Committing to Joy Through Pattern Recognition

✨ The more I think and write about joy, the more I realize: most of us think we understand it… but struggle to actually commit to it. To live it.

For me, that struggle rests in my own anxiety. I’m generally an anxious person—not always outwardly. I’ve learned how to mask it, how to perform on cue. But I feel it deeply.

Some days, I wake up already anxious. Worried about meeting expectations. Hitting the mark. Completing all the tasks that come with being an adult.

Focusing on joy has helped me see what I need to release in order to feel joy, not just say the words.

Here’s something I’ve been doing in my joy workshops with leadership teams, and it’s something you can do at home:

📝 Pattern recognition exercise

On one side of a sheet of paper, write down the things that truly bring you joy—big or small, aspirational or practical.

On the other side, write down the things that get in the way—maybe toxic environments, personal struggles, worrying about how others see you.

👉 What patterns do you notice?
👉 Did you feel anything when you wrote about the things that block your joy?
👉 What emotions came up?

Let this guide how you begin a joy plan that truly works for you.

🌱 Joy isn’t just a concept. It’s something we build with intention.

If this resonates, I’d love to hear what’s on your list. What brings you joy, and what gets in the way? Let’s create space for it together. 💛