How do YOU define “joy”?
The Dictionary says this:
Joy (noun): a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.
And
Joy (verb): rejoicing.
At the Joyful Business Revolution™, we define joy as an internally cultivated experience that comes from making peace with who you are, why you are, and how you are.
In other words: Joy is an INSIDE job.
Three years ago, a “routine surgery” went south, fast. And every year around this time, I struggle, grieve, and cry. I need lots of space to process and heal. My body knows. And it’s known every year for the past three years that this month was the month I almost died.
During that near-death experience, I received a message:
“Your job here isn’t done, Shannon. Do more of what matters—and take it to the people.”
As I continued to heal from that experience, I knew I couldn’t wait to do the work I was truly called to do. I’d waited long enough.
That work is my new book, Practical Joy.
What if you could wake up every day and remember what truly matters to you – what brings you joy? And then, experience more of those things throughout your day?
Each morning, I remind myself that I value my inner joy, my peace, and aligned full-out living…but running a business that creates very real JOY and transformation can be difficult and overwhelming. It can be stressful, and one of the big causes of stress is something called “decision fatigue.”
And you may already know this, but decision fatigue is not joyful.
In fact, “decision fatigue is mental exhaustion resulting from the sheer number of decisions a person must make daily, leading to difficulty making—or making good—decisions.”
Decision Fatigue as a Service-Based Business Owner
Read that again: “Decision fatigue is mental exhaustion resulting from the sheer number of decisions a person must make daily, leading to difficulty making—or making good—decisions.”
Being a business owner means making lots of decisions–on top of the life decisions we must make daily, and this often results in something called “decision fatigue.”
Have you ever had a day where you thought, “if I have to make one more decision, my head might explode?”
I’m sure you can relate!
It’s normal to feel like there are more decisions than there are hours in the day.
It’s normal to feel like the mountain of decisions that you need to make to “keep things moving forward” constantly gets in the way of your real work.
It’s normal to feel frustrated when you’re “in the weeds” and focusing on the minutia.
Decision fatigue is real, and it’s especially harmful to business owners because our growth and success both depend on our decisions – what we choose to do or not do.
If you…
- Make a lot of in-the-moment decisions about what to focus on…
- Feel overwhelmed by all the things to do…
- Make choices that you regret later…
…then you may have decision fatigue.
This is why, over the past 10 years, I’ve developed a revolutionary process for helping myself (and my clients) manage decision fatigue.
And I’ll be teaching this to you at our upcoming celebration event for my new book, Practical Joy.
I’d love for you to join me for this Community Celebration!!
Transitioning From Fatigue to Joy-Fueled Business Owner
Fun fact: The fewer decisions you must make, the better for your revenue, your joy, and your business growth.
One of the reasons you may not be experiencing the full amount of joy and deep meaning in your life and your business is that you are getting all wound up in the things you can’t control.
And it happens to all of us!
So what can you actually control?
Take a look at this image →
Then ask yourself this question…
“Where does my worry and doubt and sadness and discontentment really come from?”
Your response may surprise you – for me when I am out of whack or feeling “off center,” it’s because I am actually spending way too much time in the gray area worrying about things I can’t control.
Now, what about those colored areas?
Get excited because you CAN control all those things. Sometimes this can happen on your own, and sometimes you will need the support of a mentor who can help you see things in a new way and envision new possibilities and solutions.
Clarity Amplifies
The messiness of business and life and the unJOY that comes from not being clear often leads to not feeling confident in yourself or your decisions. This often looks like changing your mind a million times due to “wishy-washyness.”
All of that non-clarity is amplified with the “gray stuff” that we actually cannot control.
Honestly, it’s enough to drive you wild!!
Instead, do what your favorite teacher used to tell you and focus on your own work – on what you can control.
Next Steps
If you’re ready to step into your joy-fueled self, focus on finding clarity first.
Or you can do some reflection and inner work using a resource like my book, Practical Joy.
Once you have deep clarity and a consistent joy practice, you will experience a JOY-FUELED life and biz, where you are living and working within your highest lifestyle values and your deepest joy. This is a way of living that enhances your life and your business!
