"The habit of being happy enables one to be freed, or largely freed, from the domination of outward conditions"

This quote by Robert Louis Stevenson speaks with the power of joy and how it can assist us to be freed from the external influences that can often control our lives. Joy is a routine that can be cultivated and established over time, and when we are able to more than happy, we can be devoid of the pressures of the outside world. We can be liberated from the expectations of others, from the need to conform to societal standards, and from the need to please everybody. Joy gives us the flexibility to be ourselves and to live our lives according to our own values and beliefs. Joy can also assist us to be more durable in the face of difficulty, as it provides us the strength to keep going even when things are hard. Joy can be an effective tool for liberation and flexibility.