We don't always get everything. And sometimes we worry too much about our circumstances. We think oh I'll be happy when I get my job back, or I'll be happy when I get a man back, but it's really about allowing God to give us joy now.

We are all drawn to problems and solving problems. Joy doesn't demand our time. So we have to mark that time on our schedules. That's the only way you are going to get it. Five minutes, three times a day in your schedule. That's doable.

I spent a good portion of my life being unable to honor my feelings. When I started the process of having real friendships it was a huge change. I still struggle with it because it is not familiar ground.

I was always interested in how to be more joyful. This goes all the way back to elemenatary school. I looked at what was going on around me and I wanted something better. Because my mother had so many ups and downs, I watned to know how to be "up" more often.

You can't have real and authentic friendships unless you honor your feelings.

When I am around someone who is a joy stealer, I say to myself, I only have to deal with you for an hour. That person has to deal with thinking that way every moment of their lives.

I do a lot of to-dos and a lot of lists. I realized I had to make room for joy. So I added "to feel" items on my to-do list. That's something you can easily do.