For the past two weeks, we’ve been looking at joy through the lens of Kelly McGonigal‘s new book Joy is a Risk Worth Taking.
In her book, Kelly introduces “Joy Experiments” that help you turn the science of joy into practical strategies.
“Each experiment is based on a specific study or scientific insight about how joy works,” Kelly writes.
They “are designed to be positive risks you can … continue reading
1: Think back to a moment that brought you joy.
“Choose a good moment from the last week, something that made you feel happy, hopeful, proud, or close to someone,” Kelly McGonigal suggests in her book Joy is a Risk Worth Taking.
Perhaps it’s “the pride and hope you feel when you make progress on a difficult goal that encourages you to keep striving.”
Or, perhaps it’s “the love … continue reading
1: So what exactly is happening in your brain when you experience joy?
Two interconnected systems, the reward system and the meaning system, work together, Kelly McGonigal writes in her new book Joy is a Risk Worth Taking.
“During a good moment,” Kelly notes, “these two brain systems communicate with each other to produce the essence of joy—a feeling of meaningful pleasure, uplift, or relief.”
She notes that your … continue reading
1: “Lately, I feel joy when I do burpees.”
That’s what Christina, a 43-year-old poet from Kingskettle, Scotland, said when asked what brought her joy.
“A burpee is a physical exercise that involves dropping to the ground and getting back up again,” Kelly McGonigal writes in her new book Joy is a Risk Worth Taking.
Burpees are tough and exhausting. Who actually enjoys doing burpees?
But for Christina, Kelly … continue reading
“If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.” —Jim Rohn
1: Joy does more than make you feel good.
“People who welcome joy, and who make the most of a good moment, report more positive emotions, gratitude for life, and overall happiness,”Kelly McGonigal writes in her new book Joy is a Risk Worth Taking.
The research is clear. “They feel greater social belonging and harmony and enjoy more closeness with friends and family.”
They “also experience more hope, … continue reading
1: You might think joy would be an easy emotion to embrace, Kelly McGonigal writes in her new book Joy is a Risk Worth Taking.
“But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from the last decade of studying this emotion, it’s that for many people— even those who want more meaning, pleasure, connection, and hope in life—joy can be a hard feeling to trust.”
Why does this happen?
“Some … continue reading
“If men can run the world, why can’t they stop wearing neckties? How intelligent is it to start the day by tying a little noose around your neck?” —Linda Ellerbee
1: Imagine you’ve just been offered a promotion.
A big promotion. One that will accelerate your career and give you greater responsibility.
“And it pays enough to help soften the blow of displacement,” Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, and their co-authors write in their book Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High.
“That last part is important,” the authors say, “because you’ll have to move the … continue reading
1: You notice that your generally high-performing assistant regularly shows up late to meetings.
When you bring up your concern, he looks genuinely upset.
Now what?
A common mistake is downplaying your feedback by saying, “You know it’s really not that big a deal.”
A smarter approach comes from Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, and their co-authors in their classic book Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are … continue reading
