Add a Little Joy to Your Life
January 14, 2022
Add a Little Joy to Your Life
By David Forest, LCSW
Santa Fe College Counseling Center
"The healthiest response to life is joy."
– Deepak Chopra
Thanks to high profile sports figures like Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles, as well as
fellow Olympian Michael Phelps, people are beginning to recognize the importance of
mental health. Yet the concept of mental wellness is less appreciated.
Just as elite athletes work with coaches and sports psychologists to hone their skills
and maintain their competitive edge, individuals can utilize the services of counselors
and coaches to maintain their personal well-being.
Physical therapists and trainers help athletes stay in shape, not just recover from
injuries. In fact, proper training not only improves performance, it can also help
prevent injuries. The same is true of psychotherapy. As Richard Davidson, Ph.D., Director
of the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin, says, "Wellbeing is
a skill. Wellbeing can be learned." A prime example of this is the notion of joy.
"In my study of joy," says Dr. Pamela King, professor at Fuller Theological Seminary
in Pasadena, California, "I have noticed that joy is more complex than a feeling or
an emotion. It is something one can practice, cultivate, or make a habit." In other
words, joy is not the absence of difficulties, but a choice in the face of difficulties.
Doug Abrams, co-author of The Book of Joy, believes that there are four major emotions: fear, anger, sadness, and joy. The
first three exist, he says, to get us back to joy.
The Santa Fe College Counseling Center is celebrating Mental Wellness Month by encouraging
students to add a little joy to their lives. This January, the Counseling Center is
giving away free Almond Joy minis to any student who stops by Building R, Room 227.
(Limit one per person, while supplies last). So, take a break from studying or stressing
and get a taste of how sweet life can be.
Read more from Dr. King on the power of joy here.
Learn six simple steps you can take to improve your mental wellness.
