You may not recognize your path to joy yet. Now is your time to become a spiritual explorer in the pragmatic world.

The appearance and details of the path to joy are different for each of us, yet the pattern and method are similar.

To explore, start with these steps.

• Look for clues that are nearby.
  • Your heart and soul may be barricaded by a stiff, dry chrysalis, but clues leave a trace.
  • And the chrysalis is breaking down.
• Do you have secret longings?
  • Write them down.
• What have you procrastinated for months or years or your entire life?
  • Write them down.
• What little items have you found or purchased that mean a lot to you, even if you don’t know why?
  • Look at them.
  • Muse about them.
  • Let your imagination play off them.
• Where do you move throughout the day?
  • Go there and be mindful.
• Where do you wish you had more time or energy to explore?
  • Go there and be mindful.
• What books do you think are the greatest books in the world and only read by intelligent, exalted professors or writers?
  • Get one and start reading.
• What irritates you in the news?
  • Write to the reporter or a person involved in the activity.
• What delights you in the news?
  • Write to the reporter or a person involved in the activity.
• What community resources are close at hand?
  • Do you visit your library?
  • Does it offer programs and reading clubs?
• Do any of the schools offer adult education classes?
• Do clubs exist in your town?
  • Gardening, conservationists, political, feed the hungry, medieval literature, science fiction, sewing, art?
• Do any of the places of worship near you offer classes and opportunities that might interest you?

This is your exploring time. Give yourself the attention you need. Let your mind range over what is available, and pay attention to your responses. Whenever you feel a lilt, a spark of interest, or curiosity, go deeper into that.

• Do volunteer opportunities exist where you care about the issues, people, animals or environment involved?
  • Visit and find out if this is something for you.
  • You can also go exploring on the Internet.
  • Pick topics that intrigue you and see what opportunities might exist for you.
• Online communities that rally around a topic or issue that interests you may have local chapters where you can connect with new like-minded people.

To begin a new path, you need to trailblaze. Regardless of what exists in the world, you create your own path to joy.

What You Are Doing and Why

1. Follow the clues that interest you That leads to new activities and relieves boredom.
2. New activities put you in contact with new communities and new people. Some can become friends.
3. Friends share enthusiasm. That leads to personal inspiration as well as deepening friendship.
4. Inspiration leads to innovation. Before you know it, your creativity is unleashed.
5. When your creativity unleashes in a field you care about you are discovering your passion.
6. Living your passion means living a meaningful life.

Discover your choices and choose what's right for you based on your heart and soul.

Complete Listing of Path to Joy

Part One: Welcome and Introduction: Your Path to Joy Part 1

Part Two: New Begins with the End of Old: Your Path to Joy Part 2

Part Three: Rally Yourself to Move Forward: Your Path to Joy Part 3

Part Four: Be a Trailblazer: Your Path to Joy Part 4

Part Five: Your Action Steps: Your Path to Joy Part 5

Part Six: Stumbling Block Alert: Your Path to Joy Part 6

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Written by Joanna Poppink, MFT. Joanna is a psychotherapist in private practice specializing in eating disorder recovery, stress, PTSD, and adult development.

She is licensed in CA, AZ, OR, and FL. Author of the Book: Healing Your Hungry Heart: Recovering from Your Eating Disorder

Appointments are virtual.

For a free telephone consultation, e-mail her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.