21 Feb Learning how to experience joy!

It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which case you have failed by default.
— J. K. Rowling

Life is full of failure, but without it, I wouldn’t have experienced success and would never have welcomed the feeling of joy that I feel today.

So how can ‘joy’ help you in your career, and your everyday life?

Joy is a feeling that I used to struggle to come to terms with, as it was something I thought I’d never reach again when I hit rock bottom in 2008 when I had to declare bankruptcy. I quickly learnt that I had to do something to turn this around, and it started with acknowledging and celebrating success.

Whether it’s something as minor as fixing that door handle which has been hanging off for weeks, reaching out to a friend who you’ve been meaning to call for months, or launching a new business after facing bankruptcy, these are accomplishments which should be enjoyed.

It can be in the form of a celebration with friends and family, an inner smile and shoulder shrug, or rewarding yourself with that new sweater you’ve had your eye on all season. Acknowledging something great, no matter how big or small, will help you to experience joy – life is short, so start putting the spotlight on the positives and expose yourself to feeling joy.

Finding the joy in day-to-day tasks was another way that helped me in my career and my everyday life, and played a huge role in making me feel like me again.

Ask yourself this – why are you in the job or industry you’re in today?

Can you answer this with ease? Are you racking your brain to figure out why?

If the answer is “I don’t know”, then push yourself further… why don’t you know?

I can’t stress enough how important it is, for you and your sanity, to be doing something that brings you some kind of joy or happiness. If you’re not, it’s time to have a think about what would change this, and what job you would rather be doing which would help you become a happier, more joyful person.

Even when things were going right for me, I was at the top of my career and accepting an alcalde of awards I felt so anxious I couldn’t feel the joy of the moment. It took a lot of hard work after acknowledging I was letting everything else get in the way enjoy my success.

Today, I ensure that I make the absolute most of everything and stop to smell the roses – celebrating the small things. I also am conscious that if something I do doesn’t feel quite right, I ask myself “why am I doing this?” If I’m not enjoying what I’m doing, I then make changes to make sure I do.

Learning how to experience joy may seem easier said than done, however, starting small with celebrating the little things, and enjoying simple tasks, will help you on the road to feeling self-worth, and appreciate the feeling of joy.