Joy: Are we Trying Too Hard?

We are all familiar with the word “joy”. It is hard not to be these days. The word seems to be everywhere, from advertisements and cleaning philosophies to countless books, articles, and podcasts.

When did joy become so prominent in our culture? We do not remember hearing much about it in our youth or early adulthood, apart from the occasional Christmas carol or religious hymn. Yet phrases such as “Does it spark joy?” are now part of our cultural vocabulary.

What exactly is joy? Is it different from happiness? Is it a fleeting feeling that comes from a particular experience, or something deeper and more enduring? And why are we talking about it so much these days?

Ironically, the pursuit—or even obsession—with joy can become self-defeating. In our busy lives, where we are often striving to accomplish more, is joy becoming just another thing we are working toward?

Despite being fashionable, we believe joy plays an important role in our mental well-being and can deepen our sense of life’s goodness and sacredness. In today’s episode, we explore joy in our personal lives and in the broader culture. We talk about the things that bring us joy and the obstacles that can get in the way.

We don't come away with any definitive answers, but we enjoyed exploring these questions together.

Topics discussed include:

• How should we define joy, and how does it differ from happiness?
• What gives us joy?
• How do other people help us experience joy?
• Why is joy so prominent in our culture today?
• What gets in the way of experiencing joy?
• How can we cultivate more joy in our lives without trying too hard?
• How are play and joy connected?

We hope the conversation inspires you to reflect on the role of joy in your own life.