By Jennifer Garza

In my last article Rediscovering Joy Beyond Fear, I outlined ways you can release fear in order to receive joy.

1) Realize you are connected to everyone and everything
2) Be honest with yourself
3) Make hard decisions.

Now, I’ll outline the “how” so you can implement the concept into your life.

*Realize you are connected to everyone and everything.
Meditation and/or prayer are an important key to feeling connected to a higher power. For most of the day, you are in a state of beta waves, and while beta waves are needed for critical thinking and navigating the world we live in, they can also increase stress. Also, as you age, the more beta waves you possess. Children, however (who experience a high level of joy) spend most hours of the day in alpha and theta brainwave states. While beta waves are associated with thinking and problem solving, it’s alpha and theta wavelengths that help you feel connected to the Universe. This can be achieved through meditation and prayer.

*Make a conscious effort to look and appreciate the world around you.
In today’s world, there is a push to stay busy. We’re off and running as soon as our eyes open in the morning until we hit the bed at night. We forget to stop and appreciate the beauty around us. When feeling stressed, you may feel pushed to get more done. Resist this urge, and instead, take a break. Go for a leisurely stroll in the park or down the street. Take special notice of the ice glassing over bare branches, or the pink in the sky as the sun sinks. Marvel at children bundled in parkas as they make snow angels. There is beauty everywhere, if only you look.

*Start a gratitude journal
By consciously looking for things to be grateful for, the more good you will notice in your life. The more good vibes you feel and send into the Universe, the more you will attract. It’s simple law of attraction.

*Be honest with yourself
As I mentioned in the last article, denying your pain blocks your path to joy. Our humanness causes us to avoid deep-rooted issues because we feel pain at facing them. But we fool ourselves into believing that by turning a blind eye it keeps us from pain. But not facing the pain, keeps us in a constant dis-ease. We are not fully aware of the negativity that hinders our joy because it’s beneath the surface. The way to release this pain is to finally confront it. Although initially we will experience more intense feelings, working through it will lift the weight that suppresses our joy. So how is this accomplished?

1–Sit quietly in a place with no distractions. Ask a higher power for help identifying the main issue in your life causing you pain. Sit in the stillness until you receive your answer.

2–Grab a pen and paper and begin to free write about this issue – where the root of it began; how it’s affecting your life currently; and how if left unaddressed, it will affect your future.

3–Seek help in resolving the issue. Read self-enhancement books or seek life coaching or therapy. Even if you take baby steps toward confronting your pain, you are sending a signal to the Universe that you are ready to release it.

4–Develop and recite a daily mantra, such as “Today, I am confronting and releasing my pain regarding X. I am supported by a higher power and know I can call upon that power for comfort and guidance.”

*Make hard decisions
To avoid pain, we resist making hard decisions. We shrug off our intuition and remain in situations we know are causing us pain. Remember you already know what needs changing in your life on a soul level. If you don’t recognize it, start asking yourself – the answer will come. At first, it might be a whisper, then the truth may be spoken through others, and eventually your soul will scream it.

*Acknowledge the voice inside you
While tough decisions do result in repercussions and pain, have faith that there is only joy on the other side. Embrace the joy.

Jennifer Garza, M.S., has a master of science in counseling and psychology. She is a former therapist and has taught life enhancement classes at venues including college campuses, state conferences and prisons. She is the author of the inspiration journal “365 Days to Happiness: Use Your Strengths, Thoughts, and Dreams to Manifest a New Life.” Garza has been featured in Natural Health magazine, AOL, BusinessInsider.com, Young Entrepreneur.com, and on FTNS radio. Visit her website at www.authorjennifergarza.com or connect with her.