Joyful:
Enjoying, showing, or marked by pleasure, satisfaction or happy; Cheerful, willing; Enthusiastic
Would you call yourself joyful? Would others say you live and demonstrate a state of joy?
Are you in pursuit of joy? If you are, the following information will outline what you need to do to find it.
According to new research, happiness, which comes from joy, is 40% genetic and 60% influenced by you.
For the purposes of this article, we will focus on the seven key qualities and characteristics of joy, which leads to happiness, that you can directly influence. They provide the framework for achieving happiness.
We have written about some of these qualities in previous articles. No single characteristic on its own creates joy. They are a package deal.
The Seven Character Qualities of Joy:
- Optimism: If you want to be in a state of joy, you must look for opportunities and positively believe and feel that you can achieve what you want out of life. Few people would call a pessimistic person happy.
- Savoring Life: Joyful people live in the moment. They understand they can feel joy now—during their journey through daily life experiences. They don’t have to wait to be joyful sometime in the future; it is always a choice.
- Spirituality: There is a strong correlation between an individual’s spiritual grounding and orientation and his or her joy. Faith and the acknowledgement that there is more going on than meets the eye creates peace of mind and letting go. A 2019 UK study confirmed those without any spiritual grounding were twice as likely to be “very unhappy.”
- Family and Friends: Relationships matter to your happiness. These interactions contribute to your happiness and your longevity. Family and friends enrich your life and increase its meaningfulness. In fact, loving relationship is one of the top factors linked to longevity based on the Harvard longevity study.
- Goals: Joyful people know where they are going, and they have written goals to prove it! Without direction or ambition, it is difficult for you to be happy.
- Gratitude: Joyful individuals are thankful for what they have and make the best of almost any situation or condition. This is not a phony mental position but a sincere acknowledgement that no matter what their circ*mstances, hundreds and thousands of people are worse off than they are.
- Helpfulness/Generosity: Joy comes from the gift of giving, not taking. The research is clear: Joyful people give more, at all levels—including time, resources and money.
What is not on this list? Money! The research shows that money does not contribute to your joy. Nor does money reduce joy. Money is independent of the seven characteristics of joy. The research shows that whether or not people are full of joy, a fluctuating financial state does not change or influence their joy level.
So… those of you who use money as a barometer for your level of joy must give that up.
This research also confirmed our position that for individuals to be joyful or happy, they must not only discover but also follow their purpose and passion in life. In some cases, that means leaving years of experience and training in one profession to pursue your true purpose that will give you the capacity to savor your life. One of my friends—a doctor—quit medicine to follow his entrepreneurial passions; he has never been happier!
My purpose is to help others find and live their purpose. To assist everyone, I am suggesting my book, The Quest For Purpose A Self-Discovery Process to Find It and Live It!
As noted in the research, joy has a lot to do with perspective. What if you knew that you knew that you knew, and that you were on track and on purpose?!
Choose joy!
Action Steps
7 Qualities of a Joyful Person
- How joyful would you rate yourself—below, average or above average?
- Are you more or less joyful than the people around you?
- Joy is your choice. Do you feel comfortable with your level of joy?
- Research has identified seven key characteristics of joy. Rate yourself in each of the following qualities—from 1 (low) to 10 (high):
You are optimistic.
You savor life—you are in the moment and you enjoy living that way.
You have spiritual grounding and a faith position.
You engage and connect regularly with family and friends (loving relationships).
You have written goals and you know where you are going.
You have an attitude of gratitude.
You are helpful/generous and give freely others your time and resources.
5. Out of a possible 70 points above, how did you score?Are you happy with your results?
6. Are there any areas you need to improve? If Yes, where? What?
7. Happy individuals know who they are and where they are going. To help you and others clarify and confirm, I encourage you to engage my new book, The Quest For Purpose.
8. The research group revealed that money or wealth has little or no influence on an individual’s level of joy. Money will not make you happy, nor will it make you unhappy. Money is an independent item.
9. Your level of joy has little to do with your circ*mstances and everything to do with the way you respond to and engage your circ*mstances. If you don’t feel joy, look into a mirror. The good news is that you won’t have to go far to see the reflection.
10. Are you a person whom others want to be around? Are people attracted to you? You have a choice to be joyful—so why not be full of joy right now?
Until next time, keep Living On Purpose!
Ken Keis
PS. Go check out my podcast channel for weekly secrets of success. I select special guests to share with you their inspiring stories, and motivational tips. https://soundcloud.com/crgleader
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About the Author:
Dr. Ken Keis, is a foremost global authority on behavioral assessment strategies and processes, and an expert in leadership, purpose, and wellness. He has authored over 4 million words of content, including 500 articles, 4 books, and a dozen assessments to help others realize their full potential.
President and CEO of Consulting Resource Group International (CRG), Dr. Keis has worked with many high-profile companies, associations, and industry groups. In the past 30 years, Ken has conducted more than 3,000 presentations and 10,000 hours of coaching and consulting. He is a highly sought-after author, speaker, trainer, media guest and also host of The Secrets of Success Podcast with Dr. Ken Keis.
His latest books, Why Aren’t You More Like Me?, Deliberate Leadership, and The Quest For Purpose!
To learn more on how Ken or CRG can serve you go to www.kenkeis.com and www.crgleader.com .
