Joy

I watched an Oprah today. I don't watch often, but I do record her shows just in case she has someone interesting on.

Apparently she recently had Ellen on her show. I have been a fan of Ellen's for a long time. She's funny. And she says what she thinks, which is refreshing. I'm sure she has more restraint than I do, and even when she does say what she's thinking she manages to make it funny, so she probably doesn't offend nearly as many people as I do. That's admirable too.

And she's not afraid to be who she is.

But I realized something else while watching her with Oprah. Ellen is joyful. You can see it in her face when she speaks, when she laughs, when she smiles. She loves life. Her joy radiates out from her every time she speaks. That joy translates into an optimism that is enviable.

Joy is such an elusive and rare gift. One can be happy, and still not have joy.

And joy is attractive. You can't help but be drawn to true joy.

Optimism is a byproduct of joy. How can you not expect the best out of life when you have the level of contentment and happiness that would be required to be truly joyful? It's a self-perpetuating cycle. Optimism is key to achieving your goals and being content with where you are while you're getting there, therefore contributing to a state of happiness.

Is this the law of attraction? If so, how does one practice joy before actually achieving it?