Prioritizing Joy

Kate Bowler, a profound podcaster of Everything Happens with Kate Bowler and cancer survivor told a story about a day in her life when she went on a quest to find the, “site of the world's only 'documented' case of human spontaneous combustion.” She proceeds to tell us how she laughed so hard as she had to contact the gravedigger because he was the only person who knew where the plot was. And then she experienced this moment of connection with her taxi driver who felt like it was fated that he was her driver that day because he also believed in spontaneous combustion! Then, she says, “It was such a waste of time - it had no purpose.” She continues, “We have so few choices. For the little choices we have, I should choose... It won't feel like progress, it's not like it goes on a list of major accomplishments.”

To step one foot in front of the other is my joyous flow state.

Christie Watson, her guest for the day proceeds to reply that it appeared that Kate was prioritizing joy. What else is more worthy of a reason? "You are joyful when you prioritize joy, other people like to be around you. It can feel like a lot of trudging through life sometimes." But then to remember that it is so precious and you want to make the most of it!

This is a real inner conflict for me. Can I live a life where I prioritize joy? For some, this may be living a simple life loving the magic in the mundane. For others, prioritizing joy may mean achievement and benchmarks and goals. For me, prioritizing joy means choosing the path least taken.

There are only a few times in my life when I have been so absorbed in the moment that I could truly say I was present in the moment, in a state of flow. First, working as a midwife offering moment by moment labor support. Time disappeared when I was honored to sit alongside two precious souls in transition.

Other times that I felt totally absorbed by the moment were during random spontaneous moments during my adventure travels. I have never loved humanity more than during times when, with a loving heart, I allow myself to be vulnerable and curious enough to listen, see, touch, and feel first before judging. These moments of aborption are full of joy for me. These are the stories of my life that I retell with excitement and exuberance.

This is why Kate Bowlers and others suggest making time for your own version of joy within your life of responsibilities. She suggests gifting ourselves moments of happiness/joy within “a life of trudgery.” So then I question why we can't take it a step further and incorporate prioritizing joy within our daily responsibilities? Why can't prioritizing joy mean choosing joyful endeavors as my responsibilities?