“It’s not joy that makes us grateful, it’s gratitude that makes us joyful.”
– Anonymous Jesuit Priest
The expectation for most people this time of year, regardless of where you live or what you celebrate, is that the holiday season brings joy closer to our doorsteps. As of late, however, joy and comfort can be hard to come by, especially if you are living through many of the difficulties the planet is facing right now. Many people have been experiencing internal struggle with guilt for feeling joy when others are suffering, and they are asking: if we are in a privileged position of not experiencing dark times, is it still okay to let ourselves feel joyful, especially this time of year?
Leadership and vulnerability expert, Dr. Brene Brown, discusses the importance of joy through her research. In an interview with Karen Walron, author of The Lightmaker’s Manifesto, Brown explores the purpose of joy in times of struggle. When asked why it is important to continue to experience joy, even during difficult times, Walron states that “…love, belonging, and joy…are essential irreducible needs for all of us, and we can’t give people what we don’t have; we can’t fight for what’s not in our hearts.” Both authors go on to agree that joy, then, is an essential part of creating a healthy foundation for your own life, and a key component of helping others to feel the same. Cultivating this, states Brown in an interview with Globalleadership.org, starts with having a regular, concrete gratitude practice. You can watch the video of that interview here.
At Atrium, our gratitude runs deep knowing that our clients are looking after their people, helping them to feel their absolute best both at work and at home. And this brings us joy. Warmest wishes from all of us here at Atrium for a joyful holiday season. Here’s a few messages from Atriumites, from us, to you.
Hey Atrium, What Brings You Joy?
The festive season is always a meaningful time of the year for me, as we have birthdays, Christmas, 3 kings and new year to celebrate. It’s a time for reflection, remembering the year past and looking forward to the new year. It’s a great time to close the doors, light the fire and ground oneself and realign. Working in the international field I always feel that it is the one time of the year that connects us all and gives us an opportunity to bridge the gap between our personal and professional life. My Joy for this year is looking back at all we have achieved and looking forward to all the exciting plans we have lined up for the year ahead. – Jennie Boardman, Commercial Director, Global Operations
At this most wonderful time of the year, I am most grateful for happy gatherings with family, colleagues and friends; this also brings us all joy and reminds us all that being kind to one another should not just be at Christmas but all year round.- Pauline Williams, Director
Joy for me means connecting with friends and family through food. Times have been harder than usual, this year, but even connecting with someone you love over a bowl of soup or a cup of coffee can lift spirits and help us remember why we are here; to do good, to be kind, to leave the place a bit better than we found it. That’s joy for me.
– Barb Sheldon, Head of Wellness.
