⁴Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 

Philippians 4:4

While it may not seem like a logical first step, rejoicing leads to peace. Peace is what I am after, so I begin with joy. What does that look like practically?

Let me share my experience with you. Sunday morning I awoke earlier than usual. I let the dog out and gave him his food before settling onto the sofa wrapped in the softness of a knitted throw, coffee in hand. I nestled into the comfort of the sofa, and took in the candles flickering on the table, the lights shining from the tree and the early morning dawn breaking on the horizon. As I sat, I reflected on Saturday evening and time spent with friends and family. My mind quickly settled on my grandchildren and I intentionally brought each of them to mind, picturing them in all their beautiful silliness. I saw their smiles, felt their hands as they grasped mine, heard the tinkling of their laughter. As I sat in the stillness of the morning, my heart swelled with joy. I rejoiced in the delight of being these sweet children’s grandma.

These few simple moments set my day on a delightful trajectory. By taking the time to rejoice in the Lord, I declared my intention for the day. So simple and yet so profound.

Your experience will not look exactly like mine, but it will share intentionality. The intention to draw a peace-filled boundary around your day and it begins by cultivating joy.

Step one: fill up on joy through intentional focus on something you really love!