Have You Checked Your Joy Monitor Today?

The other day I was cooking, which is my passion, and noticed something was off. Something didn't feel right. I checked my Joy Monitor and realized I was running on low. I felt "icky" like a dark cloud of sadness was trying to cover me and I didn't know why.  Have you ever felt that? I didn't panic cause I knew I had done something to create that ugly feeling.

I immediately began to

look for the cause within myself. Somehow I must've let my thoughts slip and meditated on the wrong things. "Now what was it?", I thought as I scanned my brain and any recent events. Then it hit me.  I hadn't watched tv for some time but earlier that day I had caught a very popular tv show set in midieval times and while it had a great story line, was full of violence, lying, torture and murder. While I watched the show and those themes flashing before my eyes my energy had begun to drain.  I noticed the difference in my mood later and didn't like it. I didn't feel good and it became unacceptable to feel that way.

Knowing my thoughts and emotions direct my life I began singing a song I love by Israel Houghton and the New Breed called Another Breakthrough and immediately started to feel better.  Singing is another form of meditation. I also began to scan the Breakthrough Thoughts in my Little Book of Breakthrough. That veil of heaviness lifted and I felt light again and free. It's amazing how powerful our thoughts are and the mood they put us in. That's why it's so important to use your emotions as your guide so you can stay on track to accomplishing your destiny. I can guarantee if I hadn't checked my Joy Monitor it would've begun to affect my focus and I would've gotten off track.

A lot of people go on about their lives without checking their Joy Monitor and one day realize they are very far from their goals in life. They may not have intentionally set out to sabotage their goals and dreams but their lack of emotional management and self-control takes them off course every time. Life is not a big mystery. You can't get ahead in life if you feel depressed, angry, anxious, desperate, lonely, jealous, envious, hurried, resentful or if you're rude, impatient, selfish or stubborn. This negativity will eventually create a struggle in your life.  The bible calls it a stronghold and it will either delay or prevent you from ever achieving happiness with certainty. Freedom comes from being excited, passionate, loving, kind, inspired, eager, grateful, joyful, peaceful, patient, good, faithful and self-controlled. All of which are within our control.

That's where our responsiblity kicks in. God will not come down and make you feel better, it is something you are responsible for. And He's not trying to teach you something by making you feel bad it's something you caused. His will is that you enjoy life and stay full of His joy. So He's already given us all of the tools we need to redirect our lives- and we do it with our thoughts and feelings.

 I begin to remind myself that God loves me and I love myself. I deserve to be happy every second of my day because I deserve the best life that He gave me. We should watch what we focus or meditate on. That means what you watch on tv, listen to (this includes people) or read. What you expose your mind to has the ability to transform you so make sure it is full of love and praise.

By the time I finished cooking my chicken and vegetable fried rice, I felt my usual chipper self again and was grateful. Grateful that I could tell that my mood had changed for the better. Grateful that I wasn't so far gone that I couldn't tell the slightest dip in my joy. Grateful that my meal came out so good! Grateful for spending some alone time with my hubby. Grateful that my brother had arrived safely from a long trip. And grateful for the opportunity to be reminded that I can't afford to meditate on anything but love. Because Love is what I want to manifest in my life.

Have you ever experienced this? What were some of the methods you used to snap out of it?