Welcome to Love Notes from Rhonda.

And today I want to talk about the difference between joy and happiness.

Being happy and being filled with joy.

Now for some people, joy and happiness are the same.

They're equal to each other.

When you have joy, you have happiness.

When you're happiness, you have joy.

But that is not so for me and I believe that's not so for many people.

So I'd like you to take on my definitions of happy and joy for this moment.

Suspend what you think they are and let me tell you what I think they are.

Happiness for me usually is dependent on something, right?

Like so I notice that I'm naturally happier.

I wake up better, I have my day go smoother, I interact with more ease and love.

When I eat my vegetables, reduce sugar, drink my water, I do things for my health, I take my walks.

When I am in that loving self care mode of treating my body with respect and caring for myself deeply.

So doing those things that nurture me, I actually wake up happier.

I find myself humming around the house.

I'm just happier.

I'm just happier.

And that is dependent on what I eat and drink.

The no sugar, the vegetables, the water stabilizes my mood and allows that happiness to come forth.

Other things that quote unquote elicit happiness are things external to me, right?

Things like I get good news in the mail or I have a friend stop by because they wanna see me and they connect with me and hug me and we just bond, right?

I get asked to be interviewed on a major television station.

Or you know, somebody buys my book and asks for my autograph, or somebody approaches me and asks for a hug, right?

Like all of these things make me happy.

Looking at my living room, looking, opening up my shelves.

Because everything in my home is put in a particular place to create happiness.

I love looking at my living room, I love opening my shelves, I love opening my drawers.

They actually make me happy.

I get great happiness from these things.

But notice there are things that I am doing something to elicit that happiness.

Whether it's even reducing my sugar, whether it's drinking more water, whether it's receiving good news.

Happiness is, I'll say, dependent on things around me or things within me.

Joy, on the other hand, joy is God given.

Joy is part and parcel of who you are.

Joy is your birthright.

Joy is that fire in the belly that is just the bubbling up feeling that you are just grateful to be alive.

That joy.

Joy is not dependent on what I eat.

I can be in joy and have a migraine.

I can get bad news.

And I can still have joy, right?

Joy cannot be taken away from by external.

Joy cannot be taken from me.

Joy is something that I have and that I get to claim and cultivate and honor.

So I find that joy, if I pay attention and if I listen and if I cultivate it by honoring it, that joy bubbles up.

No matter how much water I drink, no matter what kind of news I get, it is just there.

I'll never forget the first time I told somebody that I have joy just pulsating through my veins.

And even when I have a migraine, I'm in joy.

I mean, the person looked at me and said, I don't think you should tell people that.

And I said, well, okay, I understand your point.

Yet nothing can take nobody, Nothing can take away your joy.

You're the only one that can do that.

By denying it, by refusing it, by ignoring it, by not honoring it, by not cultivating it, by not saying yes to it.

Because for some people, joy is scary.

To be that joyful, to be that joyful in your family, maybe you were made fun of.

Maybe it makes you feel like you're stupid.

Joyful people are stupid.

I mean, it's nice for a while, but always joyful.

Come on.

Maybe it feels like they're not in reality.

So I ask you today to pay attention to what increases your happiness and how you can cultivate your joy.

Because it already is within you.

It's in your cells.

It's in your being.

It's in your heart.

It's part of you.

And if you don't feel that joy, then ask yourself, is there something stopping you?

Some fear, some worry, some anxiety, some judgment that doesn't allow you to enjoy your joy.

Decide today.

Decide today to claim your joy.

Because nobody can give it to you and nobody can take that away.

Until next time, be fearless.

I love you.