I was always interested in how to be more joyful. This goes all the way back to elemenatary school. I looked at what was going on around me and I wanted something better. Because my mother had so many ups and downs, I watned to know how to be "up" more often.

Bonnie St. John

Categorized in : School Way Mother

It's your life... why not fill it with as much joy as possible?

Bonnie St. John

empowering women life

I was ahead in the slalom. But in the second run, everyone fell on a dangerous spot. I was beaten by a woman that got up faster than I did. I learned that people fall down, winners get up, and gold medal winners just get up faster.

Bonnie St. John

running people fall

People fall down, winners get up, and gold medal winners just get up faster!

Bonnie St. John

gold people fall

Because I am a one-legged, black, short, woman I had to spend every day of my life pushing against what society told me I should be. I had to sell my value every day of my life. Confidence is what enables us to push back on reality. Once you get good at that, you can use it to live your joy.

Bonnie St. John

black joy reality

You have the strength to push back against what others are making you think or do. You use that muscle of confidence. In the same way, joy is from the inside out, and not letting the things on the outside define you.

Bonnie St. John

joy way thinking

We are all drawn to problems and solving problems. Joy doesn't demand our time. So we have to mark that time on our schedules. That's the only way you are going to get it. Five minutes, three times a day in your schedule. That's doable.

Bonnie St. John

schedules three joy

I was sexually abused by my step father for years and years, and that caused scars you can't see. And we know many people have the kind of scars you can't see.

Bonnie St. John

father people years

My definition of confidence is how you feel about yourself, and not letting the external world define you.

Bonnie St. John

how-you-feel definitions world

When I am around someone who is a joy stealer, I say to myself, I only have to deal with you for an hour. That person has to deal with thinking that way every moment of their lives.

Bonnie St. John

joy way thinking

I do a lot of to-dos and a lot of lists. I realized I had to make room for joy. So I added "to feel" items on my to-do list. That's something you can easily do.

Bonnie St. John

lists joy rooms

I spent a good portion of my life being unable to honor my feelings. When I started the process of having real friendships it was a huge change. I still struggle with it because it is not familiar ground.

Bonnie St. John

real struggle feelings

Friends are people who are in your life because you feel good around them and you like them. Friends are the people you choose to be with.

Bonnie St. John

feel-good feels people

People are going through tough times. I want to say to them, "Live your joy." I know I can tell them that because I went through a lot of hard times. I had a choice of either succumbing to the hard times or figuring it out.

Bonnie St. John

hard-times choices people

You can't have real and authentic friendships unless you honor your feelings.

Bonnie St. John

real honor feelings

Friendship is such a powerful healer and source of support.

Bonnie St. John

support source powerful

I spent so much of my life shut down from the abuse of my childhood. I didn't have friends and I didn't have connections with people.

Bonnie St. John

abuse childhood people

I realized that I spent more time thinking about my problem clients than my great clients. I had to stop feeding the drama of the problem clients-and other problems in my life.

Bonnie St. John

clients drama thinking

We don't always get everything. And sometimes we worry too much about our circumstances. We think oh I'll be happy when I get my job back, or I'll be happy when I get a man back, but it's really about allowing God to give us joy now.

Bonnie St. John

jobs men thinking

God has joy for you right now.

Bonnie St. John

right-now joy