Joyful Effort – The First Step

When I look out at the human landscape right now, it feels like joy is in short supply. Sometimes it’s present, but plenty of moments cry out for an infusion of joy. The first step, or one of the first, on the mindfulness path, is “wise effort.” In the past I’ve taken “wise” to mean the diligence to develop practices like paying attention, caring, and peace.  I still think that, but I also think attitude matters. If I’m making diligent effort with a joyful heart/mind, joy gets infused into the moment. If my diligent effort is laced with resignation or resistance, those get infused. The great news is, we get to choose our states of mind. So why not choose joy, and then put diligent, joyful energy into practice? When I remember to do that, practice is more fun, plus joy follows me into the day. I wonder what would happen if we could all remember to do that, even a little bit more?♥️♥️