Tag: joy

It’s not just the things in your pantry that are perishable

Six months ago, if I would have asked you what is perishable vs. non-perishable, you probably would have thought back to what you had put in a sack for the local food drive. You may have thought of canned soups, top ramen, and tuna fish.

Then bang! A ‘novel’ virus hits the world and we are finding ourselves in unprecedented modern times and under stay-at-home orders by our Governors. We end up watching more press conferences than we wanted to in a lifetime to understand the latest measures to protect our communities.

So many of us work in industries (and education) based on services, in-person commerce, and human contact. Mothers and fathers are scrambling as their livelihood was turned upside down in a matter of weeks. The grocery store shelves of those non-perishable and affordable items were gobbled up quickly. We hunkered down in fear for the unknown ahead.

It feels like our focus has been on the non-perishable and how are we going to sustain ourselves and our family through this crisis.

At this point, I realize anyone reading this blog already knows this. But what I to highlight, is the shift in perspective to focus on the perishable moments and opportunities right in front of us.

We are extremely fortunate (and very grateful) for the opportunity to work from home. But like many, Katie and I are navigating how to be productive at work and support our young girls.

This past week as the weather warmed up, our 3-year-old daughter Addie couldn’t wait until work was over so we could go out on the swing. I mean, it doesn’t get much simpler in life than sitting on a swing, but the joy she is able to derive out of it is amazing. I also realized that this is was a perishable moment.

Addie taught dad a lesson on taking in some of our perishable moments!

Katie pointed out the other day that this is an amazing amount of time that we are getting with our kids that we wouldn’t have otherwise had together. So now we are consciously trying to practice a bit more savoring of our time together and take in these moments.

So are there any perishable opportunities that you focus on during this time?

  • Be more present with your family?
  • Deepen a connection with anyone?
  • Learn something new?
  • Have that difficult conversation that you have been avoiding?
  • Volunteer to help others in need when you could never find the time before?
  • Can you ask for help?

I know that the last question that I raised above is difficult for many in my circles. There is so much pride at stake. But being vulnerable takes practice, and there isn’t a safer environment than now to give it shot.

Anyway, whether or not you celebrate Easter today, are in the midst of Passover, or it’s just another Sunday. Maybe today is a good time to let yourself feel that gratitude, provide that grace, or just give yourself a break. Most of all, is this an opportunity to deepen the connection with others and be present for the perishable moments in front of you.

P.S. Guys, I did hear from a few women that they were not sure why ex-boyfriends felt like they needed to reach out during this time and didn’t seem amused. So maybe don’t do that.

Have you REALLY explored what gives you joy?

So my friend Candace Mau hosts a weekly radio show on Mondays called Everyday Joy. It’s a show dedicated to ‘choosing to live a deliberately joyful life!’ She was out of the country this past week with a few members of her extended family and asked me to guest host the show. I just had to open and close the show, and facilitate a Q&A with a guest. She convinced me, I can do this!

Well, I found out a few minutes before the show was going on the air that the guest I was supposed to interview was not going to make it. So I was going solo on the air (it is streamed live) for ~45 minutes or so to talk about joy.

This was a learning experience in so many ways. First, I learned from the producer that I couldn’t have dead air, so I had to just keep talking (kind of like Dory in Finding Nemo… just keep swimming, just keep swimming). I also learned that it is kind of fun to be unscripted. I think that I struggled the most when I was trying to follow something I had jotted down, rather than just speaking from the heart and letting the words flow.

During the first break, the producer helped me figure out the name of the show, Finding Joy Through Connection. I think that was the real gem that came out of this experience. I don’t know if I could have articulated that before we started. However, by talking out loud what joy is to me, how I get it, how I share it, it all just sort of took shape.

I’ve spent hours talking to Candace about similar topics, but I hadn’t ever sat back and organized my thoughts on what truly gives me joy.

Below are some of the key insights that surfaced for me during the show:

  • Living a joyful life is a choice worth exploring
  • Asking yourself questions and letting the answers surface is a beautiful process
  • There is joy in a simple life
  • Joy doesn’t have boundaries (Socioeconomic, geography, etc.)
  • Gratitude and connection can get us through anxious moments
  • Daily dog walks (or just any outdoor walk) allows us time to recharge, connect, and stay grounded
  • White space is important for me and my family
  • Self-depreciation is my fasted path to connection
  • Of course, my family and girls are great sources of joy, I explored this a few months ago in a blog about the day after Maggie was born.

However, the biggest insight for me that won’t surprise many of you reading this blog, is that mixing pods is a great source of joy for me and this blog is a creative outlet. Mixing together my various personas covers most of the items listed above.

How many of you have taken that amount of time to talk through and discover something like what joy means to you? Maybe it’s time for a long car ride, a long walk, or an hour-long radio show. In fact, I think this could be my new approach to discovering more things for myself in the future. Pick a topic and just riff about it, who knows what will surface.

If you would like to listen to the show, you can catch it here. You can also explore Candace’s show, Everyday Joy here.


Joy in long walks and watching the girls try and chase down the Super Worm Equinox Moon on 3/21/19