Experience joy

Find something you enjoy for its own sake—not because it will give you a networking opportunity, not because you will learn something, not because it will set a good example for your kids, not because it will look good on your resume, not because it will improve your social standing. Find something joyful that you can do without any reason or expectation other than just pure enjoyment—something that will get you excited and motivated. Then set aside time and do it, without guilt. You deserve it. It will balance your life, give you enormous amounts of energy, and make you more effective in everything you do.

To the extent that you add true, unencumbered joy to your own life, you more fully become the unique and valuable person that you are. And the joy that you add to the lives of others comes back to you over and over again.

Living with joy honors and affirms the priceless value of life. Every day is full of good things waiting to be experienced. That is, if you’ll let yourself experience them.

What makes you tingle with pure delight? What can you do right now to experience that joy? How can you spread it to others? Find a way, and you’ve tapped a powerful force that will truly energize your life.