Why Joy is Productive, and You Need More of It

I'm here in Bali, and I've been doing something I rarely do a lot of, even on vacation: Relaxing.   Yes, I talk about energy management and how important it is to make time for yourself, and I do, regularly.   But I always keep a pretty tight time limit on myself, because I feel guilty if I spend what I deem to be "too much" time doing something fun when I could be doing something productive.  And by productive, I mean some sort of task that somehow moves the dial, either in my life or my business or both.  Nothing that is purely playful.   On this particular trip, I've been feeling especially drawn to slowing down, doing things simply because I can and because they bring me joy, and it has felt wonderful, and incredibly indulgent in a way that has made me super uncomfortable at first.   I was speaking with one of my coaches about it, and we had an entire discussion around joy and stillness, and how joy is productive.  All by itself. No asterisks needed, no checklist required, and no time limit necessary.  And this can be the simplest things, by the way - no need to hop on a flight to Bali just to create more joy in your life.  Take the time to read a book, lie on the grass and stare at the sky, dance around the house, anything that brings you JOY.   I'm also extending to you the same challenge my coach gave me: take a photo of yourself doing something that brings you PURE JOY, and tag me or send it to me directly in the DMs over on Instagram!   REFERENCES Episode #87, The Underrated Power of Stillness: Leaving Space for Miracles in a Noisy World Episode #84, Breaking Negative Thought Patterns with Lisa Carpenter   FIND EMILY Emily Gough Coaching Room to Grow Podcast [email protected] Instagram @emilygoughcoach Private Facebook Group: Room to Grow Podcast Facebook: @ Emily Gough Coaching   PLUS!  Want to be a badass podcast guest?  You're going to want to grab this highly requested guide walking you through every step of the way to have your interviewers begging you to come back on, and the listeners wanting to learn everything they can from you!  Grab your guide HERE.   DON'T MISS… Questions?  Comments? Want to connect and chat? You can email me at [email protected], or DM me over on Instagram @emilygoughcoach with any questions, comments, or takeaways!  Plus, I would absolutely love to connect with you and thank you for listening in real life.  It makes me day to see you listening to the podcast and fills me up with pure joy. Seriously.  See you on the 'gram! Questions?  Comments?  If Instagram and Facebook aren't your jam, send me a good old fashioned email!  [email protected] New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday!