Joy at the Center

With the Space to Be Retreat just a few weeks away on October 4, I’ve been thinking a lot about joy. What does it look like? How does it feel? How do we know when we’re truly experiencing it?

Joy isn’t always loud or obvious. Sometimes it’s laughter spilling out in the company of friends. Other times it’s quieter, like the deep breath you take when the world slows for a moment, or the ease you feel when something falls into place. However it shows up, joy has a way of softening us, grounding us and reminding us of what really matters.

Lately, I’ve found myself holding questions about joy and letting them guide my reflections:

• Imagine your life one year from now, with joy at the center. What would be different?

  This question invites us to dream. If joy were leading the way, how might your priorities shift? What relationships, practices or opportunities would rise to the top?

  
  

• If you gave yourself full permission to follow joy, what new possibilities might open for you?

  Sometimes we place limits on ourselves, telling joy it has to wait until the real work is done. But what if joy itself was the real work? What new doors might swing open if we allowed ourselves to move in that direction without apology?

  
  

• Imagine creating a personal practice or ritual centered on joy. What would it look like, and how would it shape your days?

  Joy can be nurtured in small, intentional ways, Through morning rituals, pauses for gratitude or creating space for play. A practice of joy isn’t about adding more to your to-do list; it’s about infusing what you already do with meaning and light.

As we prepare for the retreat, I keep returning to this idea: joy is a feeling and a choice. It’s something we notice, invite and cultivate. At Space to Be, we’ll explore joy in its many forms and consider how to carry it into our everyday lives so that it’s not an afterthought, but a guiding force.

So I’ll leave you with this invitation: take a quiet moment this week and sit with one of these questions. Let your imagination wander. What would your days look like if joy wasn’t just something you stumbled upon, but something you intentionally placed at the center?

Want to learn more about the Space To Be Retreat? Visit our website.