In the western world, we are bought into the idea of attainment and goals. The next promotion will be the one, the next thing we buy will be the one. Attainment, goal, attainment, goal - and yet so many of us realise we feel unfulfilled and empty after a while.
The trouble is that once we have that promotion, we feel happy for a day, maybe a couple of weeks, but then we are focused on the next goal, the next thing to attain.
It is not that goals are wrong, or attainment is terrible. It is that is all we focus on.
But it is in the space between goals that we need to focus. That is when we are living; that is where we spend the majority of our life.
So rather than focussing on the goals, we need to focus on enjoying the process of achieving them.
It is the space between them where we live, and it is this we need to enjoy.
What is joy
Joy is a very short-lived emotion. When we feel joy, we only feel it during the activity that gives us joy. Whereas emotions such as sadness or hate - these emotions last for a long time after the fact.
It means if we are not mindful and aware, we can actually miss what gives us joy. Just read that again - we can actually go about the day and not notice what gives us joy.
So the only way to know what gives us joy is to be mindful. And as we go about the day, we are aware of what gives us joy and then lean into those things more and more.
A friend once put it to me this way. Many of us look to attain the cover of a lifestyle magazine rather than live our actual life and find the joy in living.
My coaching
My coaching can help to figure out what brings you joy. To truly focus on living your life and leaning into the joy.
