Joy Forward Is Not Just a Name: It’s a Strategy!

Joy Forward Is Not Just a Name: It’s a Strategy!

Let’s be honest. Life is hard! Work is hard. The future feels uncertain. And the pressure to stay positive through it all can feel like another item to check off on a never-ending to-do list.

So, here’s my truth: I’m not naturally bubbly. I’m not the person who wakes up smiling and stays that way all day. My temperament is steady, calm, even, and reflective. But joy? Joy is something I’ve had to work to find, achieve, and maintain.

That might sound strange coming from someone who founded a company called Joy Forward Strategy. But that’s the point.

Joy isn’t something I chase. It’s something I choose each day.

I’ve learned through setbacks, reinvention, burnout, and healing that joy is not about ignoring the hard stuff. It’s about moving through it with intention. It’s about noticing moments of light even in heavy seasons of life. It’s about choosing to believe that something better is possible and deciding to build it, one decision at a time.

What helps me choose joy? - a mix of inspiration and neuroscience

•  Pause and name the good.
  Joy often begins with noticing - a kind word, a moment of beauty, a laugh. Naming even one thing that’s working can shift your mindset and retrain your brain to recognize more of the good.
•  Move your body.
  Whether it's a quick walk, a dance break, or a few stretches, movement boosts feel-good chemicals like dopamine and endorphins, and helps you shift energy when life feels heavy.
•  Connect authentically.
  Reach out to someone you trust, share a laugh, or check in with someone else’s heart. Genuine connection triggers oxytocin and reminds you that you’re not alone.
•  Make something. Anything.
  Joy is an act of creation. Whether you’re cooking, doodling, brainstorming, or planning your future, creative acts fuel dopamine and remind you that you have agency, even when life feels uncertain.
•  Imagine what’s still possible.
  Joy doesn’t ignore what’s hard. It dares to dream beyond it. Engaging your imagination isn’t about fantasy; it’s about hope. This is not the end of the story. You can still write the next chapter.

These aren't magic fixes. They're tools, nudges, gentle reminders that joy can be practiced and that small, consistent acts of awareness can reshape our experience of the world.

Why choose joy?

Because despair is easy, it’s available 24/7. But joy? Joy is an act of resistance and creativity. It reminds us with hopeful intention that we are not powerless. We can write new stories for ourselves, our work, and our communities.

Choosing joy doesn't mean everything is okay. It means we’re still willing to move forward. Still willing to care and share empathy. Still willing to imagine a future that is different and better than today.

That is the heart of mindful foresight. That is what Joy Forward Strategy is all about.

Choosing joy isn’t always easy. But it’s possible and powerful!