Written by: Dr. Gigi Arnaud, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
When I was a child growing up in the suburbs of NYC, I often heard people telling me, “You have such a joie de vivre.” As the daughter of two Parisian-French immigrant parents, I understood what these words meant literally, ‘the joy of or from living,’ but I wasn’t quite getting the essence of this expression.
So, here it is. I like to call la joie de vivre the ‘zest for life.” In other words, it’s your delight in being alive and in simply living your life, something that would be helpful and important to recall, in this time of Covid.
As the French might say, la joie de vivre constitutes the ‘art of living’ and let’s face it… the French are pretty good at it. They savor the simple and important things: love, food, art, the beauty of nature, spontaneity, a good café (both the drink and the place) and more…
Folks who have la joie de vivre seem to enjoy life in a cheerful and spirited way. They live fully and passionately and seem to enjoy and even, revel in every moment. Isn’t this like our goal of living in the present moment? We want to fully be in each moment… and appreciate it, no matter what it may be giving us…
There is happiness or excitement about life; it’s about knowing that tough or sad events, feelings, situations will pass and, in the end, your life will go in the direction of learning, growth and good.
Do you notice and appreciate the small, simple things of life? When you go to a park, do you see and really notice the colorful flowers, the trees, the grass, the children playing, the different kinds of people sitting on the benches, or walking or talking?
Are you grateful for everything life offers you? No matter that you call it good or bad, happy or sad; do you know it’s there for a reason… for you to move forward?
Here are some of the traits and skills you may want to develop, to have LA JOIE DE VIVRE or the joy of living:
Gratitude. Be thankful for what you have. The joy of living has nothing to do with economic status, education or external circumstances. It’s how you perceive and appreciate what you have… it’s always about perception.
Being in the present moment. If you are fully in the present moment, you will get the most out of any situation.
Self-fulfillment. When you focus on what you have, more of it comes to you.
Make good choices which align with your soul and your essence. Take the time and space to calm and center yourself, so that you’re able to listen and to hear, that intuitive inner voice inside you. Stay in alignment with WHO you authentically are, WHY you’re here (purpose) and WHAT you’re meant to do. It’s not just about listening to your mind; it’s also about listening to your heart and soul.
Awareness and Appreciation of the small things in life, as well as the bigger things. When I was a child, my paternal grandmother lived with us for a while. She was European and liked to take after-dinner walks. I’d go with her around the neighborhood and she would often say, “Regardes les jolies fleurs.” (look at the pretty flowers). And I did…and I still do. You may want to, also.
A feeling of happiness or excitement about life. This is what we, today, would call ‘trusting life’ or the universe. It’s about knowing that life wants you to become the best version of your unique and wonderful self; it’s there to help you to learn and grow and to move forward, even when it’s not easy…
Curiosity/Explore, discover and experience new things. Be open-minded and open-hearted. Look around. Learn new things, meet new people, discover new places. And keep asking questions… A part of the joy of living is knowing that we don’t know all that much… and that we can always be learning more, questioning more… always curious.
Continual learning and growing.
Embracing all of it… flaws and all, faults and all…
This is an important point. We all know that every life has its ups and downs. No one is spared some pain, suffering, heartache… it’s the way you look at it that counts. Do you look at life, even the hard stuff, as punishment, or can you look at it as a lesson? Ask yourself, “How can I learn and grow from this experience, so that I or my life, can become better and better?”
Now, for the really positive side of LA JOIE DE VIVRE:
Having it is linked to increased longevity. No surprise here. When you’re ‘in the flow’ of life, and have more optimism and less chronic pessimism, you have less stress and anxiety and less illness, over the long term.
When we discuss OPTIMISM here, we don’t mean being a “Pollyanna” (sugar-coating everything and never removing the ‘rose-tinted’ glasses). Every human will experience some pessimism, too. It’s about being pragmatic when assessing the reality of awful situations in life.
NOTE: When your inner voice starts saying, “life sucks…,” it’s a nice habit to immediately start reciting a quote that inspires you and which even becomes a mantra that helps you. Something like, “fake it till I make it” or “this too shall pass…”
Some QUOTES:
“Be thankful for everything that happens in your life; it’s all an experience.” – Roy T. Bennett
“An optimist understands that life can be a bumpy road, but at least it is leading somewhere. They learn from mistakes and failures, and are not afraid to fail again.” – Harvey Mackay
“Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Joie de vivre is a good life concept to learn from the French. Stay in each present moment, be aware of, appreciate and even, savor each moment, good/bad, beautiful/ugly…
It’s about seeing life as one big salad: a bit of sweet and delicious, a bit of sour and suffering, a bit of spicy to make it exciting and a bit bland to keep it calm… .all tossed together to give you the scrumptious mix that is your life.
Enjoy and savor this salad…it won’t be here for long… Have and enjoy La Joie de Vivre!
With smiles and love,
Dr. Gigi
You can reach me @www.gigiarnaud.com or DM me @drgigiarnaud: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Change your Thoughts (Mind) to Change your Life! Read more from Dr. Gigi!
Dr. Gigi Arnaud, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Gigi Arnaud is an award-winning, NYC-based Mindset Coach, Hypnotherapist, and Speaker. For over thirty years, she worked as a dentist in her own private practice and, 17 years ago, also decided to become a certified life coach and hypnotherapist. For so many years, she had been that smiling person who looked sunny and successful on the outside yet was quietly suffering on the inside. Through her own discovery and years of training and treatment (i.e., coaching, therapy, and more), she did the work to change from the inside out and unlock the traps inside her mind. Now, she helps others do the same and change their negative and unhelpful thought patterns to those more aligned with who they authentically are, what they truly want, and how to get there (actions). She uses her unique ‘art and science’ background, intuition, and practical tools to help her clients hear their own unique voices so that they finally flourish in their personal and professional lives. Her mission is to transform your thinking to transform your life, become the real you, and thrive!
