‘Finding joy in work?! Are you kidding!’ – it sounds like a bit of an oxymoron – but what if it is possible? By opening ourselves up just a little, we can allow the question of whether the notion of finding joy in work is indeed possible to stoke our curiosity. We might find ourselves curious about what joy actually is, and how we might find it, all of this is possible by considering it from a different perspective or place than the one we have held before.

To be curious really is an incredible gift!

Joy itself is an often-misunderstood emotion. It’s frequently equated with the word ‘happiness’ and the notion of being happy. Very easily this can become the belief that joy at work means turning up every day with a grin on our faces, and a naïve acceptance that all is well in the world - to say otherwise is seen as a lack of joy!

Yet, the reality of life that we experience tells us that there are occasions when a grimace feels easier than a grin – and that is probably a more honest and more appropriate response too. So, let’s reconsider what joy really is, and isn’t, and what it means to be joyful and where to find it.

Firstly, joy is located, and takes root, deep within us. It has a stronger and weightier anchoring than the fleeting experience and emotion of being happy. Secondly, joy is essentially linked to who we are and how we show up in the world. It’s fundamentally tied to our sense of purpose or meaning in life - so when we see that what we are doing contributes to fulfilling that purpose - rather than taking away from it - something shifts within us and joy is cultivated. Thirdly, joy grows when we recognise that we’re contributing to something much greater than just ourselves. Interestingly when we experience this, those around us observe a deeper sense of peace and contentment in us.

Significantly, such joy is not dependent on us having some super fancy role, job title, level or status within the workplace. (In fact, sometimes it’s our ‘status’ and ‘position’ that can truly get in the way of our joy!) What really matters is our ability to adopt a transformed perspective on what we are doing and why we are doing it. From there, we can cultivate gratitude and thankfulness.

The story of the three bricklayers explains all this so well. Following the Great Fire of London in 1666, Christopher Wren was commissioned to rebuild St Paul’s Cathedral.

In the process of the rebuilding, Wren watched three bricklayers all working hard. Out of curiosity, he asked them what they thought they were doing. One replied that he was laying bricks. The second said he was building a wall. But the third bricklayer gave a very different response: “I am building a cathedral.”

This is a story of perspective. It highlights how finding meaning in the work that we do - and showing up in an attitude of gratitude and joy- can make all the difference. Joy can always be found in the mundane if we choose to look for it – in small moments, happenings, actions, and interactions. By pausing to acknowledge these in some way cements joy in us - the more we do it, the more we see it and feel it.

Taking a moment to step back allows us to see our work from a fresh perspective, to recognise how it adds to our own sense of purpose and meaning, and to celebrate the part that we play in creating something transformational – whether that be for an individual or a community.

We don’t just find joy, we create joy too.

 

Written by Jill Rowe

Oasis Ethos & Formation Director