much more difficult to be pessimistic. Find people that encourage you and uplift you and help you look for the silver lining in every situation.

The bigger challenge in this is leaving behind the people who don’t make you feel joy or those who actively attempt to take it away. I encourage you to be willing to let those people go, even if they are family or have been in your world for a long time. Holding onto them is only holding you back from the life of joy that you crave.

4. BE PASSIONATE IN THE PRESENT

Today’s society is extremely fast-paced. We always seem to be moving - whether it is planning or working or looking for the relationships that will take us to the next level - we tend to keep ourselves extraordinarily busy and looking forward. Even when we relax, we typically stay glued to our phones or the television – and it’s always reminding us of everything we might be missing.

But friend, we can’t expect to find joy when we are always searching for something better. I started taking Sundays to unplug about a year ago and it has changed my life. Focusing on the moment, spending time with the people I love, noticing the things around me and taking a breath to appreciate it - savoring the present is TRUE JOY.

5. LIVING IS GIVING

I have found that for me, living is giving. There is so much joy in making a difference in the lives of others. Not only does it bring meaning to our lives, it also has a way of reminding us of all the beautiful things we already have.

I truly think that learning how to have more joy in your life will always involve giving back in some way. It isn’t about money or spending an incredible amount of time volunteering. It’s about using the gift that is you to pour good things out into the world. If you are a stay-at-home mom, that could mean raising your kids to the best of your ability. For a CEO, it might mean creating higher standards of sustainability or a better culture in your corporation. For most of us, it means approaching the people in our personal circle with grace and love. Whatever you do and whoever you are, you have a gift that is meant for this world. And when you let that gift impact the people around you, you will find joy in the knowledge that you are doing good.

There are hidden hearts everywhere - clouds, rocks, the folds of a blanket, even on crumpled trash sometimes.

I challenge you to look for them, and to allow them to remind you that life is beautiful right here, right now, exactly as you are and where you are.

We can always choose joy. And you deserve to have a life completely overflowing with it, my friend. I believe in you.

Sending all my love,

Shannon Joy