Between January bouts of arctic vortexes and distressing politics or natural events around us, it is sometimes difficult to fend off winter blues. Holiday breaks 鈥� especially this year 鈥撀燼re too short and feel in the distant past. New Year鈥檚 resolutions are probably already falling by the wayside like autumn leaves. So much for that plan to get to the gym more frequently. And even if we embrace winter sports or live in a part of the world without snow and ice, this time of year can be hard on one鈥檚 outlook. We have (at least) two options: we can trudge along, or we can actively seek out something more joyful and positive to focus on; to find at least one thing to which one can look forward to.
here is an elementary school drama teacher who gained fame on social media for his comic stories of daily life and his students.聽 What stuck with me from hearing about him was his closing line, 鈥淔ind your joy.鈥�
Joy is not the same as happiness. While I am not a psychologist, I distinguish between the two as follows. In my view, happiness is more fleeting and ephemeral. It is typically dependent on conditions external to us, whereas joy seems to come more from within. It is the smile on my face when I taste something unexpectedly to my liking or I see something beautiful around me. It is the quiet chuckle in response to something we encounter and find instinctively amusing. For example, this morning on my way to work, the jogger who crossed my path wearing shorts, running socks, and a big smile on his face in sub-zero temperatures, made me smile in awe. Who knows what made him smile 鈥� maybe the endorphins of a run 鈥� even in freezing temperatures 鈥撀爋r perhaps seeing me all bundled up wearing a funny, colourful winter hat with earflaps and pompons. No matter, we both met each other for a moment with a smile! Joy also is the feeling I get from having accomplished something, no matter how small. It is the relief you might experience when after a struggle or difficult situation, you receive a kind word or a thank you.
As a learner, I find joy in mastering new concepts, skills, and ideas, in solving puzzles, or conquering a fear. I love to research and learn 鈥� for me joy lies not so much in the answer as in the path, the discovery of knowledge and information. As a teacher I find joy in a student鈥檚 breakthrough, or interesting question or comment, but also simply in the fact that we can be in a learning space and have a stimulating, thought provoking discussion or explore a new task together.聽 Even the most mundane, daily task can be joyful if we appreciate it for the way in which it moves our life forward. Some of us find joy in solitude, others in community. Lifelong learning is as much about finding joy as it is about the actual act of learning.
We have exciting prospects at the 香蕉视频 School of Continuing Studies 鈥� new courses and programs coming online, updated content, talented academic and administrative colleagues, continuously growing networks of partnerships, alumni, mentors, and friends. So, I, for one, made this new year鈥檚 resolution and so far, have been able to keep it: Find joy every day!