Practice, Practice, Practice

It’s been a few months since I attended the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) conference in Spokane, Washington, and there’s one thing that continues to stick in my mind.

Two of the guest speakers at this inspiring event each focused on one topic near and dear to my heart.

Joy.

They talked about how to achieve it, how to live it and how to keep it.

They weren’t referring to the kind of joy you get on Christmas morning. It was the joy you have in your everyday life…the kind that comes from something within. It’s the feeling you have when you attack a challenge or celebrate an occasion—it’s an overall ray of light that permeates the way you think and the way you live. It’s the joy that inspires faith and hope and laughter by enjoying the little things, even in the wake of tough times.

Those NAWBO conference presentations made me realize that despite all of the speakers’ inspirational encouragement and personal checkboxes, the premise of feeling joy naturally is a matter of nature versus nurture. Like hair color, taste buds and even the propensity to keep or sell your stuff, a predominant state of joy is either in your DNA or it is not.

I know this because I was born with my cup brimming over with joy…a constant feeling waiting to burst out in any occasion or setting that calls for it—and some that don’t.

That doesn’t mean I don’t experience sadness or concern; of course, I do. It just means that my propensity in most any situation is to turn it into something funny or fun or hopeful; it’s just how I’m wired. And I believe it’s what helps make me good at what I do.

For those clients and friends whose joy is not quite as exuberant quite as often, there really is no exercise or pep talk or inspirational speech that can magically inject it into your DNA. There is, however, a mantra that you can practice so you become used to joy as your fallback emotion; even when the going gets rough. Like anything else, it requires lots of repetition; consciously and forcibly changing the way you think so you can make it a new habit. There are plenty of speakers out there—including those who spoke at NAWBO’s conference—who can give you the checklist of thoughts, sayings and mantras to repeat.

It’s like any way of thinking you’d like to achieve…practice, practice, practice until it becomes second nature.

With the New Year upon us, I’m hoping our DDCC team can take a little of that way of thinking and spread some joy to you…our clients. Maybe it’s a brainstorming session that helps you forget your troubles for a brief time; or maybe a festive lunch that reminds us that you are our favorites and we are yours. Or perhaps it’s a moment in your conference room or on a Go-To-Meeting call when we have presented a project that brings the best version of your company to life.

Whatever the moment, you have our word that we will try to deliver it each and every touch you have with our team…no matter if it’s during the holiday season or beyond. That’s because for us, joy is a great feeling inside, and an even better one when we hand it out to you.