The Joy Experiment

As I mentioned in my first 2026 story, one of my 2026 goals is to write a book tentatively titled The Joy Experiment.

I know, I know, I know. I have a whole slew of unfinished books I need to finish and no shortage of new book ideas. This is actually a good problem to have as a writer. Now that my muse has come out of hiding, I'm working with her to reignite the prolific writer I was prior to 2016 when my heart broke and my soul crumbled. To put it simply...

I'm back!

So, what is The Joy Experiment? Let me tell you.

This idea was inspired by several books that I either read or started reading in the final few days of 2025.

First, 100 Word Writing Habit by David Kadavy. This was a quick, maybe 30-minute read. It provides great logic and motivation for writing just 100 words a day. It inspired me to set a goal to write 100 words a day throughout 2026. They don't have to be good or for a specific project, but it is important to keep the words flowing, to teach myself that writing is healthy and I feel better when I do it rather than just think about it.

Next, I was inspired by the first few pages of the book The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. Gretchen breaks her pursuit down by months and how she embarked on different things each month of the year to bring more happiness into her life. This resonated with me because I saw my 2026 goals as things that bring me joy. I differentiate joy and happiness, with joy being a deeper connection and happiness being something temporary and fleeting. So for me, it is important to pursue joy because many of my goals are changes to my lifestyle and habits.

Then I started reading The Lighthouse Guide by my friend Cheri Allan. Cheri is a friend and has been an inspiration since I met her in 2010. I loved the concept of her book, a guide based on her own experiences and the lessons she has learned during her life.

Finally, I dove into We Can Do Hard Things by Glennon Doyle, Abby Wamback, and Amanda Doyle. I bought this book on a whim last spring and put it in my post-surgery TBR pile just before my surgery in November, with the other three books. When I first opened it, I wasn't a fan of the structure and layout, and I actually questioned whey I had bought it last spring. But as I continued to flip through and focus on the messages, I realized that was the point...not a traditional book structure but messages delivered and discovered when they are needed.

Putting my own spin and experience into these concepts, I decided to embark on The Joy Experiment to measure how successful I am in achieving my goals. For me, it is taking lessons in success and lessons in failure and sharing those lessons with the world as a guide for others. The key word there is guide, because there is no magic sauce or irrefutable method for achieving your goals. Different methods work for different people. As a professional corporate trainer, I have a natural inclination to teach, to coach, to guide. Writing The Joy Experiment is just a natural fit.

I'll be posting about this latest adventure throughout the year, sharing the progress on my goals, what's working, what isn't...and hopefully, on this journey, something will light a fire within you.