Prioritize Your Joy

It's Jamila here. In today's practice, we'll be diving into the importance of celebration and giving ourselves permission to experience the joy of living fully. Sometimes we deprioritize our own joy and fulfillment. We learn to be okay with not having what we want. We settle. We accept less than what we desire. We put other people's needs and wants above our own. I used to diminish the importance of my dreams and desires because I didn't want to experience the pain of them not coming true. To protect myself from disappointment, I never allowed myself to want anything too badly. If it didn't matter that much to me, it wouldn't hurt as much to not have it. But listening to the fears in my mind rather than the callings of my heart kept me stuck in a life that didn't fit me, that was too small, too limited, and too disconnected from my truth and my joy. I had to release the idea that my needs, desires, and dreams didn't matter and that I could be happy without them. I had to learn that wanting more does not make me selfish. It doesn't cancel out my gratitude. I can be grateful for what I have and imagine new possibilities. Pursuing a life that lights me up is an act of gratitude for the gift of being alive. So today, we're gonna get connected to the goodness that comes from saying yes to the things that light us up, from the small desires that delight you without explanation to the passions that give your life meaning and make you feel purposeful and alive. Begin by getting grounded in your body. If you can, close your eyes and bring your attention inward. Let your spine be long. Let yourself be fully anchored to the ground below you. (no audio) Start to notice the flow of breath moving in and out of your body. (no audio) Bring your focus to the places where you feel the breath. Your belly, your chest, your shoulders, your throat, your nose. (no audio) (no audio) Let your breaths become slower and longer. (no audio) (no audio) Let yourself relax. Soften your shoulders. Release any tension in your face and jaw. (no audio) (no audio) Use your breath to soothe areas of tightness. Let it move through your body and create a little more ease, a little more room. (no audio) Keep breathing. (no audio) Celebration is an act of gratitude. It is an ancient practice of honoring the things and people in your life that make life rich and juicy. Giving yourself permission to live a life of freedom, authenticity, and fulfillment is a way of honoring life itself. I'm gonna share a visualization and guide you through some questions, and I invite you to breathe deeply as you go into your imagination and use your breath to create room for whatever comes up. Call to mind something you desire but haven't fully given yourself permission...