March 12th, 2026
Last week's letter was "Choosing Joy Isn't Naive." Working with people means we need to boost our own joy and resilience to sustain us. Joy is necessary.
Sometimes when groups of people get together, they can unintentionally create a downward spiral. We all know what that feels like. Downward spirals happen when we start noticing things that drain or discourage us. The more we are tuned into them, the more we see. When groups spend a lot of time in downward spirals, it becomes part of the culture.
AND groups can also create upward spirals! When a group chooses to find joy in the smallest moments, you train your brains to see more of it. Upward spirals, just like downward spirals, are contagious. The more a group tunes in to what lifts them up, the more resilient that group becomes.
A Next Step
Ask people on your team, What brings you joy? Give them a moment to actually think about it.
Here are some ideas you could use or adapt:
- Joy inventory prompt: Have each person write down 3 small moments from the past week that brought them joy, then share one with the group.
- Spiral check-in: At the start of your next team meeting, ask: "Are we in an upward or downward spiral right now?" Just naming it can shift it.
- Joy board: Create a shared space (physical or digital) where team members can post things that brought them joy that week. Low stakes, high warmth. Team members could also post joyful things they will be looking for the next day.
