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What brings you joy—and what might that joy be trying to tell you?

We tend to think of joy as something we experience when life is going well. A reward. A vacation. A beautiful dinner. Time with people we love.

But what if joy is much more useful than that?

What if joy is information?

In this solo episode of Follow Your Joy, I’m taking you deeper into the philosophy behind the podcast and a life and business strategy I’ve personally relied on for years:

Joy is not simply the reward. Joy is your compass.

An unexpected invitation to speak to a Kiwanis group about the meaning of Follow Your Joy caused me to look at my own platform with fresh eyes. I realized that underneath more than 100 conversations about entrepreneurship, reinvention, intuition, creativity, and life change is one consistent thread:

People change the trajectory of their lives when they’re willing to listen to what lights them up—and become curious about where it might be leading them.

In this personal conversation, I explore:

• Why joy can become a compass for life, work, and reinvention
  • The difference between happiness and a deeper commitment to joy
  • Why curiosity may be your intuition tapping you on the shoulder
  • How to recognize when something you’ve tolerated is no longer working
  • Why intuition and body wisdom need a voice alongside logic and reasoning
  • My own experience with burnout and the journey to Italy that changed how I live and work
  • Why our culture’s devotion to productivity can quietly disconnect us from ourselves
  • The feminine and masculine energies available to all of us—and why we need both
  • Why choosing joy during difficult times isn’t irresponsible or disloyal
  • What more than 100 Follow Your Joy conversations have taught me about the human spirit

I also share why I believe meaningful change asks something very different of us than simply thinking harder.

Heart. Belief. Courage. Trust. Faith.

Our rational brains want predictability, evidence, and certainty. But our evolution doesn’t always make logical sense at first.

Sometimes we need to listen to our body and intuition first—and then invite that beautiful brain back in to help us execute.

I also take you inside the burnout that became one of the most important turning points of my life. It eventually led me to Italy, where I experienced a very different relationship with work, quality of life, pleasure, connection, and joy.

That experience became the foundation of the feminine-masculine blend I teach today: integrating intuition, creativity, spirituality, play, imagination, receiving and vision with the equally valuable strengths of structure, logic, execution, planning, and action.

And I share what’s unfolding now with Reverie + Velvet, my reinvention after 18 years of Marla Diann Mentoring International, and my upcoming appearance at the Transformation Gap Virtual Summit, September 24–29, alongside more than 100 experts from around the world.

As we close, I leave you with something to sit with, journal about, or simply notice:

What brings me joy—and what might that joy be trying to tell me?

Because joy is much more than a feeling. It may be pointing you toward your Elegant Way Forward.

Resources + Links:

The Transformation Gap Virtual Summit | September 24–29 Free registration: https://tinyurl.com/gap-summit

The Portal of Joy
Explore hand-selected downloads, journals, courses, special offers, resources and gifts from Follow Your Joy guests: https://marladiann.com/podcast/portal/

Kicking off the fall and final quarter of the year, I have several private spots for a 90-minute Identity + Next Chapter Strategy Session 90 – minutes ($100 savings) for women ready to explore where their current identity may—or may not—be supporting the next chapter they desire.

It includes preparation before our session, a 30-minute progress session two weeks later, and as a bonus, my Feminine Power Feelings Journal, with prompts designed to help you begin reconnecting with and expressing emotions you’ve habitually suppressed.

Use my Calendly link to have a chat about your identity that is creating your next chapter. https://calendly.com/successcoach-marladiann/connection

-Marla’s Amazon Lifestyle Influencer Store – shop for favorites https://www.amazon.com/shop/marla_diann