New Beginnings Women's Help Center

09/04/2026

You have to enjoy puzzles because they can be a challenging encounter. In life, we will experience many difficult situations that challenge us. Joy and growth can occur in the puzzling circumstances we face. The key is to change the word challenge in our thinking. If we look at a difficult situation and immediately think, I can't possibly deal with this. The pieces of the puzzle either never make it out of the box or get thrown across the floor. Neither are helpful. Instead of a reaction, we need to develop an opportunity perspective. When a challenge comes along, pause for a moment and take it in before you say or do anything. Ask yourself, what is the worst thing that could happen? This most likely will produce fearful thoughts of pain, anguish, and heartbreak. Take a moment to allow those feelings to be seen and heard. Then take these fears and feelings and challenge them. If fear is a factor, ask yourself, what opportunities could come if I take a set forward even if I'm afraid. If heartbreak is a factor, ask yourself, what opportunities could come if I allow my heart to go through this break? More joy is waiting on the other side of life challenges when each puzzle piece finds a perspective shift.

09/03/2026

09/02/2026

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09/02/2026

Joy despite our circumstances is like having bubble wrap around us. When our circumstances take a hard and downward turn, the bubble wrap cushions us. It gives us the perspective into what these hard times will really produce in us. Joy is looking at life as a glass half full instead of half empty. In order to wrap ourselves with joy bubble wrap, we need to focus on even the slightest shred of positive. "When our brain is positive it is 31 percent more productive than when our brain is focused on the negative." (The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor). Each small positive adds a bubble to our joy bubble wrap. We are literally protecting our body from stress. Give this experiment a try. First, consider the question, what does it matter? Next, look for a few opportunities around you. For example, a person in the parking lot pulls into the parking spot that you had your blinker on and were waiting to pull in. Instead of giving full vent to your anger, consider some alternative perspectives like, maybe someone is sick at home, and this person is needing to get into the store quickly. This is adding more joy bubble wrap around you when stressful situations happen. We can all use more joy despite our circumstances these days.

08/28/2026

What’s inside eventually shows up outside.

In your results. In your relationships. In your reputation.

You can manage appearances for a while, but character always finds a way to the surface.

08/28/2026

I have heard of people keeping love letters from romantic partners, but have you ever heard of a joy letter? A joy letter is written to someone who has positively affected your life. Take a moment and write down a few names of people who you have been impacted by in life. Next, get paper, pen/pencil, envelope, and stamp. Write a letter to a person on your list about how they have brought joy into your life. Be specific about their character, words, and actions that have produced joy within your soul. After you are done writing, send the letter. Now, reflect on how this joy letter writing affected your level of joy.

08/27/2026

When is the last time you honored yourself with something you truly enjoy? Life can get wrapped up in doing for everyone else and that can become a joy robber. Self-care protects the joy meter of the heart. These activities of self-care can be simple like taking a walk or a bubble bath. We all need to make a list of self-care ideas to include in every day. I love sticky notes because they can be stuck anywhere. Try thinking of one self-care activity and write on a sticky note. Place it in your calendar, car dashboard, or bathroom mirror as a reminder. Your heart will thank-you with increased joy.

08/26/2026

As we learn to give customized kind of love in our relationships, joy will increase. First, one must grow in the principles and knowledge of love which requires attention and practice. Then our love needs to be practiced with those we are in close relationship with. The word pure or sincere means sunlight and judgement in Greek. Long ago, artisans would use colored wax to hide damage from cracks in pottery and sculptures. This wax could be seen if the pieces were held up to the sunlight. Those artisans who did not follow this practice would mark their pottery with the words "sine cera" which means "without wax"(The Guardian, October 19, 2004 "Sine Cera") "Mature love comes without adding wax. It has no need to use manipulating flattery or backhanded compliments, for example, to cover up the cracks of ulterior motives. Rather, we are called to a love that is pure." (The Joy Challenge by Randy Frazee page 19). In practice, this kind of pure love considers what particular ways would bring joy to that special person. Ever heard someone after receiving a gift from you "Awe, you know me well". Pure love brings pure joy.