A Simple Exercise For More Joy

After my first son was born, I was grateful for all I had and my life that was now very full. But I was tired. There was no fire in my belly or skip in my step and it slowly ate away at me. “Life is supposed to be delicious,” I thought, but I didn’t have much of an appetite for anything.  

Most of us experience this. We build a big career, have a child or two, and continue adulting. We move from activity to activity, fulfilling our responsibilities and checking the boxes. In this constant state of doing, we often lose touch with who we are as a human being. When this happens, we seldom feel joy, awe, and pleasure, which is our natural state, the state young children are nearly always in before life happens to them. 

When I tapped into my self-awareness (the first pillar of emotional intelligence) and recognized this nagging dullness within, I decided then and there this was not for me. I would NOT live a life of ho-hum mediocrity. I loved my job and my children – I didn’t need to change this aspect of my life. So what could I do instead to bring more joy into my days? 

I got out my journal and made a list of the things I liked to do as a child and young adult. Baking cookies, writing short stories, eating Doritos, and building communities with my Barbies, He-Men, and imaginary friends topped my childhood fun list. Camping, going to concerts, and hosting parties topped my young adult fun list. 

🍪 📖 🎎 🏕️ 🎶

I looked through each item on the list and considered how I could add elements of those things that authentically brought me joy in the past to my current life. I wasn’t willing to eat Doritos or go camping in the Florida heat, but baking healthy and yummy treats and going to concerts is something I could add back in. I’m now dubbed the “concert organizer” by my girlfriends and we see several shows a year – including Beyonce last month in Miami! 

One of my clients did this exercise and realized he loved to fly and be around airplanes, so he bought a Groupon for a personal flight experience and planned some other adventures with his family. ✈️

Another client loved to paint as a child, so she dusted off an old paint set and used it as a way to unwind after a long day. Her daughter fell in love with painting too, so now it’s an activity they get to enjoy together. 🎨

And you’ve probably read about how Goldman Sachs’ CEO fuels his vitality by DJing at clubs when he’s not running the most prestigious investment bank on Wall Street. 🎧

When you do this journaling activity, don’t be too literal. For example, I didn’t need to spend an afternoon building a castle for my Barbies and imaginary friends (though I’m sure that would have opened up some creativity in my mind). Instead, I realized that this feeling of bringing people together and building community is something I love to do. Now I look for ways to do this in the day to day of my current business.  

Happy hunting! 

Love and success,
💜 Your coach,
Sara

P.S. Ready to elevate your EQ abilities, all while receiving expert guidance, a fresh perspective, and the motivation to conquer your most significant business hurdles? Realize your full leadership & life potential with Sara’s exclusive executive EQ coaching system. Schedule a complimentary coaching consultation with her today at https://JoyDiscovered.as.me/coachingconsult.