Find Your Joy

There is so much negativity in this world these days that many people struggle with finding their joy. The news spends countless hours reporting the negative and a few minutes each day on the positive. In the state the world is in right now, with coming back from a very hard, trying few years after so much turmoil, financial strain, and loss, it’s no wonder people are depressed and on edge.
I recently saw a quote that said, “You promote your children’s well-being when you demonstrate joy that springs from your own being. When they observe you living from pure being, content to exist as you are, they locate the capacity within themselves, and they learn to access their own joy.”
Joy has to be found internally, because if you try to find it externally through a career, a gold buckle, or a championship saddle, those things will only last so long. Find joy in the here and the now, the moments with your children, the small things that you’ll look back on and you’ll realize they were the most important parts of your life.
Be grateful for the people you meet along the journey, spending time with your travel partners, and just being fortunate enough to do what you love to do. Whether that’s being a professional rodeo cowboy or cowgirl, running a ranch, or you’re still trying to figure out what you want to do, just find something positive about each day, and your purpose will be revealed when you have the right attitude, mentality, and work ethic.
Our youngest son, Waylon, may not be able to walk, but he has the best little attitude and is determined to do whatever his older brother, Charlie, does. It fills my heart with joy to see his face light up every day for just the simplest of things. He doesn’t care that he can’t walk. He has wheels so he can go faster. Always try to look at the positive. He’s getting so fast and fearless, I am going to need to get him a helmet soon. I call him our fragile daredevil!
Another good quote says, “ Train your mind to see the good in everything. Positivity is a choice. The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.”
With my father’s passing last year, it’s hard to see any positive through the loss of a loved one, but you have to in order to keep moving forward. You have to live for them, and live in a way that would make them proud. A positive of him crossing over is that he no longer has to fight the terrible disease. He is free, and there is some peace with that. I wish he was here so badly, but all of us will have our time sooner or later. That’s why it is so important to not waste one second to try and find your joy, and really work hard to find it. Don’t sit and wait for it to come to you.
As Waylon gets older, and especially through his school years I know there will be some challenges, but as long as I can teach him to be fundamentally strong; to have a strong mind. I know he’ll be able to conquer anything.
I’ve started to take Charlie out before bed to lie on the trampoline and just be still. This was our conversation the other night. I said, “Charlie, just be still. Listen to the trees, listen to the birds, listen to the planes.” And he replied, “And listen to God, and be kind, and be brave.” I smiled with joy as he said those words, and said. “Yes, that’s right.” It made me so proud to hear him say that.
If you have children, they really don’t care what your profession is. What they do care about is the type of parents you are, the example you set, and the joy you bring them by showing them you truly care.
As you go down the rodeo trail this summer, think about when the dust settles and you’re no longer able to be in the arena. When your career has ended how many people will you have impacted positively and helped out along the way? Find your joy and help others find theirs too!