I used to measure my life by my work. Now, I measure it by joy.

A selfie at sunset with the River Thames and the Houses of Parliament in London.

For years, I was deeply passionate about my work. It wasn’t just a job, it gave me purpose, impact, and pride. I cared deeply about what I was contributing to the world, and because of that, I poured myself into it completely. Without realising it, work quietly became the centrepiece of my life.

It made sense to me, my job felt meaningful. But at some point, I started wondering: Is this really how I want to live?

The Wake-Up Call

In 2022, I started questioning what success really meant to me. Was I building a life that felt fully lived, or just productive?

I came across the idea of *wild joy - *the kind of joy that comes from variety, curiosity, and experiences that stretch and surprise you. The kind of joy that doesn’t come from hitting another milestone, but from feeling alive in the everyday moments.

It made me pause. I realised I wanted to get to the end of my life knowing I had invested in more than just work. I wanted to look back and see a life rich with experiences, relationships, and moments that made me feel connected, energised, and whole.

Reintroducing Play

So, I started experimenting with *play  - *something that, for years, had barely existed in my world. I thought about the things that had once brought me joy, and the things I had never allowed myself to explore. I gave myself permission to try new things, without needing to be good at any of it.

🎨 Painting. ✍️ Writing. 🎭 Study groups. ✈️ Traveling with friends. 🌊 Being by the sea.

At first, it felt uncomfortable. I wasn’t naturally good at most things I tried! The perfectionist in me wanted to improve, to get better, to make it worthwhile. But I made a conscious decision to let that go. To stop measuring play by achievement and instead embrace doing for the sake of joy.

Balancing Work and Life. For Real

One of the biggest shifts happened when I realised I didn’t have to choose between personal fulfilment and professional success. I could honour both.

Most recently, that meant saying yes to a trip with cherished friends, even during a busy work season. A past version of me might have felt too stressed to balance both, convinced that work needed my full attention. But I chose to approach it differently, to structure my time in a way that allowed me to be present for both the work I cared about and the experiences that deeply nourished me. And it worked. It felt expansive, freeing, and deeply fulfilling!

The Shift

Somewhere along the way, something changed. My life started to feel richer, fuller, more aligned. Work still stretches me, but now, I design it to fit around the life I’m creating, not the other way around.

And the irony? My career didn’t suffer. If anything, it flourished. Because when you give yourself permission to live fully, you bring more energy, clarity and creativity to everything you do, including your work.

Small Shifts Lead to Big Changes

This shift didn’t happen overnight. It started with small choices, giving myself permission to play, to explore, to experience life beyond work. And over time, those small shifts led to a completely different way of seeing success.

Now, I measure my life not by how much I achieve, but by how much I experience. Because small shifts * like making space for play * lead to big mindset changes.

What About You?

If you’ve ever felt like work is taking up too much space in your life, I invite you to start small. What’s one playful thing you can put on your calendar this week, just for the joy of it?