Joy Menu

I have long been fascinated with the power of the mind. The notion that our thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes have a profound influence on our physical and mental health is fascinating. Our ability to enable self-healing, improve performance and outcomes, reshape our neural pathways, reduce pain, lower stress, and boost our general well-being through our breath is what drew me to the practice in the first place. 

For years, I was a self-taught student of both yoga and meditation. I would sit on a cushion and read the Bhagavad Gita by candlelight before work, scribble questions and notes into my 25-cent spiral notebook, and dog-ear pages that I knew needed to be read over and over again.  I read as many books and articles as I could, trying to understand both the science and the history behind yoga and meditation, and then would share my learnings at dinner as if they were newly discovered life hacks, despite having been around for 1000s of years.

I now keep this ever-growing stack of books by the side of my bed so I can read a passage or two before tucking myself in for the night. These pocket-sized tidbits of inspiration are a nightlight for my soul.

Certain books I reread every year. I love to look back and see what I underlined or what notes I inscribed in the margins. Sometimes I see an asterisk or an underlined sentence and silently shout, “Yes” in my head. Like - yes, I still need this! Other times, I see a starred paragraph and just smile. The smile is more of a confident, but not cocky, slight upturn of the mouth, signifying that I no longer need this passage like I used to. It is not that I don’t still love the message, but it is no longer a frontrunner guiding me through life.

Despite having spent almost 30 years as a teacher of various sorts, I have always been and will always be a student first and foremost. I love to read, learn, and grow, hence the “tag line” bloom wild be free. And because of this, I am always on the lookout for my next great read.

I enjoy perusing bookstores. Seeing what is on their shelves, what catches my eye, the beautifully illustrated covers dancing on the tables... But there is something special about libraries. Perhaps it is the vivid childhood memory of standing in line to check out the Hungry Caterpillar for the tenth time, scribbling the call number on a piece of scratch paper, and then searching the shelves in anticipation of finding it, or wondering how many eyes have graced the slightly yellowed pages of the books I slide from the shelves. 

On my most recent visit to the library, I did not have a particular book in mind. I perused my favorite sections - cooking, gardening, memoirs, travel, and, of course, mindfulness. As I wandered from aisle to aisle, I  looked at the spines. Half pulling books out here and there that spoke to me and pressing them back in. But when I saw the bright orange cover with the title Joy on Demand (by Chade-Meng Tan) printed in big block letters, I paused, set my bag down, and settled into a more comfortable stance. Joy? I thought.  Who couldn’t use more joy in their lives? I flipped it open and began reading. One paragraph quickly turned into 2, 3, 4... Suddenly, I was multiple pages in. That’s when I knew it was time to scan my library card. (I truly miss the due date cards that contain the long list of all the times the book was checked out.)

I recently finished the last page of the book. It was both an informative and enjoyable read that focused on accessing contentment and happiness through mindfulness and meditation. More on this to come.

During the time I was engrossed in Chade-Meng Tan's take on joy, how to cultivate it, and how to strengthen it,  I noticed that I became increasingly more aware of the joy around me, as well as becoming more aware of the use of the word in print media, social media, and just generally all around. Most of the time, I would see it in passing and keep going, except when I came across the phrase "Joy Menu". 

My immediate reaction was I like joy, I like food! Tell me more. To keep it simple, a joy menu is a personalized list of activities, hobbies, and/or experiences that bring you happiness and help you recharge. So while it has nothing to do with food, I still like the parallel (especially being the baker/owner of Teal Rabbit Bakery). 

Making a joy menu is a great way to break away from routine by having a ready-made list of feel-good options easily available. One of my favorite aspects of this activity is that it promotes intentionality by choosing joy instead of waiting for it to arrive or happen to you. These lists are great for connecting you to things you enjoy doing but often get pushed aside by our easy-to-grab phones, which typically, but always, provide low to no joy.

Regularly engaging in joyful activities is one way to lower stress and improve mental health, so let’s get you started on making yours!

As you begin to take pen to paper, you may find that you hit a roadblock. If this happens, take a few moments to connect to your breath, and then ask yourself these questions:

What did I enjoy doing as a child, teen, or young adult?

What is a small, free, or relatively free thing I do that makes me smile?

What makes me feel in the “flow”?

What am I curious about?

When do I feel most connected to myself?

After contemplating these questions, come back to your menu. If it takes you a few days to complete, that is okay! Remember the most important thing: the key to creating a joy menu is that it needs to be personalized for you. Everything you add to the menu should bring you peace, energy, and/or joy. Avoid filling it with someone else’s ideas or things that you feel like you are expected to enjoy. 

Enjoy the process, and please reach out if you have any questions!

bloom wild; be free

Stephanie

Create your own Joy Menu by downloading the printable worksheet here!