Wellness: Why joy matters. How to curate a lightness of being.

"Under the cloudy cliff, near the temple door, between dusky spring plants on the pond. A frog jumps in the water, plop! Startled, the poet drops his brush."?- Sengai

With each breath you take, you should curate what Japanese masters call a "lightness of touch". This lightness lets us express joy with creation and our place in the natural world - the crimson and golden maple leaves, the leaping frog, or the autumnal moon waxing in the sky. Considering nature's forever-changing stage, we owe it to ourselves to bathe in the floating world. Joy should be our guiding compass to our awareness of the present moment.

To the observant eye, joy is an uncluttered perception of the present moment. We ask for nothing and nothing is given. This is not a transaction. It just is. Moreover, joy cannot be bought in a store and nobody can give it to you. It is a state of mind directly linked to your awareness of your life situation.

Our theme here is trust. There should not be suspicion that something is lurking around the corner, waiting to ambush us. When you trust without suspicion, you become impregnated with being who you are in a state of joy. You may not believe this because we live in a complex and bewildering time, but we are worthy to live in this world. Our journey consists of learning to appreciate this process. Savouring the nectar is similar to sipping a fine Pinot Noir.

Civilising ourselves does not entail shopping at LV on the Champs-Elysees. it is a form of training and discipline through body, mind, and speech. It is also a response to misery, terror, and pain based on a fear of ourselves and a fear of death. When uncertainty surrounds our daily lives, we lose our compass, drift, or are drawn to live in a cocoon as a form of self-protection. The problem is the cocoon is not as comfortable as we suppose. It pulls and tugs and constricts our movements. We want to break free but remain constrained. To go forward, we need to break the ties that bind us and scream for joy in the sunlight far from the shadows of our past and even the burdens we think we are carrying.

How to tackle the false conundrum of success

Many of us are so caught up in our "idea" of success that we tend to sideline the small things, which make up the bulk of our lives. As one sage so aptly stated:?“God is in the details”.?This is where pure joy lies and it is tangible and accessible in a nanosecond.

As a career and life coach, I've witnessed how easy it is to succumb to the trivia of the workplace. I also recognise that if we don’t keep our mind focused on the present moment, it tends to cha-cha. To counter this phenomenon, I suggest the leap, not into hyperspace on the Millennium Falcon, but to concentrate on a sound vibration that the Indians refer to as a mantra. Mantras underscore the practice of mindfulness. They are easy to use and they are open to anyone. By chanting the mantra you are in essence calling a conscious energy vibration to manifest from within your being. The energy vibration is also responsible for unleashing a chain of biochemical reactions, which give you this - Wow, I feel great phenomena. Forget the naysayers. These reactions are real, and they have been documented by scientists at NASA.

Why joy matters

Joy should be the fullest expression of your true Self. Basho said it best when he stated:?"Orchid - breathing incense into butterfly's wings."

You breathe in happiness because?"conscious-bliss"?is your real nature. When you are living in joy, you are amid its fullest expression. Notice, I did not say in "pursuit" of joy. To be in pursuit of joy, or anything for that matter takes you out of the present tense and places your mind and being in the future, which is a place nobody can ever be. However, when you operate from "now" you are absorbed in an uncluttered space and alive to the beauty around you, which previously, you forgot to witness.

The importance of saying “No”

Often joy cannot manifest because we are constantly distracted. Distractions can take a multitude of forms. They include too many Zoom conference calls, text messages, and well you get it, an endless list of non-essential matters that you think are essential making you stressed out.

Learn to practice mindfulness

D.T. Suzuki used to exhort his cohorts to practice no-mind (which is just another term for mindfulness). No mind clears the clutter from your conscious thought. You have the power not to respond to SMS. Should you be at a meeting with a purpose, be fully present at the meeting, not text messaging your tailor to have your suit ready. Is it any wonder most people do not find joy at work when they are pulled in countless directions simultaneously? Clearing your mind is the pragmatic application of Zen. There is no mystery here. There is nothing magical. Just the common sense of not giving in to every whim your mind creates to destabilise your tranquility and sense of purpose.

Another good habit to acquire is the act of making a "to-do" list in the morning before you begin to work. Include professional as well as non-professional activities. Both are necessary to underscore a holistic approach to living. Having a list gives you a clear field of operations. It also helps you relativise things. Clearing your mind is the perfect process to make this happen. Visiting a cluttered mind is on the same level as visiting a rubbish dump. You don’t know where to look first and your first inclination is to run.

The power of "listing"

Another list worth making is of "things you should not do". That’s right, should not do. This can include eliminating patterns of behaviour, which are better to avoid indulging in. In essence, this list helps to reboot your inner hard drive. Bad and pointless habits can be gotten rid of in this way. Masters of old would pass on these bits of wisdom to their disciples. The contemporary business world could benefit from this insight.

For example, generating empathy among your colleagues can help through what is a worldwide psychologically bruising moment.

The importance of focusing

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the Hungarian-American psychologist recognised and named the psychological concept of flow a highly focused mental state. He described what yogis have known for millennia. He uses modern terminology to state that a vital activity is one where the participant is fully immersed in a feeling of energised focus, full involvement, and enjoyment. Furthermore, he asserts that a hallmark of flow is the joy one experiences while performing any task. What he does not say is that you should have no attachment to the result of the task. This bit of wisdom comes to us from Lord Krishna when he explains to Arjuna the whole point of work. The Gita, where much?management wisdom is shared, should be fundamental reading for any student of business administration.

Love what you do

Enthusiasm plays a seminal role. It does not matter what work you do. It impacts your motivation and how you interact with others. It affects the quality of your management, teamwork, and if you are in a position of responsibility, your leadership role. Failure to act with conscientiousness leads to terrible results and disharmony. Harmony and joy as Lao Tse would say amount to maintaining a “balance in all things”.

Bringing it back home

Challenges happen. Whether you are searching for them or not. Best to be prepared by shifting your context, attitude, and mindset. Learn to cultivate your inner garden to paraphrase Voltaire. Do not let your time get sucked away via hi-tech devices. Keep it real, staying focused on one task at a time in the present moment. By using your awareness to be present at the moment your mind will not flounder like a fish wishing to escape capture on the deck of a boat.

About the author

Andrew Scharf is an Award-Winning MBA Admissions Consultant ?? Executive & Career Coach recognised for helping top performers, and aspiring professionals be all they can be. His?mission is to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world at Whitefield Consulting . Have a professional project you would like to discuss, send him a DM.