YAY – an article by Nicola Jackman
Yay (def.) is an exclamation indicating joy, approval, congratulation, or triumph.
When I say “Yay” – you say “YAY” – Why? Because it feels so good. Why? Because it’s a perfect expression of joy; because even if you don’t feel like saying it, when you do say YAY – it makes you feel like saying it again – YAY!
My name is Nicola and I am a joy catalyst. Yes, that’s right - I am an activist and catalyst for JOY. In these times with environmental activists and animal activists, it really should be no surprise that for people we really need joy activists and catalysts - co-creating more fun and joy.
Some time ago, a young boy responding to my unusual playful way, asked his mum a question I’ve often repeated to myself, “Mum is she a real adult?” Mum just laughed. Nowadays my internal response is like this – “if adults are as the media reports - highly stressed, very depressed, problem focused, too little time for fun, beings; Then NO, I’m not a real adult! I choose play, I choose yay and I choose this planet, I choose being for all people in a natural, caring, kind and loving way…”
I am thrilled to be part of the growing group of solution-orientated, yay-sayers, who are all transforming our world. I meet these wonderful lights everyday. Sometimes they’re the guys who share smiley greetings and look after my car, sometimes they are amazing leaders who guide the communities in awe inspiring possibilities. Whomever they are, they are part it - step by step, smile by smile, being by being – they are all part of co-creating an inspired beautiful, peace-loving world right now.
Of course, I am aware of the ‘half empty glass’ nay-saying view - that focuses on the doom and gloom perspective. It’s difficult to ignore that view when media plasters it all over lampposts as headlines of resignation. I even understand their perspective, but I choose to focus on another way of seeing it all. The thing is, I get to have so much fun with my glass half full view, which I might add is always full of my favourite imagination giggle juice – and when you drink a sip it gets you into playful silly laughs. And because it’s so delightfully yummy… I just love to share it too and the more I do the fuller my glass gets - tee hee!
I think of us as humanKIND. How much more care and fun we could actually create for each other being just that. I mean if we were not intended to care about our fellow man and the planet, then perhaps we should’ve been called humanMEAN. But we’re humankind – so by our very nature that’s what we all are…
With a little of my humankindness – here are a few joyful tips that I gift to you, they have helped me tremendously over the years.
Giggles, Gratitude and Service - are my dearest friends. Over the past thirteen years in my commitment to JOY, I have realised that when I giggle, it feels like my cells giggle too and I become lighter. When I’m full of gratitude, I am truly alive. And when I am of service, especially when I share joy with others, a great bliss Uplifts me & I feel like a sparkling star beaming with love.
Say yay and be continuously grateful, even for your mistakes for they are great lessons.
Smile from your heart & laugh often. Why? Science has proven the numerous benefits of laughter and yet statistically speaking, adults just don’t laugh enough; 15-16 times a day compared to children who laugh 300-400 times a day, is a crazy gap, especially when it’s so much fun. Furthermore the brain is unable to tell the difference between real laughter and fake laughter – so when you feel like you really can’t laugh – you really should (just to test that) and by making the sounds and movements of laughter you actually stimulate the release of serotonins and endorphins and your mood will be altered and you will feel heaps better. (I do this when I am stuck in traffic queues and the moments become a pleasure rather than stressful.)
Volunteer – find a way to be of service and make an on-going commitment. I’ve been volunteering almost every week for over 13 years and it’s the service that sustains joy in me.
We are living in interesting times, our planet is full of inspired possibilities and many of us are awakening to our own individual power to choose and co-create a better world.
I believe what many of our great leaders like Ghandi, Madiba, Martin Luther King & Oprah envisioned for our world, is becoming a collective possibility and thousands of inspired beings are stepping UP and actively playing the big game of transformation and co-creation.
They are, you are, we are the “yay sayers”…
We all have the ability to become true visionaries, actively creating solutions and being living sources of hope, joy and loving possibility.
YAY for all of you and YAY for the times we are living in and YAY for the power of what we all can be - as one…
“We are formed and moulded by our thoughts. Those whose minds are shaped by selfless thoughts give joy when they speak or act. Joy follows like a shadow that never leaves them.” - Buddha
