What We Know About Joy (So Far) | Mid-Season Reflection

What do we know about joy? What sparks joy? What sustains joy? And how do you access it when you need it most?

We’re halfway through season 2, the season of joy, and I thought now, especially now, it would be a good time to refresh and reflect on some of the learnings from the first half of this season.

The first place I wanted to start the reflection on is what we can do to stop the collective amygdala hijack that is going on and create more space for joy.

I have heard from many people that Joy feels elusive right now, and this was a hot topic in a several episodes this season so far, so I want to start this look back by addressing what we can do to open up more possibilities for joy in our lives – right now.

We start the reflection with some ideas that Dr. Adam Dorsay shared about the 3 things anyone can do to create more space for joy. I love how simple and accessible these steps are that Dr Adam shared with us. 

And it should be no surprise that a couple of other guests have had perspectives on laughter, appreciation, and creating. We hear from Brain Health expert Dr. Krystal Culler, Seattle sportscaster Jen Mueller, and executive coach Nana Gyesie share their own perspectives for getting on the path to joy.

Second, as I’ve been consuming a lot of information about joy, I’ve noticed that Joy and Happiness to be used interchangeably and in contrast between psychologists, neuroscientists, and other experts. However, our guests have been consistent in their understanding of the difference between joy and happiness in the relationships with their superpowers. 

Purpose expert, Anna Hall, and executive coach, Nana Gyesie share their perspectives on the difference between joy and happiness. And since words matter, this feels especially important to get clear on our definition of joy.

The third area of reflection is on how to access joy and build a joy practice so that we are able to be more joyful and resilient towards adversity. And when we’re more resilient and joyful, we’re able to help others do the same.

For this section, we’re highlighting 
💙 Anna Hall’s “4 ways to access joy” framework
💙 Communication Strategist and Curious Minds author Beth Collier on finding joy in and through our connections. 
💙 Dr. Adam Dorsay shares his framework for finding vitality and joy in life 
💙 Alex Cook shares how he find joy rooted in the purpose and meaning of his work.

In this episode, we answer the following questions:
➡️How can we find joy now?
➡️What is the difference between joy and happiness?
➡️How do I create more vitality in my life?
➡️Does joy help us be more resilient?

Sections / Reflections 
1) Three Actions to Create Joy Now - with Dr. Adam Dorsay (Psychologist, “SuperPsyched” author and podcast host). Additional comments from Dr. Krystal Culler (Brain Health Expert), Jen Mueller (Seattle Sportscaster), and Nana Gyesie (Executive Coach)

2) Difference between Joy vs. Happiness with Anna Hall (Purpose & Joy Expert) and Nana Gyesie

3) Accessing Joy with Anna Hall, Beth Collier (Curious Minds Substack author), Alex Cook (“You Are Loved” Muralist), and Dr. Adam Dorsay,
Music in this episode by Ian Kastner.

"What Do You Know To Be True?" is a series of conversations where Roger Kastner speaks with interesting people about their special talent or superhero power and the meaningful impact it has on others. The intention is to learn more about their experience with their superhero power, so that we can learn something about the special talent in each of us which allows us to connect more deeply with our purpose and achieve our potential.

For over 25 years, Roger has been working with leaders and teams to co-create pathways to becoming better versions of themselves. This podcast series and his writing on Substack, Roger gets to live into his values of cl