The internet is full of messages — and unfortunately, most are negative. Shabnam Mogharabi, Co-Founder and GM at SoulPancake and Limeade Engage 2019 keynote speaker, decided to do the opposite: combat the negativity with joy — to uplift people, discover purpose and love, “chew on life’s big questions” and use stories to connect and move people.
“Being unapologetically joyful is an act of rebellion.” – Shabnam Mogharabi at Limeade Engage 2019
At Limeade Engage in Austin, TX, Shabnam challenged attendees to discover the power of joy.
Here’s five tips Shabnam shared at Limeade Engage to uncover the power of joy:
1. Joy is an act of rebellion
Remember Kid President? His motivational messages of positivity spread like wildfire and he quickly became an internet sensation. Shabnam believes the grit and resilience in changemakers like Kid President are the perspectives, compassion and gratitude that help form those deep, meaningful human connections. And building habits or doing acts of service are ultimately what help form an attitude of joy.
2. Practice gratitude
At Limeade Engage, Shabnam encouraged attendees to practice gratitude — and gave examples of how through the science of happiness, expressing gratitude to other people is a way to form positive synapses in your brain.
One practice in particular took the crowd by surprise. Shabnam had attendees write a letter to someone who has had a profound influence in their life, then told each attendee to read that letter out loud to the person they wrote about. Turns out, expressing gratitude can have a profound effect on your happiness — and that held true for the attendees at Limeade Engage.
3. Authenticity is required
“Getting uncomfortable is the key to creating real and vulnerable moments.” – Shabnam Mogharabi at Limeade Engage 2019
How do you answer the question, “how are you?” Most will answer with a simple “fine” or “good”. When in reality, that’s not the case. Shabnam believes having a network of people with meaningful connections is critical. And we know this to be true — employees are more likely to feel higher levels of well-being when they feel higher levels of organizational support. It can be scary to put yourself out there and bring your whole self to work, but inevitably there will be people who lean in, accept you and care for you. Meaningful connections and creating real, vulnerable moments are what spark joy.
4. Know your story
Shabnam will be the first to point out that it’s critical to who we are, to know who we are. And that having a sense of purpose will ground you in something. But it’s ok to give yourself the time to figure out your purpose.
“You can’t find your purpose without finding your voice.” – Shabnam Mogharabi at Limeade Engage 2019
Whether it’s work, family or service, Shabnam encouraged attendees to think about their life as a story — look at the end first and who you want to be at the end. This applies to companies as well. Companies need to have a sense of meaning, reason for existence. And that mission and purpose — whether personal or not — are values to execute that will bring more joy into your life.
5. It’s ok to take risks sometimes
Shabnam reminded attendees to not be afraid to shift their perspective and go where it’s a little scary — these habits or daily rituals eventually become a consistent part of your life. When you shift your perspective, it allows you to see something that was otherwise blocked from your view.
Rooted in connection and leading with entertainment, Shabnam’s perspective on habits, practices and acts of service to gain positivity moved and encouraged Limeade Engage attendees to uncover the power of joy.
Want to learn more about Shabnam Mogharabi and Limeade Engage 2019? Check out the full event recap.
