About this episode
In this episode, Chris Kenworthy explores the concept of joy as a state of being and its relationship with grief and resilience.
In this episode, I explore joy - not as a fleeting high or a lucky accident, but as a state. A way of being you in the world. A way of meeting life. The spark for this reflection was a message from my friend Tom, who said: joy is wealth. That landed deeply. Because after a long winter of grief, withdrawal, heartbreak and recovery, I’m beginning to notice what happens when my focus starts to move outward again - away from my own internal noise, and back into the flow of life. I reflect on joy as something natural and fundamental in us. Not something to force or manufacture, but something that emerges when the layers of fear, melancholy, trauma and self-protection begin to soften. For me, that state feels like joyful curiosity - open-hearted, available, playful, receptive, and in contact with the world. I share a story from a hard day in London, when I deliberately led myself towards small, life-giving things - a walk, a coffee, a sauna, a few moments of real connection - and found myself unexpectedly described as having “joyful curiosity.” That phrase stayed with me. It helped me recognise that even when I’ve been deep in grief, joy is still possible. Not instead of sorrow, but…
People in this episode
Host: Chris Kenworthy
Topics covered
- joy
- grief
- self-discovery
- curiosity
- resilience
- emotional well-being
Keywords
- joy
- wealth
- grief
- curiosity
- self-improvement
- emotional health
- resilience
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