We're all born with an innate drive to live our true purpose, to manifest our highest potential and to be fully empowered. It's part of the ever-unfolding evolutionary plan. It's what engages us with the process of creative growth and expansion. And it's what makes life interesting.
But the power we seek is not to be found in the external world. Our true power lies within: it's the power to choose love over fear. This one choice gives us the power to create our reality.
What has this got to do with joy? Well, joy is the highest vibration of love: it aligns us to God's will so that we become conscious co-creators of our world.
This isn't just some now age belief: it's real! Take a moment to imagine yourself watching the news on TV. Do you react in anger, revenge and blame? Imagine yourself reading the daily papers. Do you feel depressed, insecure and helpless?
It's not surprising given the state of global affairs and it's not surprising given the way the media represents what's going on in the world. But think about it … by focusing on what you don't like and don't want, you are vibrating to the frequency of fear. Not only do you feel a victim but you are adding to the negativity in the world.
It is only when we choose the openness of love that our world changes from one of limitation to one of infinite possibilities. We transform our reality by giving our attention to thoughts of abundance, gratitude, happiness and peace.
It doesn't mean that we turn a blind eye to the suffering in the world. But it does mean staying open amidst the pain. If something painful has happened to us - say a relationship has ended or someone we love dies or we lose our job - we need to grieve and feel the loss.
But we don't have to hate life for it, we don't have to close down or fight against what is happening. By keeping our hearts open, we can find a deep place of spaciousness even within the suffering.
I can't help but think of the movie Groundhog Day. I know it's been around for quite a few years now, but there's a freshness in the message that is timeless! For me this movie perfectly captures how joy transforms our reality. And even though we know this in the depths of our hearts, we still yearn to be reminded of it for we often forget in the face of everyday trouble and strife.
In this film Bill Murray plays an egocentric weather-reporter doomed to live out the same day of his life repeatedly. At first, he is his usual grumpy and cynical self. But as time goes by and he comes to know what to expect from his day, he becomes depressed. He even tries to kill himself to relieve the monotony.
Eventually he succumbs to his fate and attempts to get the most out of it. He turns his attention to impressing a female co-worker in order to boost his self-esteem. But all his attempts to seduce her backfire and he's left miserable again.
Finally, when he realizes that he is trapped in the eternal NOW, something snaps in him and he decides to do only the things that he really enjoys. Instead of searching for self-gratification he turns to learning new creative skills and doing good deeds just for the sheer joy of it.
The more he opens to Life AS IT IS, the more he feels grateful for the little things that happen to him. When he finally becomes a genuinely loving person, his life is transformed. Not only does the beautiful woman he had given up chasing fall in love with him but the spell of the ever-repeating day is broken. In the final scene, he literally wakes up to a new day bursting with sunshine and fresh beginnings.
What this wonderful story shows is how when we push against the world because we want things to be different, we end up in a self-perpetuating cycle of misery. Whereas when we innocently follow what gives us joy - regardless of outcome or personal agenda - we are guided towards our divine destiny.
We cannot fake joy: it is a state of being born from genuine appreciation for what we do like and do want. Joy and gratitude go hand in hand. And wherever they go, grace is bound to follow. I know this is true because I have experienced it in many small and big ways in my life.
And it's something I have had to practice over and over again, like a muscle that needs exercising. It's worth doing though - even when it seems really hard - as the reward is breaking through the greyness of limitation to the brightness of new possibilities.
Perhaps you'd like to try this little exercise? Close your eyes and soften your breathing. Take a few minutes to focus your attention on a situation either in your personal life or a situation in the world that creates in you a negative emotion such as sadness, helplessness, anger or revenge.
Let your imagination run loose for a while so that you really see the consequences of your thoughts as they roll from one negative thought to another. And take a moment to notice how your body feels. Does it feel tense in some places? Do you feel maybe depressed or stuck? Now take a few moments to breathe into your heart and decide to move out of this feeling of disempowerment. You may think "what's the point, nothing will really change" but try it anyway.
As you breathe and soften a little, imagine how you would like the situation to change, imagine how it would be if it was infused with love and peace instead of fear and hatred.
Imagine what you really want not what you don't want! Imagine how it could be different! Imagine yourself emanating an aura of love and let it radiate out into the situation and see what happens. Does the situation change in your imagination? Or does it stay the same but you feel different? It doesn't really matter … what matters is that now as you go about your day in real life, you really will be emanating love and peace and joy. And this really will touch those you come into contact with. This is how we change the world!