Recently, I lost my joy bubble. Now my bubble isn’t always there, but I look forward to feeling its presence on a fairly consistent basis. It comes up sort of like this:  a little feeling of joy erupts in the bottom of my belly and sort of rises up to fill my heart area. The reason it’s so special to me is just because it feels so good. Some people might call it contentment, joy, fulfillment, or happiness. I call it my joy bubble.  I am now on a quest to bring it back.

My life changed rather dramatically a few weeks ago when I lost a job that I loved. I was hired to work as a yoga therapist in four assisted living homes. Later on, other things I didn’t love so much were added. However, working with the people was gratifying and sustaining for almost ten years. It’s inevitable that at some point on this journey we call life, we will experience a life changing event. This was one of many, and I was plunged into it without choice or warning. Blindsided.

I have gone through many changes in my lifetime, and though I was sometimes in pain over changes I didn’t want to make, I did eventually find the “gift”. If all the doors were closed, I would wrap myself into a ball of fear for awhile, but would eventually notice an open window and crawl through. Every change brought something better, but in the interim it was hard. I am beginning to accept and embrace this change; now looking to find lessons in some of it, and determined to get my bubble back.

I am moving out of Funk Town, and have decided to become the goddess of my own day, every day. I will do the things that I have not done before, because I had a “job.” Stop the bullshit excuse of not having enough time and finish my book, my room, and write. I am going to press the PLAY button for my new future, and trust that my bubble will return.

Keeping in mind this quote by one of my favorite teachers:

“Because you are alive, everything is possible.”

—Thích Nhất Hạnh, Living Buddha, Living Christ