How to Thrive

in Tough Times

Finding joy in the dark

— AN ONLINE WORKSHOP —

The day is finally over, but you’re too tired to do anything but climb into bed and wait for the next one to begin.

It feels like there’s always something to do — an email you forgot to send, childcare to juggle, dishes sitting in the sink.

Maybe you’re also…

... grieving a loss

…navigating a stressful family dynamic

… worrying about the state of the world

At times of exhaustion and overwhelm, joy is the last thing on the list. You’re white-knuckling it so hard to get through the day that even five minutes of fun feels like a luxury you can’t afford.

But here’s the thing.

Joy isn’t a distraction from the hard work of survival.

Joy is survival.

The science on this is clear. Joy heals the effects of burnout on the body, helps us adapt to changing circumstances, and increases our chance of finding more joy in the future. Joy is the key that unlocks resilience.

In this two-hour workshop, I’ll teach you how to find joy in tough times and use it to influence your relationships, creativity, work, and mental health for the better. With these skills, you’ll be ready to move out of fear and isolation toward abundance and connection.

Find joy in the dark.

GET STARTED

from just-getting-by to starting to thrive

Stop downward emotional spirals and overcome overwhelm to find more moments of joy each day.

What you’ll learn (and unlearn)

How to feel worthy of joy, just as you are
The best way to find joy when you’re stressed
The messed-up conditioning that makes you feel guilty for enjoying yourself — and how to break out of it

New tools in your belt

The essential framework that breaks cycles of burnout, and helps you avoid it in the future
An exercise you can use to cope with bad news without numbing or tuning out
5 strategies for squeezing more joy out of ordinary moments

Superpowers you’ll gain

An unapologetic understanding of what joy looks like in this chapter of your life
The ability to transform boring and unpleasant tasks to make them more enjoyable
The power to rescue a bad day

Feel lighter, centered, and steadier through life’s ups and downs.

from just-getting-by to starting to thrive

Stop downward emotional spirals and overcome overwhelm to find more moments of joy each day.

What you'll learn (and unlearn)

How to feel worthy of joy, just as you are
The best way to find joy when you’re stressed
The messed-up conditioning that makes you feel guilty for enjoying yourself — and how to break out of it

New tools in your belt

The essential framework that breaks cycles of burnout, and helps you avoid it in the future
An exercise you can use to cope with bad news without numbing or tuning out
5 strategies for squeezing more joy out of ordinary moments

Superpowers you’ll gain

An unapologetic understanding of what joy looks like in this chapter of your life
The ability to transform boring and unpleasant tasks to make them more enjoyable
The power to rescue a bad day

Feel lighter, centered, and steadier through life’s ups and downs.

GET STARTED

What this isn’t:

A “look on the bright side” approach. We’re not going to guilt or shame ourselves out of difficult feelings. No toxic positivity here.

Tired old self-help advice repackaged to look new. You already know how to exercise, meditate, and practice gratitude. The strategies in this workshop are specifically designed for when you are too exhausted or overwhelmed to do the things most books tell you to do.

A lot of work. The approach I share in the workshop fits into your busy life. It’s not a project for you to complete or new habits you need to create. It’s small adjustments that have been scientifically proven to add up to big change.

A substitute for mental healthcare. This workshop is an opportunity to learn new skills for emotional resilience. It is not a medical or therapeutic service and is not intended to treat mental health conditions. If you are experiencing anxiety, depression, prolonged grief, or emotional states that feel unmanageable, please seek guidance from a licensed mental health provider.

Discover unconditional joy.

By the end of this workshop, you’ll have a toolkit for accessing hope and creating change no matter what life throws at you. The world isn’t perfect, but joy can help you navigate its challenges with peace and purpose.

It’s time to get out of survival mode.

save my seat

Discover unconditional joy.

It’s time to get out of survival mode.

GET STARTED

Save 15% when you enroll in the Reclaim Joy workshop series

— This Workshop —

How To Thrive in Tough Times

Finding Joy in the Dark

This session went live on September 21

— Access now on demand —

How To Get Unstuck

Stop Waiting For Happiness, Start Creating Joy

This session went live on October 19

— Access now on demand —

How to Dream

Build a Life of Abundance

— Access now on demand —

Get all three workshops for ~~$591~~ $497

enroll in the series

Save 15% when you enroll in the Reclaim Joy workshop series

How To Thrive in Tough Times

Finding Joy in the Dark

Access now on demand

— This Workshop —

How To Get Unstuck

Stop Waiting For Happiness, Start Creating Joy

Access now on demand

How to Dream

Build a Life of Abundance

Access now on demand

Get all three workshops for ~~$591~~ $497

Enroll in the series

What School of Joy students say about our programs

"It has absolutely transformed my life. I can't tell you how grateful I am.”

BARB ROBERTSON

“I am coming up on two years since my diagnosis for breast cancer. I was very strict with myself in all ways and now I'm ready to loosen the reins. I feel lighter and more joyful.”

PAT BENNETT

"The program was deep enough to get me thinking, but light enough to keep me excited. It didn't feel like a bougie white lady "self-help" exercise but it also didn't feel like therapy. It's very accessible!"

MEAGAN

"It has absolutely transformed my life. I can't tell you how grateful I am.”

BARB ROBERTSON

“I am coming up on two years since my diagnosis for breast cancer. I was very strict with myself in all ways and now I'm ready to loosen the reins. I feel lighter and more joyful.”

PAT BENNETT

MEAGAN

“Your work has really shaped how kind I am to myself. I learned I was putting myself second in my home and work life. I was exhausted, and dealing with anxiety and burnout. I felt disconnected with many activities and things that I've always loved. Now, I feel reconnected with these important aspects of myself.”

