JOY

I believe in JOY. J stands for Jesus, O for others, and Y for you. This acronym reminds me of how I want to live my life. It helps me focus on the important things and what to put my energy into. Keeping JOY in mind helps me strive to be selfless instead of selfish and to think of others before myself.

I am in this world to focus on Jesus first. I am called to go to mass, pray, and spread His word. Keeping a close friendship with Jesus strengthens all my other relationships. In order to know Jesus, I have to learn about Him. I do this by attending religion classes on Sundays and praying each day to grow closer to Him. When I’m uncertain about things, I ask Jesus for guidance and listen in the quiet of my heart for His response. Talking with Jesus helps me understand my purpose in this world. My lifelong goal is to reach heaven to live eternally with Jesus.

Secondly, I try to think of others before myself. Little acts of kindness such as holding the door, letting someone go in line before me, and serving someone first are all examples. I do my best to understand others. When a friend is having a rough day, I try to help them through it. When someone says something unkind, I try to reach out and be nice. Doing good deeds makes me feel good inside. My actions don’t need to be something big; a simple smile or a friendly gesture will do. When I go out of my way to do something for someone else, I am living with JOY. Not only am I doing something for others, but I’m also doing it for Jesus and myself.

I try to think of myself last. It is important to think of others, but I also need time to focus on me. Exercising, eating healthy, and living a happy life all contribute to helping me grow. I juggle family time, school work, sports, and playing with my friends. Keeping a healthy balance between them is the key. Whatever I’m doing, the main thing is to not get stressed out and stay positive.

I believe in living with JOY. It is a simple guideline on how to live; following it is the harder part. If I keep my focus on Jesus first, I believe He will guide me with the rest of my journey. Life doesn’t last forever, I have to seize each day. My life will be a lot more joy filled if I chose to live with JOY as my guide.