I completed an exercise the other day.  I asked myself a question, and then I sent out a request to friends and family asking them the same question.

What are 5 Strengths I have that you see in me?

I wrote four, and then after receiving a couple of responses to my email request, added two more.

1. Listening
2. Brainstorming
3. Looking for the Gift in experiences
4. Talking
5. Courage
6. Supportive

As I looked over these, I realized it was my Past that led me here.  I would not be who I am were it not for the experiences I had.

It was the experiences that were challenging that created me, more so than the experiences that were joy-filled.

Challenge creates Wisdom.

Challenge creates life-changing (life-creating) decisions.

Challenge creates our Strengths.

The Joy-filled experiences serve a purpose too!  They are the resting periods between the challenges.  They rejuvenate us.

This is why it is so important to be skilled at finding JOY in your Now moments—the Every Day Joy.

Yes, I said skilled.  It’s a skill you grow.  It’s a skill you build on.  It’s a skill you learn.

Over the years most people learn how to find the problems, what’s wrong, what’s not working.  It’s something we picked up from observing others.  We overheard the adults in our growing years, and it began with repeating what they said.  Children often do this as the belief is they will receive approval from the adults if they repeat what the adults said.  This is how the mind begins programming for problems and complaints.

The beauty in this awareness is it’s the same technique used to reprogram for JOY.

If you want to start this simple (not necessarily easy) process of reprogramming yourself for JOY, send out the same request I did.  Ask your friends and family “What are 5 Strengths I have that you see in me?”  Answer this question yourself too.

You’ll be pleasantly surprised with the answers you receive. 

For me, this turned out to be another beautiful exercise in receiving.  I couldn’t just pass off the gift my friends and family were giving me.  They took the time, care and love to send me a thoughtful reply.

Your Past brought you here too—the Challenges and the Every Day Joys.

What are the Strengths you cultivated from your challenges?