Hello, joyful community!
Have you ever had a moment where time seemed to stand still, and you felt an overwhelming sense of joy and contentment?
I was looking through my summer photos yesterday and found one that captured this exact type of moment:
Noah and I went backcountry camping (only tents and sleeping bags) a few weeks ago in the Adirondacks region of New York. One day, I sat on a rock staring at the sparkling water in front of me.
Nothing special was happening, except that I felt the most overwhelming sense of inner peace and joy I’d felt in a while.
“You’ve found the keys to unlock joy,” I thought, followed by, “Now, go tell people about these keys.”
It sounds silly as I think back to this moment, believing that of all the 8.1 billion people in the world, I was one of the lucky ones to discover some magical keys. And yet, here I am, hoping that I can justly capture what those keys were about.
Today, I want to share with you what I believe contributed to this deeply joyful moment on the lake and invite you to join me on a journey to create more joy in your life too.
Joy: What it’s not
I’ve had a few not-so-joyful moments since I sat at the rock at the lake, like saying goodbye to my parents and receiving some disappointing work news last week. Joy cannot exist without coexisting with unpleasant emotions. That’s just life!
Joy is also not some form of toxic positivity that demands we stay “positive” in the midst of trying circumstances. Rather, I believe that joy is the culmination of our ability to experience life in all its colors and variations authentically.
Joy is also not a fleeting emotion. I believe that while life will throw us a few curveballs now and then, we can all learn to cultivate joy as a state of being more often than not.
Joy: What it is
Simply put, joy is an inner delight. Sometimes, this feeling of pleasure and happiness is fierce and loud, like when we’re singing at the top of our lungs at our favorite band’s concert. Other times, joy is knowing and quiet, as it was for me on that rock.
Here are some of the keys that I believe contributed to creating that profoundly joyful moment at the lake:
Key #1: Complete presence
One of the most significant barriers to joy is our tendency to dwell on the past or worry about the future. At that moment by the lake, I was fully present, absorbing the beauty and tranquility of my surroundings. Being present allows us to fully experience life's moments, savoring them without the weight of regret or anxiety.
Key #2: Simplicity
In the midst of our everyday hustle and bustle, we often forget the beauty of simplicity. It's in the small, uncomplicated moments that we often find the most joy. Sitting by the water, I realized that joy can be as simple as finding shapes in the clouds and feeling the wind tickle my ears. Embracing simplicity allows us to appreciate life's treasures exactly as they are without trying to change anything.
Key #3: Connection
While I was alone on that rock, I felt grounded and one with nature. I also experienced deep love for my husband, who was tending to our campfire nearby. As I looked over to my dog, I chuckled to myself, grateful for the loyalty and unconditional love we receive from pets. Connection nurtures our joy through a deep sense of belonging, companionship, and purpose.
Key #4: Self-Love
In that moment on the rock, I had zero expectations of myself. There was nowhere to be and nothing to do but sit. I didn’t need to prove anything to anyone. Because I had no attachments, I felt completely capable of creating whatever I wanted to create at that moment, trusting myself completely.
Key #5: Curiosity
Since there were no expectations to meet, my mind was open and playful, just like when I was a child. In fact, a crazy idea came to me while sitting on that rock: the idea of writing a children’s book! The idea of following my curiosity, especially when it felt illogical (I have no kids), felt comical and freeing!
Coaching Questions:
What moments have brought you the greatest joy and contentment?
What common themes or pillars can you identify in those moments?
How can you incorporate more of these elements into your daily life to cultivate a deeper sense of joy?
Join Me on a Joyful Journey!
If you're currently experiencing a change in your career and would like more joy on that journey, I invite you to join my upcoming Positive Intelligence “Pod” starting on September 27, 2023.
As a “Pod”, we'll explore the keys of joy I just shared and others too, like creativity and making decisions that are led by self-love and empathy. We’ll strengthen your self-confidence, ability to innovate, be decisive, and so much more!
Don't miss this opportunity to invest in your own joy and well-being. Let's discover your keys to joy, helping you navigate change in your career with more happiness and fulfillment.
All pod members who register by 5 p.m. CST this Wednesday, September 13th, 2023 will receive a complimentary individual 1-hour coaching session with me to create more joy in whichever way you’d like!
Learn more about the Pod experience and register below:
P.S. A Pod is not for you if you’re not ready for some “inside” work.
Portia C., a Communications Senior Manager and one of my previous Pod members said it best:
"To get the most out of this experience, you have to be ready to do the work and look within yourself.
The biggest challenge I faced when I decided to join Karla's Pod was not trusting my inner voice and not recognizing my quiet intelligence. I knew this was a problem as I would often get frustrated with myself for not speaking up at the moment - so many ‘Ugh! I knew it!’ moments!
Though I've always been attentive and present, through this Pod experience, I've noticed myself becoming even more tuned into the present moment and noticing details in a deep way. Because attention takes energy, I feel much more connected to managing for my energy than managing for my time. As a result, I feel less guilty about resting, about noticing, and about simply being (rather than thinking I should be "doing" something).
For anyone considering joining Karla’s pod, it can deeply change your perspective and the way you spend your days!"
P.P.S. September Open Hours are OPEN!
“Open Hours” provide a safe space to share, vent, reflect, and process big changes at work (like a layoff, being fired, or quitting). In every single session (I’ve now run nearly 20 of these!) participants have left feeling more hopeful, self-aware, and/or energized than they felt at the start of our calls. In every single one.
Don’t miss out on this week’s FREE opportunity to share, vent, and be coached! Sign up here.
I love the way you've found those five seperate keys ! It helps so much - now I can go sit on a rock and count on my fingers to check if I have those five keys ready :)) I reckon we can get little fifth portions of joy all the time if we manage to hold on to at least one key at a time ! And practice until we're good at holding all five together :))
"Joy is also not some form of toxic positivity that demands we stay “positive” in the midst of trying circumstances. " oh you're so right about that ! I didn't express that well at all in my article a while ago..