Influencing Joy

Today, I've been thinking about joy and the things that do or do not bring me joy, but toward the end of the day, I came to the realization that I may have more choice over my joy than I had thought. I can choose to try to find more joy in things I already enjoy and to find the joy in things I don't yet enjoy. And for the things I can't find joy in, I can at least try not to let them diminish the joy I find in other things. For example, I'm not fond of most pets or the noise and messes they make. Yet, I may be able to find something to enjoy about pets, and even if I can't, I can at least try not to let the pets bother me so much that I stop enjoying other things. My joy is and will continue to be influenced by external factors, but I can have some control over what and how much influence those factors have. With enough emotional discipline, I can hopefully find joy in almost everything and make sure nothing can diminish my joy.