CULLEN LIBBY

“I absolutely LOVED the course! I learned and re-learned so much about myself working through the course content and the reflection activities. And, I walked away with several concrete steps (short-term; long-term) to increase joy in my ‘everyday’.”

SARAH

“There’s just nothing like this anywhere else.

I loved just about everything about the program: from deciding to make the time for joy, to being guided through the reflections and plan making, to actually making those changes. ”

SILVIA

CULLEN LIBBY

SARAH

“There’s just nothing like this anywhere else.

I loved just about everything about the program: from deciding to make the time for joy, to being guided through the reflections and plan making, to actually making those changes. ”

SILVIA

CULLEN LIBBY

“There’s just nothing like this anywhere else.

I loved just about everything about the program: from deciding to make the time for joy, to being guided through the reflections and plan making, to actually making those changes. ”

SILVIA

SARAH

The Experience

Science meets creativity

What happens when a trained designer spends a decade diving into the science of emotional well-being? Workshops that bring together rigorous research and creative play to help you craft your own path to joy.

A judgment-free zone

Joy isn’t one-size-fits-all, and we work hard behind the scenes to create a safe and welcoming environment. Our workshops are known for being some of the most encouraging and supportive spaces to learn online. Note: Participants who harass or bully others will be immediately removed from workshops with no refunds given.

Classes you don’t want to cut

When it comes to joy, we practice what we preach! Our sessions include interactive games, colorful visuals, and lots of live conversation to create a lighthearted energy and bring our virtual community closer. Tip: Be on the lookout for Easter eggs and other little surprises throughout our sessions ;)

Just a click away

With so many barriers to joy in the world, technology shouldn’t be one of them! Before each workshop, you’ll receive a unique link to our online portal. No extra software to download, no password to enter, and live tech support to help you troubleshoot if you need a hand.

Skills for real life

There’s nothing worse than getting all excited in a workshop and then a month later realizing nothing actually changed. You’ll leave our workshops with specific strategies and tools to create real change, right away.

Meet your teacher

Hi there! I’m Ingrid Fetell Lee.

I’m the author of Joyful, a TED speaker, and the founder of the School of Joy. Even with twelve years of studying joy under my belt, I know from experience that it can be a challenge to embrace joy in a world that doesn’t prioritize it.

My life used to look a lot different than it does now. Driven by society’s definition of success, I put my head down and worked myself to burnout. Even though I love color, my closet was full of monochrome outfits. I turned my hobbies into side hustles and tamped down my desires until I didn’t even know what I wanted.

But a funny thing happens when you study joy for a living…

I started to take my own medicine. Using everything I learned in my research, I spent the last decade developing tools and honing skills that have helped me and countless others put joy back where it belongs: at the center of our lives.

And in this brand new series, I’m sharing it all with you. These three workshops will give you specific strategies grounded in science (and tested by a global pandemic!) to harness the power of joy to transform your life, your family, and the world as you know it.

Meet your teacher

Hi there! I’m Ingrid Fetell Lee.

But a funny thing happens when you study joy for a living…

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I watch the workshop more than once?

Absolutely! You’ll have access to the online workshop for six months. Revisit the material as often as you’d like!

Why should I take the full series?

The three workshops in the Reclaim Joy series were designed to build on each other. Together, they help you move out of survival mode to craft a life with joy at the center. Even if one subject isn’t a focus for you right now, these are essential skills that will support you throughout many seasons of life. (And you save almost $100 when you sign up for the full series!)

In the first workshop, *How to Thrive in Hard Times*, I share an essential toolkit for finding joy even when you’re stressed, busy, or overwhelmed. By the end of this workshop, you’ll feel lighter and more equipped to deal with life’s inevitable ups and downs.

The second workshop, *How to Get Unstuck*, builds on this foundation by helping you overcome the common obstacles to creating a life you love. Often we start out enthusiastic about making changes to our habits or lifestyle, only to get derailed by a critical comment or a rush of self-doubt. This session unpacks the fears and limiting attitudes that keep us small and stuck, and gives you tools for staying true to your desires even when there are bumps in the road.

And in the final session, *How to Dream*, you’ll learn how to expand beyond the limitations of your circumstances and see joyful new possibilities for your life. This workshop breaks down the ways we deny our desires, from self-sabotage to unworthiness to the fear that what we want isn’t possible. You’ll leave knowing how to free yourself from the baggage that has held you back from your dreams, and ready to make them a reality.

You can sign up for the full series at www.aestheticsofjoy.com/reclaimjoy

Can I take the first workshop and then get package discount later?

Unfortunately, no. This deal is only available when you sign up for the full Reclaim Joy series.

How long is the workshop?

The workshop lasts about 2 hours. This includes time for teaching and interactive exercises. You can watch it all at once, or break it up into a few watching sessions. You can also pause at any point if you'd like a little more time to reflect on the exercises.

How is this different from your book and other programs?

The material in this workshop series has been developed through private talks and workshops, and has never been available to the public before. While JOYFUL and my other resources help build a foundation for thinking about joy in your life, this workshop series is a chance to work together live in a format where I can guide you through a journey to transform your life for joy.

What should I do if I have more questions?

Email us! Send us a note at [email protected] and we’ll happily help.

You deserve joy.

The Takeaways

When you sign up for How to Thrive in Tough Times, you’ll receive:

On-demand access to the workshop for 6 months

A beautifully designed, downloadable workbook that guides you through every exercise and takeaway

And, if you sign up for the full Reclaim Joy series, you’ll also receive our 101 Ways to Spark Joy bonus guide, filled with ideas to bring more whimsy and fun to your everyday

GET STARTED

For fans of the fine print: Terms and conditions apply. Read them here.

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