Look for the Joyful Moments

​I started to write this months’ newsletter at least a dozen times. None of the leadership topics seemed to inspire me enough to write about them.

Then I checked Facebook (not my usual avoidance behavior) and found this photo that my son’s fiancé posted of my son at the park with his daughter.

​And then I was inspired!

I felt this overwhelming sense of joy and gratitude and realized I needed to write about the joy that surrounds us every day, when we take a moment to break out of our obsession with work and look at what’s right in front of us.

Here in Minnesota, the fleeting fall days are vivid reminders to capture the beauty and awe that are right outside our windows. 

Go Outside
So go outside. Let that last task on your desk or desktop wait until tomorrow. Then grab someone you love and take them outside. Walk and look. Talk or be silent. Be present to whatever captures your attention. But most of all, be present to your companion. I promise you joy will be there for the taking.

You can find the same joy if you decide to be present to yourself. Walk and look. Listen to the silence. Walk outside in the morning. Walk outside at lunch. Walk outside in the evening. It doesn’t matter when you go. Just get out there and look and feel.

Then let me know what you discover.

This beautiful photo and haiku from my dear friend and colleague, Barbara Shipka is a wonderful addition to our focus on joy today.  To see more of Barbara’s work go to
A Kaleidoscope of Haiku
 
Meaning
We are each called to
The place where our deep joy meets
The world’s deep hunger.

Read October Newsletter