A Journey Into Joy
Step 11 — Week 4: The Final Exam
Step 11 The Final Exam Now comes the true climax of the journey…the final test, when everything is at stake: the final chance for “evil” (fears, limiting beliefs, etc) to triumph. We are also at the peak of our powers. Joy is within sight…should we succeed. We must draw on everything we have learned and prove once and for all that we have truly internalized the lessons of our quest.
For me I plan to continue with the areas covered in the weeks of Step 1 (health, home, The Mandala Lady, and my purpose).
To join in on the journey, visit the MandalaoftheMonth.com to download the mandala to color and learn more about this step.
Here’s my journal entry for step 11–week 4: My Purpose
Since last I wrote about “my purpose”, I’ve learned of my three personal soul languages, which are “The Deliberator”, “The Monk”, and “The Peacemaker”. I resonated with each of them as they were described to me. Knowing about them at this time, gives me something solid to hold onto and tap into whenever I feel lost, overwhelmed, or stuck with who I am and what the hell am I supposed to be doing here.
Of the three, “The Peacemaker” feels the most like my personal purpose. All my life, I’ve felt like that was my job…with my younger brothers, with my friends growing up, in school, at my various jobs, and with people in general. The fascinating thing is…I struggle to be at peace internally…I’m usually in a constant state of hyper-vigilance.
Part of the process this year was to re-connect with my joy…and to do that I’ve needed to come to terms with the fears and limiting beliefs that have kept me from both my joy and now I’m realizing…from my peace.
Now, with this new soul languages insight, I have something more tangible to work with and to help me connect on a deeper level to my soul’s purpose…to maintain peace for myself while also offering peace to others. Tall order…and as the song goes: it begins with me…and will most likely be my theme for 2025.
That’s it for now.
Maureen
The Mandala Lady
🏵️ creating mandalas — awakening creativity
ABOUT “A JOURNEY INTO JOY”
With all the anxiety and stress in the world right now, focusing on joy may seem a bit counterintuitive. Mais contraire mes amis. We actually need more joy in our lives…now more than ever. And it starts within each of us. It’s been my experience that when in that higher vibrational state of joy, it helps raise the vibration of those around us as well.
Brené Brown defines joy as “an intense feeling of deep spiritual connection, pleasure, and appreciation”. Of late, I mostly experience only moments of happiness and on a rare occasion, joy…thus my desire to journey into joy.
My quest throughout this year is to explore, experience, and express this state in a variety of ways, including following a variation of the hero’s journey, as professed by Jospeh Campbell.
Care to join me? Here’s how…
MandalaoftheMonth.com: On the first of the month, I’ll create and post a mandala for coloring. Each month we’ll take another step along the “journey into joy” by following a modified version Joseph Campbell’s a hero’s journey. Included in each step will be a description of the step and prompts for coloring and/or journaling for the month. You’re welcome to color them as well…they’re free to download.
MandalaoftheWeek.com: Each Monday I’ll be posting my coloring of that month’s Mandala of the Month, which will produce 4-5 colorings of that design. With each one, I intend to dig deeper into the message of that month’s mandala. You’re welcome to color along as well.
Mandala of the Week 