The other day I stumbled across the phrase "joie de vivre" which means "the joy of living." It is described as a feeling of happiness and excitement about life, and the carefree enjoyment, ebullience and zest of living it. This phrase and definition really struck me and I've been thinking about it ever since. I feel as though we could all use a little bit more of enthusiasm and zest for life, I know I sure as hell could.
I constantly catch myself simply going through the motions, just trying to get through a day, a test, a week, an illness, a feeling, a month, a season, a year....and I realize that I waste so much of my life just trying to "get through" instead of embracing all the joys of living. Honestly it's mostly because I'm by no means perfect, no one is, but life gets really hard and it can be overwhelming and exhausting and it's easy to feel like you're drowning in it all. But if you make the effort to lift your head up above the water you will see that there are so many beautiful things and people to focus on.
After reading joie de vivre, I thought, what makes me happy and excited about life? What makes me want to truly be alive and what makes me feel carefree and zealous? For me, the answers honestly are always right in front of me, every day, but I just sometimes lose sight of them. In my life I think the major thing that has shown me the joys of living is yoga. It's the one thing that has remained constantly positive in my life when everything else, including myself, was not. The fact that I get to practice yoga fills me with so much excitement about life because I know it is something that will always make me feel that way. Everyone should find something that still makes them happy when the rest of their life is in flames. Another major thing I've realized recently is that my thirst for knowledge and desire to learn fills me with so much appreciation and zeal towards life. The things I have learned, the things I want to learn or have yet to learn, there is so much curiosity that fills my soul that makes me burst with joy simply because I know one can never stop learning. Other things that make me adore life are writing, photography, really genuine laughter, my friends, traveling, exploring, riveting books, yummy foods. Those are just a HANDFUL of the joys of living, to me. But the biggest joy of living is simply just being. Being who you are, where you are, and embracing it with every ounce of excitement that you can muster. Being alive and on your own journey should fill you with endless exuberance. Go through life with an inexhaustible nature and an overwhelming love for being alive.
Nothing will ever be perfect, life is messy as fuck, but that's what makes it so extraordinary. The days will continue to pass as rapid as the current, and I don't know about you, but I don't want to look back at a life filled with fear and bitterness and regret, I want to look back knowing I experienced the joys of living. So go out there, find them. Whatever it is, or who it is, for you in your life. Take life by the reins and go forward with carefree attitude and excitement about what's to come. Spend your time falling in love with your self and your life and honestly the rest will fall into place. Whatever you are going through, whatever demons you have faced, life is too short to ignore the joie de vivre.
What are your joys of living?
Love Always,
OIivia Jane
I constantly catch myself simply going through the motions, just trying to get through a day, a test, a week, an illness, a feeling, a month, a season, a year....and I realize that I waste so much of my life just trying to "get through" instead of embracing all the joys of living. Honestly it's mostly because I'm by no means perfect, no one is, but life gets really hard and it can be overwhelming and exhausting and it's easy to feel like you're drowning in it all. But if you make the effort to lift your head up above the water you will see that there are so many beautiful things and people to focus on.
After reading joie de vivre, I thought, what makes me happy and excited about life? What makes me want to truly be alive and what makes me feel carefree and zealous? For me, the answers honestly are always right in front of me, every day, but I just sometimes lose sight of them. In my life I think the major thing that has shown me the joys of living is yoga. It's the one thing that has remained constantly positive in my life when everything else, including myself, was not. The fact that I get to practice yoga fills me with so much excitement about life because I know it is something that will always make me feel that way. Everyone should find something that still makes them happy when the rest of their life is in flames. Another major thing I've realized recently is that my thirst for knowledge and desire to learn fills me with so much appreciation and zeal towards life. The things I have learned, the things I want to learn or have yet to learn, there is so much curiosity that fills my soul that makes me burst with joy simply because I know one can never stop learning. Other things that make me adore life are writing, photography, really genuine laughter, my friends, traveling, exploring, riveting books, yummy foods. Those are just a HANDFUL of the joys of living, to me. But the biggest joy of living is simply just being. Being who you are, where you are, and embracing it with every ounce of excitement that you can muster. Being alive and on your own journey should fill you with endless exuberance. Go through life with an inexhaustible nature and an overwhelming love for being alive.
Nothing will ever be perfect, life is messy as fuck, but that's what makes it so extraordinary. The days will continue to pass as rapid as the current, and I don't know about you, but I don't want to look back at a life filled with fear and bitterness and regret, I want to look back knowing I experienced the joys of living. So go out there, find them. Whatever it is, or who it is, for you in your life. Take life by the reins and go forward with carefree attitude and excitement about what's to come. Spend your time falling in love with your self and your life and honestly the rest will fall into place. Whatever you are going through, whatever demons you have faced, life is too short to ignore the joie de vivre.
What are your joys of living?
Love Always,
OIivia Jane
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