Wishing You Joy This Year ✨

From the Desk of Our Coach Success Manager, Lia Snell Rivalsky

As we step into a new year, I find myself returning to the principles of Life Design, the framework created by the Life Design Lab at Stanford University and developed by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans.

Life Design reminds us that clarity is not something we wait for. It is something we build, through curiosity, experimentation, reflection, and collaboration. That idea continues to shape not only my leadership, but also my daily rhythms, relationships, and understanding of joy.

One lesson has become especially clear to me over the last few years:

Joy is not a reward.

Joy is a skill.

It is something we practice, protect, and strengthen.

A close connection of mine recently completed the entire Colorado Trail, nearly 500 miles and more than 90,000 feet of elevation gain. When I asked them about the experience, they spoke about the deep joy of living in constant proximity to natural beauty. It made me wonder whether joy comes from beauty itself, or from learning how to notice it. Since then, they have intentionally designed their life to stay close to what brings them joy.

That idea stayed with me.

When I integrate the principles of Life Design with the practice of joy, my leadership feels steadier, my presence clearer, and my life more spacious, even in seasons that are full.

So this year, I am designing with joy at the center.

Here is what that looks like for me.

Curiosity

A joyful life begins with better questions.

Curiosity is choosing to notice what sparks energy instead of running on autopilot.

• Asking curiosity-based questions in conversations

• Noticing small moments that make me feel more awake, grounded, or present

• Following interests even when they feel small, impractical, or slightly out of place

Curiosity keeps me open. It keeps joy within reach.

Reframing

The way we see a challenge shapes what becomes possible.

Reframing is not forced optimism. It is the practice of shifting perspective so new options can emerge.

• Challenging internal narratives that drain energy or create unnecessary pressure

• Viewing busy seasons as temporary experiments, not permanent identities

Reframing does not erase difficulty, but it softens the edges.

Prototyping

Small experiments create real clarity.

In Life Design, prototypes are low-stakes ways to test what brings meaning and joy.

For me, that looks like:

• Evening walks by the river

• Early morning pottery sessions

• Living room dance parties with my family before long days

• Trying a new café or taking a different route home

And this year, one prototype came with a story.

While in Chinatown recently, my partner, our baby, and I wandered into a small shop and decided to buy a Mahjong set. I dusted off two years of Mandarin from university, fully aware that my fluency had probably ended somewhere around midterms. I laughed at myself, asked questions anyway, and leaned into the moment.

Instead of judgment, I was met with generosity. The shopkeeper helped us choose a set with intention, explained the symbolism, and then pointed us toward a nearby local spot serving some of the most incredible, authentic Southeast Asian food I have had in a long time.

We chose the set knowing one thing for sure: long before we learned how to play well, we would have a blast playing with friends and family over the holiday break.

That experience reminded me that joy often begins before the activity itself, in curiosity, humility, and the willingness to engage imperfectly.

Radical Collaboration

We design better lives together.

Joy deepens in community.

• Monthly dinners with close friends

• Weekly check-ins with my partner

• Shared workouts when it is too cold to be outside

• Leaning on mentors, coaches, and colleagues

Joy multiplies when it is shared.

Tracking Energy

Design around what fuels you.

One of the most practical Life Design tools is tracking energy and engagement.

• Reviewing what energized me and what depleted me each week

• Making small adjustments instead of overhauls

• Honoring natural rhythms: mornings for creativity, evenings for connection

  
  

Energy is a map. Joy already lives there.

My Joy Prototypes for the Year

This year, I am experimenting with four small, joyful prototypes:

• Learning Mahjong, starting with a set purchased in Chinatown with my partner and baby, designed for future nights of laughter and connection with friends and family

• Running for president of my Women’s Business Network to stretch my leadership presence

• Weekly hikes with my daughters, keeping it simple, seasonal, and unstructured

• A monthly creative micro-practice, rotating through pottery, poetry, photography, and more

These are not about perfection. They are about learning, joy, and gentle growth.

Moving Into the New Year

Life Design teaches us that we do not need the whole plan. We only need the next step that brings energy.

So my invitation to myself, and to you, is simple:

Design for joy.

Prototype it.

Track it.

Collaborate around it.

Choose curiosity over certainty.

Reframe when needed.

Joy is not something to wait for. It is something we build.

And when we lead from that place, our impact reaches far beyond ourselves.

As I continue designing a life that integrates partnership, motherhood, community leadership, business ownership, coaching, research, creativity, and ongoing growth, I am learning to honor the early signs of alignment, the small green shoots of joy taking root.

Joy grows where we tend to it. And when we lead from that place, our impact extends far beyond ourselves.

Wishing you a year of joy,

Lia

Coach Success & Support Manager

---

Explore the Life Design Framework

Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life Bill Burnett & Dave Evans https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Your-Life-Well-Lived-Joyful/dp/1101875321

TEDx Talk: 5 Steps to Designing the Life You Want Bill Burnett, TEDxStanford https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SemHh0n19LA

Contact us today to start a conversation - we’d love to hear from you.