I was reminded this week that joy will get you through any difficult work or family issue. When you really look around, we have so much to be joyful about. No matter what may happen in the future, or what has happened in the past, there is always joy in the present.
During the week, I was in New York working on multiple issues —from getting fresh fruit and vegetables to the underserved to evaluating multiple health and wellness initiatives. For some reason, the trip to New York was stressful. It was crowded and difficult to get from meeting to meeting. I think I’ve just become soft, hanging in San Diego, or maybe the 3-hour time difference was peeking through.
Anyway, I really started to think… how could anyone with this much great stuff going on be stressed? How could anyone as lucky as I am, working on solving major problems with high level people in multiple industries, be stressed?
Then, as a group of us jumped on the wrong train on the way to another meeting, I had to laugh. I just said to myself, “Well, this too is a blessing, because how often do I get to hang out with doctors and medical pioneers, like those I am riding this train with. So, more time to talk before the meeting —great! Yeah!” I think you’re getting the point of what an incredible tool the use of joy is in your everyday work and play.
So, let’s think about the difficult situations you’re dealing with today —or at anytime. Have you ever tried to deal with them with joy? By this I mean being joyful in the present moment, with what you have right now. Being joyful simply to be with those you are with right now.
My feeling is that joy is a tool that everyone in the work place should use and use often. Joy is the secret behind that smile that emerges no matter what is facing you. Joy is the secret that keeps your stress levels in check. Joy is the reason that people want to be around you right now. Joy will bring you things that you never thought possible.
On Saturday morning, our Code Blue Innovations team had an update call. During this call, I was reflecting on how lucky I am to be working with this team. They are incredible people, doing incredible things. Individually, no one would know any of them, but collectively, they have had a profound effect on many major issues —from agriculture to organic food to pet food to recycling.
Listening as each team member gave his update, I just had to smile. How joyful I was to be on a team that is working on relaunching the iconic S&H Green Stamps brand as Sustainability and Happiness —a completely new platform starting with recycling. Also to be launching a mobile app to help people be more productive and happy in business meetings. Another update was about giving people on medication free fruits and vegetables. This update, I thought, was about as good as it gets.
I am using the Code Blue team as an example because I believe that you probably have a similar team around you, and that with the tool of joy, you will see how special they are and what they can accomplish. Yes, you too can accomplish anything you want. In fact, the bigger, the better. And it all starts with simple thoughts and simple actions that matter.
So, as you reflect on how joyful you are in this very present moment, what would you change in the world? What service or system isn’t working for you anymore? What would you like to solve? Start asking yourself these questions. Do you realize that just a positive thought puts that project in motion, and starts that thought on its way to becoming a reality? Then share the thoughts you have about a problem with your peers, and make it a point to start talking about how you would solve it, and guess what, you will solve it. And the joy-cycle will start all over again!
After the Code Blue call ended, I had the joy of talking with Josh Tetrick, the CEO of Hampton Creek. Earlier Saturday morning, I had looked at their website and realized all of the great things they are doing to change the food supply —which I was not aware of, although I am very much in sync with everything they are doing. The Code Blue team and I have been working on the same issues for many years, and I had to smile again… because it looks like our team will have even more momentum to change our food system. And it wouldn’t have come about without the use of joy. Yes, pure joy!
Joy on—
AZ