How to obtain joy

People who know me always know how joyful I am. I'm high on life, yes I've been through my ups and downs in life. What I can say is I've always been joyful even in dark times.

Let me tell you a story about when I was in school, always getting picked on called names the usual teenage life. I was also someone who didn't have a click or really a group of people to hang with more so. I was a loner who bounced around groups of people all the time. No reason at all it was just what I did since I didn't fit anywhere. Just a little bit about me before I tell you about my teacher. My teacher had a pretty pen one day and I told her how pretty it was. My teacher offered me this pen, I took the pen and was so happy. It seemed to boggle my teachers mind on how such a little gesture made me so happy. I held that pen in my hand and was dancing that's how happy I was. I felt genuine joy and bliss, my teacher said "it doesn't take much to make you happy does it?" and really it didn't.

There are many times like this in my life where I was in complete joy. Being older now I realize the meaning and understanding on how I was so joyful. Growing up I never had an expectation for anything, I was always thankful. I notice many people are not thankful for what they have or even who they are. People like that cannot appreciate the little things in life, people happen to be surrounded by so much negativity. Being joyful starts with you and only you. Anything in life can go crazy or even be messed up and crashing all around you. This is what happened to me life crashed around me always bad things happening but I was still joyful.

Many people are probably wondering, well how can you stay joyful like that? It all starts with you accepting who you are and being who you are no matter what anyone else says. Everyone else cant be in your body or mind, clean yourself of the negative energies you may be holding onto. Really begin to understand everything outside of expectations, removing expectation from yourself and others. You will begin to feel lighter, expectations are negative and only create negative energies. The first key to obtaining joy is to love yourself. Remove expectations and be kind.