The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World

First book of 2019: check. One of my mentors gave this book to me in OCTOBER and a busy semester and a restful winter break later, I finished it. One of my 2019 goals is to read more - even if it is a page a day. I'm excited to share my reads with all of you!

This book came into my life at such a great time. I was struggling with different things happening in my life and turned towards my spirit for guidance in terms of navigating my life and keeping me grounded. When I saw I got this book in the mail, I was ecstatic. A book written by two of the most influential spiritual leaders who each also practice social justice work. What more could you ask for.

Each page is filled with so much wisdom and knowledge that I just soaked it all in...it took me a while to read each page, fully comprehend what was being explained, reflect upon it, and then move on, but I'm so glad that I took the time to understand all that the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu were sharing. They shared practices that we can all incorporate into our own lives, practices that we can use to challenge ourselves, and practices to help us ultimately be more mindful, kind, and joyous. Everyone's takeaways will be different, but impactful nonetheless.

While I have a whole page of notes on my phone filled and filled with words, phrases, and lessons I took away from this book, I will share just one of my biggest takeaways. (By the way, if you read the book, I encourage you to take notes and keep them somewhere where you can easily refer back to them to remind yourself of the lessons you learned from these two phenomenal leaders).

My biggest takeaway that I will share with all of you is the notion of "Ubuntu", a South African term used to represent the interconnectedness of humanity. We are who we are through one another, our humanity is bound up in one another. With this, our greatest joy comes. When we seek to do good for others, we bring happiness to ourselves. When we find happiness beyond the material items, we stumble upon joy. True joy isn't simply having fun or it doesn't save us from pain. True joy is cultivated at the mental level by being more empathic, empowered, and spiritual. Joy is found when we look at the bigger picture and realize that our concern for ourselves is unnecessary and we can place that concern towards others' wellbeing. This is the source of happiness. This is Ubuntu. This is joy.

Reminder: "you are made for perfection, but you are not yet perfect. You are a masterpiece in the making". Set your meaningful intentions for the day, see the larger perspective, and choose to act each day with joy, love, and gratitude.

What is at the top of your book list for 2019?