How A Sci-Fi "Ah-ha" Moment Inspired Joy

A Sci-Fi “Ah-ha” Moment On The Joy Journey

A fan of speculative fiction and fantasy, I often consider space and time’s purpose, the language of time, the way we as humans move back and forth through time everyday using the most powerful space and time machine on the planet — our brains. This organ — the weight of a melon, sloshing around in a thin layer of fluid, and encased in bone — allows each of us to travel through space and time undetected. Our memories, and our dreams — the touch, feel, smell, and sound of them — take us back and push us forward even as our physical bodies stay in the present. Yet, this space-time travel we are adept at doing can also get us stuck— stuck in the past while trying to move forward or stuck in the future refusing to stay present. Or worse, stuck in the present unable to move at all. The good news is that It doesn’t have to be that way.

Here are four actions that have helped me on my joy-journey, to have my brain and body align in the present and reduce the number of times I was stuck. (Because let’s face it, we all get stuck sometimes; but, we don’t have to stay stuck.)

“There are many ways to meditate; but, the most important way is to just do it in a way that supports your growth.”

The first is meditation. You’ve guessed it. The simple act of bringing the mind to awareness allows my body to get unstuck from wherever it has traveled to and allow it to come back into the present. There are many ways to meditate; but, the most important way is to just do it in a way that supports your growth. There is nothing new-age about meditation. Humans have been meditating for millennia with great benefit. Try a couple of minutes at first (literally, two minutes) and then work your way up. It helps to focus on your breathing or to take inventory of your body and how it feels in that moment of meditation. There are plenty of apps out there to support your meditation practice. (I happen to love the Insight Timer meditation app.) Observe how long it takes for your mind to come to a sense of stillness and awareness. Let go of your shoulders and breathe.

The second way is to take stock of where you are in the moment. This has been a game-changer along my joy journey. Wherever I may be, once the feelings of being overwhelmed or anxious come into play, I take a moment to take stock. I take some deep breathes, I begin to take note of where I am paying attention to the details as if seeing the space for the first time. How am I occupying the space, or how is it occupying me? A sense of safety is important, too, in every moment. I say “safety” because sometimes being stuck is a consequence of fear or trauma. It is important to acknowledge this in your own life (and if necessary seek help if you haven’t already. Unresolved trauma significantly impacts our joy journeys.)

“Unresolved trauma significantly impacts our joy journeys.”

The third action I recommend so that space-time travel doesn’t keep you in the past or in the future, is based off of something I learned from one of my favorite acting coaches. Whenever we were stuck, he’d say, “Entertain the possibility that____,” and would finish the sentence with the opposite of what was keeping us stuck. For example, we might say, “I too [fill in the blank] to go after my dream.” He’d say, “Entertain the possibility that you right where you need to be to go after your dream.” The shift towards what IS possible is a game-changer. Entertain the possibility that you can move forward. What does that look like for you? Is it moving forward on a project, taking the opportunity to move up in your organization, leaving a job, responsibility, or relationship that you have outgrown? Entertain the possibility that you are in a position to make the choice to move forward.

“Entertain the possibility that you can move forward. ”

Lastly, I make a date to walk among the trees. I am fortunate to have lived in beautiful cities with parks and green spaces. When I haven’t been so fortunate, I’d drive to the beach or some place with more green than concrete, or take a bus if I didn’t have a car. For me and my earth-loving self, putting my feet in the grass and walking amongst the trees allows me to reënter and recenter into the present and get unstuck from the time warp. That feeling of centeredness brings me joy.

There are many other ways that you can get unstuck. These have worked for me. Share your own ways in the comments on our instagram! Your joy is our joy. Love joy. Be joy. And live joy+well. J+W