At the end of 2015, I found the “joy jar” project online in a few different places. It sounded pretty cheesy; the kind of obnoxious thing that makes you groan. And I mean uncontrollably groan aloud, so others can hear you.
But I was in a season of my life where things had been so stressful for so long, I needed a way out. I needed a path back to the more joyful version of myself, and was willing to throw anything at the problem. So I was was willing to try this little project – even though I was seriously cynical. Boy, was I wrong about it.
I’m writing this on New Year’s Day 2017, cuddled up on the couch. Derek and I just had a big breakfast. Moments ago, we finished going through the 2016 jar of joys. And, I’ve gotta say, I’m totally humbled by it.
What a lovely tradition! It goes hand-in-hand with my efforts to practice more gratitude, so that I feel more joy and happiness on a daily basis. I feel like I got so caught up in adulting and dream chasing, that these things help me hang onto the joy and mischievousness that faded away some time ago. (When did everything get so serious?!)
At the end of going through all of those sweet moments in 2016, I’ve gotta tell you that the joy jar was really worthwhile. I hope you’ll start one for 2017. We’ve already got ours ready to go!
The idea is pretty simple.
Yes, you’ll find a few versions online if you look for “joy jar” or “happiness jar” – especially on Pinterest. No, I didn’t think it up and I’m not the first to blog about it. So I certainly won’t pretend to take credit for it, and I wish I could find the original so I can pay tribute. (Yes, that’s a Sunny reference, if you’re also a fan.)
Here’s what to do:
- Get a jar
- Get a stack of paper and a pen
- Put them where you’ll see them every day
- Write down things that bring you joy throughout the year (daily, weekly, etc.)
- Go through them all at the end of the year
Does it have to be a jar? Nope. You can use a bowl or open container of some kind. I liked having a glass jar so I could watch it fill up. Having a lid on it was helpful throughout the year when I relocated it, too. But that’s just me. Find a container that makes you happy.
What do you write on the paper? What you write on each paper is up to you. It can be simple moments, big milestones, things that made you laugh, relief you felt when something changed, etc. Capture all of the things that made you feel happy. They say that what you focus on expands. I found that writing down the things that made me super happy throughout the year helped me feel more optimistic, even though there were some really tough days in 2016.
When do you read through them? At the end of the year or on New Year’s Day, go through all of the pieces of paper in the jar. You can read them aloud with your family. Or create a private, ceremonial moment for yourself each year. It’s a lot of fun.
2017
It’s amazing how much stuff happens in a calendar year!
It’s so fun to go back through everything that made you feel happy, grateful, loved, and accomplished. I was surprised by all of the things we forgot about.
Since 2016 was such a rough year in the news, it was refreshing to recognize all of the great things that happened in our personal lives. The year wasn’t a total crapshoot, ya know? I’m grateful to have gone back through it all.
We’re doing the joy jar again in 2017. I hope it’ll become part of our family tradition. It was so fun to go through everything, and feel really great about the past 12 months – even though it wasn’t all great, grand, and wonderful.
What I’ll do differently next time
I’m always learning, tweaking, adjusting. Naturally, I’ll do a few things differently next year to make it more consistent and enjoyable.
I’d like to make it part of my daily routine. The jar was put in the pantry when we hosted an event, and I kind of forgot about it. The jar needs a “home” where “out of sight, out of mind” won’t stop you from filling out paper. So I want to display it somewhere prominently so I won’t neglect it, but participate more eagerly this year.
It’d be fun to make it a little more ceremonious. I’d like to find a prettier jar, something that feels more substantial (not a dusty hand-me-down). I’ll find better paper and a dedicated pen, and keep all of those things together so it’s more likely I fill them out.
When times get tough, I want to keep filling out the pieces of paper. There were some really tough days in 2016, and I stopped filling the jar. I got really sad, and it was tough to stay positive. But next year, no matter what happens, I’d like to find the strength to continue counting every blessing by writing them down.
Do you have a joy jar?
What about you? Do you have a joy jar? Or another way you count all of your joys throughout the year?
These things may seem unrelated but I’ll be blunt: entrepreneurship is tough, and filmmaking is even tougher. It’s amazing how this little practice has helped me shift my attitude for the better. I feel lighter, happier, and healthier – which makes it a little easier to continue my work.
I hope you’ll give it a try in 2017!
Read this post here.
If you liked this post, you might enjoy reading about why I started practicing gratitude. Enjoy!