4 Ways to Follow Your Delight

Wonderful Soul Friends,

A few weeks ago I wrote about the deeper meaning behind my recent experience of getting sick (stomach flu and bronchitis). I shared that sometimes my body says “NO”, and it’s my job to listen, to put my ego aside and involve my body in the planning process. That blog definitely struck a chord, and I loved the conversation that took place in the comments. Thank you!

Today I want to share how I’ve been making happier, healthier decisions for myself and making the most of the present. While I don’t always pull this strategy off, when I do I notice how my life gets richer. The more I align my inner and outer worlds, the more joy I consistently experience. Pretty basic stuff, but for many reasons I need constant reminders. If you do too, read on…

Let delight be your compass

What would happen if you put your ideas, to-do’s, and opportunities through the filter of delight? If you closed your eyes, tuned into your body, and asked this simple question: Would this delight me? Try it. You might be surprised by the answer. Sometimes it’s a full-body “yes”, other times it’s a “hell no”. However, most of the time we have no idea. We just keep on keeping on without taking a step back to check in. Life moves fast, remember delight in the process and you’ll be surprised by the subtle changes that add up and create expansion.

And using delight as our barometer goes far beyond saying yes or no to certain commitments. It helps us choose uplifting conversations rather than bitching, gossiping or putting ourselves and others down. Delight reminds us to devote ourselves to people and projects that inspire rather than tire. It asks us to sit in the sunshine and eat a healthy meal on our lunch break, rather than wolfing down crap at our desks. Or, and this is sooo me, delight reminds us to get up to pee when we need to—rather than holding it for a more convenient moment. Peeing is liberating! And yet, why do I blow off my bladder in favor of just one more email? It’s cray cray.

Let delight help you stay present

The other day a friend asked what’s next for me, what’s the big vision? I paused. Got really tired. Then tapped into my delight practice. My truthful response went something like this…

“I used to answer questions like that with soaring goals and missions for the planet. Worthy stuff—vision is necessary and I have plenty of it. But in truth, I felt pressure to create escalating greatness year after year. If I accomplished my goal I’d praise myself for 30 seconds and then set another one. If I didn’t, I felt like I was a failure. Oy. Vey. I’m so done with that drama. For me, the next thing is doing my best in the present moment, it’s being with you, having fun, and following my delight.”

I explained to my pal that this approach still leaves room for exciting projects like my book launch in October or a petition I want to support in a big way, but it also means that I’m not getting myself into a lather about the future and missing the present magic.

Let delight simmer like a slow-cooked stew

Focusing on delight has shifted my business in a big way too—which can be scary at times. Will I miss a deadline or screw up a budget? Or worse, will I lose my ambition and stop caring? I mean, let’s face it, there’s a lot we have to do that isn’t frickin’ delightful. Unless we win the lottery, we’re probably gonna have to make some compromises. But when I look at the two ways delight informs my life—making conscious choices and being present—I realize that if I trust this beautiful compass it will help me and my team become even more successful, while also prioritizing happiness.

At our recent company retreat I really wanted to drive this idea home, so I introduced this motto: Slow Cooking vs The Machine. Here’s what it means…

When I spend all day on a sauce or stew—chopping, stirring, tasting, stirring—dinner is gonna be really good that night, so good that I’ll probably invite friends over to enjoy the meal. I love feeding people home cooked food, and that energy creates a ripple effect. Well, our readers and customers are the friends we host at Kriscarr.com and on social media.

So I asked my team: Do we want to take the time we need to create a satisfying, well-marinated meal that we’ll both enjoy? Or do we want to just crank out content? Feed the beast? Stuff the machine? We could approach this as a job or a joy—it depends on how we show up. Sure, sometimes there’s no way around a not-so-fun task, but we can still try to get clever and create more delight along the way. This whole process helps us set doable goals and create an environment where we can all rise to the occasion and succeed.

Let your delight grow & start listening closely

Instead of changing everything right away, try leaning into delight. Allow your practice to grow over time and your life will have room to adjust to new decisions and more joyful approaches.

When you start using your delight barometer, you may not know where certain things fall. That’s okay. This is an exercise in listening closely to what lights you up. While some of my so-called mistakes have certainly come from not trusting my instincts, most of them stem from taking the path that was devoid of joy. So keep the pursuit of delight in your consciousness and check in with it regularly. Stay open and watch for cues from your mood and your body. The signs are right in front of you and when ignored, this is what can happen: cough, sniffle, fever, meltdown, panic, cry, blues, exhaustion, copious snacking, copious vodka, etc etc…

Now it’s your turn: So how’s your delight meter registering overall—high or low? If it’s high, right on! If not, what’s one small adjustment you could make that would add more delight to your life?

Peace & delight,