Joy to the World

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year Natural Health Family. I hope you have been able to enjoy time with family, travels, or just some time off. It would be great to hear what were some things that stuck out to you. Maybe it was a certain food, a present from a loved one, the joy that you saw a kid open a present, or just a time with family sharing stories of the past. We all can look at the holidays in different ways which can be joyful or stressful at times. However, these days come and go, so it is important to remember what matters, the moments that we can bring joy to each and every day. 

Have you ever had a stress free day? Alright, maybe you have, especially if it was a holiday. But what about a stress free month, or perhaps a stress free year? I would have to bet 99-100% of everyone would say no. So why do I bring this up? We all will have stress in our lives, it really is inevitable. Although this is the case, it doesn’t mean that it is a bad thing. Actually, when you think about it, stress is at many times a good thing. You can find in nature where stress helps an organism evolve, like a caterpillar into a butterfly. You see it in sports when athletes train to accomplish what would almost seem an impossible feat. Or it can be in our own lives, when we tackled a project we thought was overwhelming, then the next time a similar project didn’t seem so bad. When we are able to see stress in a different way or go about it in a new way we can almost make it more enjoyable. When an athlete masters a skill, it goes from a struggle to something that that person enjoys to do. We don’t let the stress rule us but we become its master. Of course we all need help from time to time, so it is important to spread your joy to others, to encourage those around us, to be adaptable to what life throws at us, and to keep ourselves healthy and strong.

It is great to do things that we enjoy. This can help utilize our minds and bodies in different ways which leads to improved health. When we learn new things, when we acquire new skills, or connect with others we find new joys. This can help us realize that the joy is not so much found in those things such as presents and new toys, but they often represent the joy found in ourselves that extends outward. May the holidays bring you joy, and let your joy be shared to the rest of the world.

Happy Holidays and have a blessed and safe New Year’s.

-Dr. Chip