Conversations with Person/Gaby Perkes & Person/Anne Gravely about Joy
Cause the thing about chasing joy is that it's a losing battle. Joy is an extreme end of the spectrum the same way that depression is, you're never going to find joy and just be joyful moving forward. I think the trick is to strive to be content with wherever you are and try to create situations where joy can emerge
It's weird thinking back on the excitement of childhood. It feels like life is full of adventure and promise and excitement and it is but all the happy memories of cool things and experiences were intentional acts. Your parents decided to do that cool thing, decided to make something special out of a day. It didn't just happen that way so if you want to find those bits of excitement again you have to do it yourself. You have to MAKE them for you
Been thinking about the purpose of rules and ritual lately along the same lines. The world is value neutral, we imbue it with meaning. I sometimes set up little rules for myself, don't have chocolate after x'oclock, find the fastest way home, etc. Allowing myself to 'break' a rule is exciting for no reason, it's a silly nonsense rule! but it works