Love and joy are on the inside. Go in...

 

Love and Joy 

We can choose Love and Joy because in doing so, we are choosing ourselves. Yet, more often than not, we search for happiness outside of ourselves. We look for it in relationships, in material possessions, in the endless pursuit of the perfect house, car, or body. Even children, tragically, are sometimes viewed as possessions that must fit an ideal mold.  

This outward search for love and happiness becomes an unending tale, beginning at birth—a story woven with fear, disillusionment, and dissatisfaction. It is this relentless quest that traps us in conflict, both within ourselves and with those we care about.

 

​Why Do We Seek Love and Joy?  

Because Love and Joy are our true nature. The belief that we are inherently flawed or unworthy is a construct of the mind, a prison of guilt and shame that keeps us disconnected from our essence. I believe what we are truly seeking is not external; it is the self we’ve lost—buried beneath layers of societal conditioning and programming. From a young age, we are trained to measure our worth by what we achieve or possess. This cycle of production and consumption blinds us to our true gifts and purpose, reducing us to mere cogs in a machine, far from the freedom nature intended for us.  

And then, for some, a moment of clarity arrives—a breaking point. We realize that no amount of possessions, no person, no job, no physical perfection can fill the void. When everything external fails to satisfy, we are left with one path forward: inward.

 

The Awakening  

The journey inward begins when we stop and inquire. As we cultivate a richer inner life, we awaken from the illusion, shedding the hypnosis of the material world. We start to see the truth: the Love and Joy we’ve been seeking have always been within us.  

This inward journey is transformative. It reconnects us with our purpose and reveals our gifts. We discover that our happiness and fulfillment are not dependent on people, possessions, or circumstances. They are rooted in our authentic self—the Love and Joy that have been patiently waiting for us to return.

 

How Do You Begin?  

You begin by pausing. By inquiring. By choosing Love and Joy. In that choice, you fall in love with yourself. You let go of what no longer serves you and embrace the natural flow of life. The blinkers fall away, the doors of the prison built on guilt, shame, and fear are thrown wide open. You are free.  

In this freedom, a new journey unfolds—a journey of discovery. As you practice awareness, you hold each thought captive, becoming more present. By letting go and allowing life to be, you create new patterns. Your subconscious mind, once a repository of fear and doubt, begins to reprogram itself.  

Love and Joy become your foundation. New behaviors emerge, new neural pathways form, and the shift deepens. You release fear, guilt, and blame because you no longer need them. You know Love and Joy, and in that knowledge, you fall in love with yourself.

 

The Invitation  

Love and Joy are not found outside—they are within you. Stop searching outward. Go inward.

There, you will find yourself waiting.

It’s time to change your story.

It’s time to choose Love and Joy.

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By: Angela Pereira

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