Why ‘following the joy’ will change your life…and maybe the world.

I suspect that most people know that when they carve out time for themselves, when they allow themselves to spend time being, creating, enjoying; that they realise how impactful this is - to their headspace, their ability to be present, how it recharges their battery and fills up their cup; and crucially the elevated energy available to them as a consequence, that they can then share with those around them.

I think people do know this but they forget…getting swept along by life in the modern world and all of the ‘things’ shouting loudly for their attention; all the stuff we hear our own voice saying we ‘should’ be doing. Guilt sets in as we tell ourselves “I could be getting those jobs done”.

And so days, weeks, even months can go past without allowing yourself the time to do the thing that restores your battery and lifts your heart. Whatever that is to YOU. Whether it's reading, writing, surfing, yoga, gardening, cycling, pottery, painting, naked dancing. Until now I thought this was totally understandable but saddening as it would mean that the person was missing out on joy, on filling their cup back up so that their spirit could feel lighter, enabling them to be a better version of themselves for those they love.

But I've come to believe that it's so much more than that. That it's actually critical, not just to our own life’s path, but to the greater world in which we live. Not only could the trajectory of our life be affected, but the energy, ideas, spirit, connections and actions we are inspired to take as a consequence of investing this time in the things that bring us joy...will impact the world in which we live.

How? When we are ‘in flow’ and experiencing joy, we ‘connect in’ with ourselves - we remember and listen and hear what our intuition is trying to tell us, receiving vital signs and cues as to what we really want and need in order to be able to thrive, to bring our full self to the table and fulfil our greatest potential in this life. 

In this ‘lit up’ state we also create headspace and heart space, for little nuggets of inspiration and some of our best, possibly life changing ideas to appear. We open neural pathways of possibility, headspace for old memories to seep in, the opportunity for desires to take shape, for energy to flourish. We allow creativity to gather pace and heat our bones. We might remember something we used to love to do as a child, something that lit us up as a teenager, a person that crossed our path many moons ago but shared a sacred message and left an impact. That we’ve always been drawn to try a specific hobby, that a particular place fascinates us, that spending time with a certain person makes us feel more alive. 

When we are ceaselessly ‘jobbing’ and ticking things off the ‘to do’ list, we are not ‘connecting in’ and making space for these seeds of inspiration to float down, to sow roots. Instead we tick things off a list that our culture has told us we should be doing. But that list never diminishes and the satisfaction is fleeting. When we talk about ‘following the joy’ we are talking about a deeper, broader, longer term, genuine fulfilment. As women we need to be taught, reminded and encouraged that this is not just about ‘an hour spent painting can provide downtime and a little creativity’. It can - but the potential is so much greater than that. To view life through an inspired, creative lens, even for a short while, might just provide you with little nudges of inspiration that could lead you to exploring the greatest pathways of your life. 

Your energy has wings, it carries seeds that float through the air and land on other’s plates. Little seeds of encouragement, suggestion, inspiration. These seeds whisper to other’s ‘go on, try it’. You will inspire other people to explore the tapestry of life and all that it can offer. And little by little, this energy exchange can unfold across groups, communities, maybe the world. When you are nourishing your soul, lighting up your heart, it never stops with you. Those sparks, they fly, and they can light up the world, one very un-selfish flame at a time.

We have to acknowledge how important this is. We have to encourage each other where our society has let us down. We have to change the narrative that we are here only to ‘do’ and to achieve. We have to encourage each other, loudly, to make this sacred ‘joy time’ a priority within our lives. We have to respect the commitment to it that we make in our schedules. And we have to reflect regularly to allow ourselves to see the positive impact that it can have.

And the best part? It can lead to more achievement, more energy, more ideas, more flourishing. More headspace, more focus, more productivity. Allowing us to feel lit up, allowing our light to shine, the right pathways for us becoming clear, the opportunities we need exposing themselves to us. Our families and friends and communities and colleagues receive a more real, authentic, fulfilled and passionate version of us. 

All of this from regular hobbying? Yes, I believe it's possible - but only if hobbying becomes just as important as ‘jobbing’.

So women - please allow yourselves to pour your time and heart and energy into your passions. Because we - your community, your family, the world, the collective - we need your full light to shine down and inspire us all.

 If you are in need of guidance in this topic and want to follow your joy to live a more vibrant life, get in touch below for a free 30 minute chat on how coaching could change your life.