April 1 is traditionally a day of fools. It has made us stop and reflect on the importance of lightness, levity, fun and play. Whilst the world around us might seem like it is falling apart in pandemics, war, loss , injustice and grief; there is no better time to choose joy. It is a powerful catalyst for leaders and teams in this direst time. Being in the here-and-now, grounding ourselves and appreciating all that we have – being grateful – sparks joy. In The Atlas of the Heart, Brene Brown describes joy as ‘the good mood of the soul’ and shares Matthew Kuan Johnson’s research that when experiencing joy ‘ we don’t lose ourselves, we become ourselves more fully’.
So on this day of playing the fool, let’s choose joy and step fully into ourselves.
This is not disconnecting from the world around us. It is building our resolve, clarity and courage to take action. As Karen Walrond says in ‘The Lightmakers Manifesto’ –
I will never apologize for embracing joy and beauty – even when the world is falling apart – because joy and beauty fuel my activism’.
In joy – Kerrin and the Factor10 Team
