Purposefully Choosing JOY
Photo Credit: Aurélie Four
My joyful journey
As I open this new blogging chapter for me and my new business, I thought I’d start with a little bit about finding my path of… JOY!
I have purposefully chosen to walk a path of joy for a couple of years now. My journey started through my work with my spiritual mentor, Stephanie Victoire of Spirit x Bone.
During lockdown in 2020, I was exhausted from my leadership role in corporate and was searching for something more.
Unable to see beyond my current reality, Stephanie encouraged me to find more moments in stillness, silence and ritual out in nature - to allow space for my intuition to guide me. I created rituals that slowed the pace, for example; creating nature mandalas from fallen leaves in the woods; looking closely at the beauty of nature around me; aligning my way of living to the seasons; and foraging for wild food.
The key to all of this was being fully present, enjoying these moments with all of my senses, and zooming in on all of the tiny details.
I soon realised that there was so much joy to be experienced in the world surrounding me that I had been missing in my rush through life… I started experiencing positive emotions like gratitude, awe and happiness from things I wouldn’t have looked twice at before. A vibrant fallen leaf, a cloudy sky that looks like the most beautiful painting, a wise old tree…
What I hadn’t realised is that this work would transform the way I saw the world, and who I was in business leadership and at home. As I reconnected to these little joys every day, I felt a multiplying effect within me. A deeper state of joy, gratitude, perspective, balance and hope that I had never felt - even in a time of the deepest grief last year.
How does joy differ from happiness?
There are different schools of thought on joy, and my view is inspired and informed greatly by Harvard University’s Morejoy. Let’s start with what happiness is…
Happiness is a temporary emotion, it happens to us and it passes on. It requires external factors for us to feel it. So we can try to find happiness and bring more of it into our lives, but feeling happiness itself isn’t a choice that we can make.
Joy is a choice purposefully made
Joy comes from within, and has been called ‘an attitude of the heart and spirit.’ It is a vast source to us realising our true potential and purpose.
But note that purposefully choosing joy is not a tale of constantly chasing happiness, or bringing toxic positivity into the world. Joy exists in darkness as it does in light. It is possible to feel joy without a smile and in difficult times, and it holds space generously for emotions such as sadness or anger. Joy brings hope, peace, contentment, growth and opportunity - even in difficult times.
Finding your path of joy
I believe that finding your path of purpose happens through walking your path of joy. By truly understanding what your joy looks, feels and sounds like, you will find your purpose and live a fulfilled life, with greater success, flow and balance.
I’m excited to share my Joy Journal blogs with you - sharing my story, tips and resources to help you find joy, fulfilment, balance and flow in your life. Sign up to my mailing list for your free Joy Journal prompts to get you started, and if you’re ready for some deep and transformational work, then get in touch to chat about my Re:Connect programme and other offerings.