Wednesday, February 12, 2025
by Sabrina Ball

What we focus on, we get more of. The famous words, “Nothing without joy” were shared by Loris Malaguzzi describing the Reggio Emilia Approach to education he founded following World War II in Italy. This simple quote can often be overlooked when compared to others, but over six decades later it still offers the most for us to learn from. 

Joy is an essential emotion. Living with joy not only reduces stress and improves our mood, but it can also benefit our sleep, immune system, energy, and lifespan. When you feel joyful, it has a positive effect on you - and also those around you. Young children, especially, are attuned to the emotions of their caregivers thanks to the mirror neurons taking center stage in their development. A stressed teacher will teach stress; a joyful teacher, teaches joy. 

Joy is a vulnerable emotion. It can often be overshadowed by fear, as we hold our breath and wait for “the other shoe” to drop. Gratitude allows us to lean into joy, rather than fear it. Incorporating gratitude into our mindset leads to more joy. And joy builds resilience. Gratitude and joy are two gifts we can offer both ourselves and our children. 

Brene Brown shares, “Joy comes to us in ordinary moments. We risk missing out when we get too busy chasing down the extraordinary.” Choose joy with the daily practice of gratitude. Reflect each morning on something you are grateful for and allow that joy to fuel your day. Actively weave what brings you joy into your life. Make a list of what brings you joy and schedule the time to make them a priority. When we focus on joy, we bring more joy into our lives and share it with everyone around us. Choose joy!