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A Joy Check-up

A Joy Check-up

by Pegi Joy Jenkins, Ph.D.

Consider ending your day with a Joy Check-up. Following is a check list that can help you remember some of the foundations of Joy, a major goal for most of us.

Preface each statement with "Today did I...?"

...feel worthy and deserving of joy?
...practice feeling unconditional self-acceptance?
...go often to the center of my being and tap into the love and joy that are
my true essence?
...avoid value judging. (Judgment blocks love, the source of joy.)
...forgive myself and others?
...express gratitude - to the Universe and/or individuals?
(A grateful heart is a joyful heart.)
...lovingly serve others? (Service is an expresssway to joy.)
...remember to focus only on what I want, not what I don't want?
(What we focus on expands.)
...choose joyful or loving feelings instead of limiting or negative feelings?
(Our feelings create.)
...use uplifting self-talk to keep my thoughts in alignment with love, peace and joy?
(Self put-downs block joy.)
...remember that each of us is either coming from love or fear; either extending
love or asking for love?
...ask for assistance from Source to feel peace and joy around a situation that
had me down" (Ask and you will receive.)
...look for the Divinity/Light/Love in the people I found most challenging?
...change my perception of a troubling situation by considering its higher purpose,
thus, the potential for joy in it?
...use my sense of humor to see things in a light-hearted way?
...remember that "joy is an inside job" and not determined by outer circumstances?

Cheerful attitude

Dear Dr. Pegi
I support your "attitude check" idea. I read this idea of changing your "outlook, or attitude" into cheer, or joy, or happiness in order to have things go right a while ago and it worked for me the other day and I simply have to tell about it. And now I read it from you, which is excellent.

I was on my way to have my printer repaired because it wasn't working right. On the way to my car I thought, okay, I'm going to put on a happy cheerful attitude because I'm not very happy about this machine not working. I put the printer in the car to take it to the seller (CompUSA) because I had purchased what I thought was a maintenance agreement at the time of purchase. The salesclerk looked up my account and said, "you purchased a replacement agreement, not a maintenance one, so we are going to give you a new printer; it's an upgrade because your old printer is no longer manufactured." I couldn't believe my ears. I asked if I could purchase another replacement policy on this new printer, they said yes, and it's $2 less than the old policy. I was surprised at my good fortune because usually these maintenance and replacement errands are so difficult to accomplish (and now we know why -- when we're doubtful or negative, it gets in the way). After the sales person placed the new printer gently in my car, I jumped up and yelled COMPUSA YOU MADE MY DAY! YIPPEE. Yelled it mind you.