My dear friends, we love you so very much,

Before you came to earth, you intended to experience life with a spirit of adventure, discovery, and desire. You intended to create joy, seek joy, and share joy, for joy is a celebration of love and love is your natural state of being. 

When you do anything with joy, you tune into the pure creative energy of the universe.When you take delight in anything in your present moment, you open to the flows of grace. When you savor a sip of your coffee, delight in the smiles of your children, or simply admire a passing cloud, you are feeling nothing less than the presence of the Divine. 

Your joy need not wait for perfect conditions. You can always seek it in the here and now. To feel joy, you don't require health, wealth, or love. If you are sick you can find joy in the comforting touch of a loved one, in your favorite blanket, or in the sweet peace of sleep. If you feel impoverished you can find joy in the vast abundance of natural delights and the wealth of kind souls. If you are feeling lonely you can savor a perfect moment of smelling a rose, sitting in silence in front of a beautiful piece of art, or listening to the strains of an uplifting song.

Finding joy is simply an act of choosing to focus upon what gives your heart delight. Take a moment. Look around you. Look within you. See what can give your heart delight right here and now. Is it a color? A texture? A piece of furniture or a car you love? The thought of the waves rolling in upon the ocean? The memory of a cool breeze? A loved one? The smile of one you loved a long time ago? Look around and look within. You will discover so many ways to find and acknowledge joy in the here and now.

The heart naturally seeks joy. The mind easily negates it.

The heart says, "What a beautiful day!" The mind yes, "Yes but admiring the sunshine won't pay the bills!"

The heart says, "I am so blessed. I have loved many times this lifetime!" The mind says, "Yes but there is no one now!"

The heart says, "What an incredibly beautiful color." The mind says, "Yes, but so what! Admiring beauty won't change your life." 

These “Yes, but's…” rob you of an exquisitely joyful experience of life.

Joy will actually help you pay the bills. if you are a positive person, people are inclined to assist you. If you are look for the good others will see good in you. In joy you are more likely to be offered jobs, given promotions, and to be inspired to create work that you love. 

Joy will bring wonderful people into your life. You know from your own experience that you are drawn to people who seem to be in love with life. They are captivating, alluring, fascinating, delightful! Love seeks itself in another.

Joy can change your entire life. Joy is your guide and your compass. Joy leads you into circumstances that can give you a whole new understanding of who you are and what you are capable of doing. Seeking your joy can bring you new ideas. Maybe that blue color you admire becomes your new brand color, or maybe you decide to take up painting. Maybe it reminds you of how much you love the night sky, so you take a walk at sunset and meet the love of your life... Joy guides you.

Take your joy seriously dear ones. Look for it in the here and now. What pleases you? What thoughts make you feel the most uplifted and happy?

Don’t wait for circumstances to look right. Don’t wait for others to behave as you wish. Create joy now. Seek joy now. Then you will become a beacon of light in this world and a light that the world wishes to love in return.

God Bless You! We love you so very much. 
-- The Angels

Hi Everyone,

I just came back from a visit with my family, including my two little nieces. There’s nothing that can capture my heart so quickly as hearing delighted squeals of “Aunt Ann! Aunt Ann! Aunt Ann!” I could have melted into a puddle as I heard their joy when they came running to the door.

I was immediately dragged down the stairs of their new home to the "dance room" – a large unfinished basement that my brother and sister-in-law are in the process of remodeling. For now there at two-by-fours on the walls, and a carpet on the floor – nothing else. To the adults it has potential. To two little girls it is the perfect playroom!

My oldest niece (who is seven) grabbed my hand and took off running with me. We both squealed and giggled as we raced from one end of the basement to the other, catching each other's hands, twirling, dancing, and finally collapsing on two little pink bean bag chairs, only to get up and do it again. Joy knew no bounds in the "dance" room! Eventually, tired of running, I was invited into the "Secret Lair" - a card table with copious amounts of painters tape artfully woven around the sides so we couldn't been seen. Never mind the painters tape was expensive... it was a glorious blue and oh it offered possibility!

Next up was watching Disney's "Tangled," eating a great meal, then down to the basement again for more play. This time they became my "baby birds" and I had to "feed" them worms made of colorful beads strung together. I don't think I've had that much fun in ages!

Children naturally seek joy. They don't think about what to do. They just follow their fancy. If "The rules" interfere, they come up with something else that sounds fun. We made bracelets, whispered secrets, saw the latest cool toys, and snuck a few bites of Halloween candy... There was no limit to their creative joy-seeking potential. 

There's no limit to ours either. 

The angels have taught me to prioritize joy. I don't always remember to do so, but frequently I do. I'm sitting outdoors typing this message on the portable computer, munching popcorn, and delighting in the birdsong and beautiful day. 

Joy has brought me abundance many times. Years ago I took a boat tour while visiting Hawaii. The gentleman who owned the tour company stopped me as I was leaving. "You are so happy you made everyone on the boat happy! I have a free slot tomorrow. Come back and I won't charge you!" This was a $150 tour! I joyfully accepted.

Joy has brought me interactions with beautiful people. I sat listening to music once in the butterfly garden, eyes closed and a blissful smile on my face. "Do you always look like that when you sleep," someone asked me? "Like what?" I asked. "Happy," came the response. I can't count the number of times people have stopped and talked to me, starting the conversation with, "You look happy..."

Joy has brought me a new life. I just followed my bliss – one step at a time –  right into this career, when I didn't have a clue what I'd be doing.

Joy makes me productive. I got off an airplane last Saturday, and woke up at 4am to drive up north and go hiking on Sunday. A joyful outing gave me the energy to answer the hundreds of emails that I'd missed during my trip.

Joy is not frivolity. It is a sign that we are listening to our inner compass, and aligned with the Presence of the Divine within. It is not something handed to us always by the outside world and it is something that others can seem to easily steal. In the end, we get to choose our focus however, and the angels remind us with a great deal of love... to choose joy! 

Here are some pointers this week to help you find the joy life offers...

1. Don't wait for great conditions. Seek Joy now

Give up the excuses and countless reasons why life isn't or can't be joyful. I've had bills, ill health, and betrayal but that isn't a reason to avoid seeking joy. In fact seeking the joy in life is what healed me each time.

Look for things that make you happy. I scan the places I visit for things that are interesting or beautiful. I look through a familiar grocery for new treats. I look back over my day before bed and give thanks for all that has been good. There are always things to appreciate and enjoy in life. A single piece of dark chocolate offers bliss if that's your thing! A single melody can turn the day around. A single flower on the forest floor reminds me of life's miracles.

2. Choose joyful thoughts

Too often we focus on "reality" –  meaning what is in front of us. If you can think joyful thoughts about "reality" by all means do. If no, handle "reality" then instead of worrying, spend time imagining your problems solved, as well as your dreams and desires. Changing your mental focus brings greater joy. I can think one happy thought in the midst of an onslaught of negative ones and it gets me back on track. 

You'll handle "reality" better if you can imagine a happy outcome.

3. Be kind to yourself if you can't get there

Sometimes we're lost in the throes of our humanity and find it too difficult to find joy. If you've experienced loss, betrayal, or a number of other very human experiences that are just plain tough. be kind to yourself. Comfort yourself in a healthy way. Sometimes the most joyful thing you can do is curl up under a blanket and sip some hot tea. 

Little joys lead to bigger ones however, and even these small choices will help you heal and return to a focus of joy once again.

Life doesn't always present its joyful side and yet as the saying goes, "Seek and ye shall find..." Practice choosing joy as often as you can, and watch life shift to become more joyful!

Love you all! 
Ann