Do You Want More Joy in Your Life?
A Reflection from the Garden, and the Stage
Do you want more joy in your life?
We all do, right?
For me, one of the things that brings me deep, quiet joy is working in my garden, especially this time of year, when the tomatoes are heavy on the vine and the zucchini and summer squash seem to multiply overnight. There’s something so grounding about it. The colors, the textures, the abundance.
And what do I do with all that abundance?
I make spaghetti sauce. Homemade. From scratch. Slow-simmered and full of flavor. There’s something magical about turning all that sunshine-soaked produce into something I can share with people I love. It's simple, but it's joyful.
That’s where my mind was this week as I prepared for our monthly Skills Circle in the Schaller Speaker Academy. Each month, we meet to practice, refine, and support each other in becoming stronger, more intentional presenters. And before we dive into technique, I always like to offer a bit of “food for thought.”
This time, I asked:
“How can we bring more joy as a presenter?
The Joy Question
It sparked such a lively, thoughtful conversation. Because joy isn’t just something we stumble into—it’s something we create.
We talked about the ways we, as speakers, can cultivate more joy in our process:
By showing up prepared so we can feel more freedom on stage
By giving ourselves permission to play
By reminding ourselves why we started speaking in the first place
By focusing on connection over perfection
But we didn’t stop there.
We also asked:
“How do we bring more joy to our audience?”
The answers were beautiful. Everything from using humor more intentionally, to sharing authentic stories, to simply showing up present—really tuned in and open-hearted.
Because the truth is, when we bring joy to our audience, it bounces back. There’s a ripple effect. And I believe that ripple changes not just the talk—it changes us.
Joy Is Strategic
Here’s something I’ve come to believe deeply:
Joy is not frivolous. Joy is strategic.
When we speak with joy—genuine, grounded joy—we invite people in. We lower their resistance. We increase their engagement. We become not just speakers, but guides. And that’s when transformation happens.
Just like a good sauce brings all the ingredients together, joy brings the whole talk together. It adds warmth. Flavor. Life.
Want to Join the Conversation?
If this resonates with you—if you’re a speaker, trainer, or presenter who wants to bring more joy to your work and your audience—I’d love to invite you to join us inside the Schaller Speaker Academy.
We meet monthly in small, supportive practice sessions. We learn. We laugh. We grow.
Sometimes we even talk about spaghetti sauce. 😉
Take a peek and see if it feels like home:
👉 Check out the Academy
With heart,
Margy
