Grace Harry, a former entertainment executive and author of "The Joy Strategist," joined Cheddar News to discuss her goal of helping people redefine the meaning of joy and happiness.

<div class="block">Grace Harry, a former entertainment executive and author of &quot;The Joy Strategist,&quot; joined Cheddar News to discuss her goal of helping people redefine the meaning of joy and happiness.</div>

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Finding Happiness With Former Entertainment Exec. & Author Grace Harry

Our next guest has worked as a music executive for three decades, working with huge names, Jay Z just to mention one. And after finding herself in the middle of her third divorce in 2017, Grace Harry wanted to find ways to redefine the meaning of joy for herself. So let me tell you what Grace did. She is sharing her experiences in her book titled The Joy Strategist. It's all about discovering and cultivating joy in your life the way you do it and how you can create your own joy toolbox. So, Grace Harry is here right now. Welcome to the show. Thank you so much for having me. So you refer to yourself as a recovering people, please have been there. Know what that's like. So what did that mean in your life as a music executive? Yes, I mean, as a music executive, I was obviously great because who doesn't want everybody focusing on them? Um And I thought it was a big part of who I was that I was so in service to figuring out what you needed and helping you grow your vision. But as I leaned more into my adult life I realized I couldn't access that level of joy for myself. I couldn't reach in and find those pleasurable things that can help me keep my heart growing and my imagination flowing. I'm glad you said that because how does people pleasing get in the way of our joy at times? Yes, because we're taught very young, I, I believe even pre verbal that we're keeping this love coming in. And so that's an action. It's not like what I need and how I feel. It's more, what can I do to make sure that you still love me, that you want, pick me that, you know, that I still get chosen. And that's a different reality than leaning in when you're a kid. And we've all talked to a kid then in the middle of the conversation, they're just like twisting, they're flicking their leg and they're in service to what feels good inside their own bodies. And we used to be that way and then we lose it because we have the tools from our parents of success. And we just go that way in your book, you talk about the importance of play, how people can incorporate, play in their lives right now. How do you do it? Well, for me, it's different. I'm on the road right now. So I have my little joy snacks. I carry around to have a minute of blowing bubbles or coloring, but I really make it my morning entire uh focus that if the day is not run by me, then the day is running me. So I start the day by impressing on my subconscious that I'm the star of the story, dancing hula hooping, whatever is gonna make me laugh at myself frankly as I get up and make the day less serious. Oh Yeah. There you are. When did you realize that you know what I need to talk about this? More people may be in the same situation where we're just programmed to be an adult and not find joy. Thank you. You know, I went being a gold star as in my nature. I thought, OK, I'm gonna approach this like every job I'm gonna go to every workshop, every class and I wasn't feeling great. Um And so it just started to become this simplistic idea that when I was a kid, I knew how to do it. And if I can continue to, to live in that joy like state every day, I'm gonna inspire everyone else around me. So you obviously know yourself perfectly. You're an expert on yourself. But what advice would you give to me to he and everyone else about how we can build our own joy toolbox or find this way to play every day. Thank you. I'm absolutely not expert. I'm an amateur adult, like everybody else just works shopping it every day, but it's really that we had these tools, you know, when you were a kid, you were two or you were seven, you were nine and you did something that brought you joy. So before you just lean into anyone else's expectations for in the day, your spouse, your, your boss, you're looking at your phone, do something for one minute, 30 seconds that really illuminates your own heart. Sing a song or even just have some gratitude. You have something called joy snacks. I think you have one. Now, tell us more about your joy snack. You know, if I went on a long trip and I knew there was no food, I'd bring snacks, I'd be hungered. But our joy and our, you know, being the Chief Energy Officer of our own lives is essential so you can do whatever you want in your house in the morning and then you leave and you're impacted by someone else's energy. So just taking with you all day little things that if you're feeling uncomfortable, you can remind your own self and your own heart, you can expand, you're safe here and play. So it's really bespoke for you. Whatever is gonna give you that one minute, burst in the middle of the day to uh that's what a joy snack is. You know, I can empathize so much because I walk around, I can get smacked with some bad energy and I just can't quite shake it the whole day long. Now. You work as a joy strategist right now. You help people in your everyday life, like huge artists. We're talking about like Jay Z and Lauren Hill, who people might not think because they have that level of success are dealing with these issues. How do you do that? What do you, what do you see and in working with Lauren and Jay and stuff that, that's in my, my old career and creative. But what I noticed in my career and what I feel was a big part of my success was I didn't just come into a room and say, here's the project. I wanted the musical, um you know, you giving your passion to your music. But how does that connect in visuals and how does that connect authentically to the fans? So I really worked with people even in the music industry to say, well, how are you feeling what's happening in your own life? And how do we use those real emotions to, to get the music to, to live in people's hearts? And so when I realized that they're just like us, I don't care what they have amassed or the success. They also have insecurities, imposter syndrome, feelings of unworthiness. And so, yeah, having that with bringing that to regular people every single day and making them realize that your creation is your job. That was the, the thread for me. Grace. We have 20 seconds. But I wanna ask this question. I'm sorry, you actually wrote your own obituary. Why? Incredible this man Michael, he does a thing called death of her dinner and you have to bring it to the table when you come. And I just thought it was so interesting. You know, we, every day we're talking about ourselves, but when you have to cut to it, how you wanna be remembered, you get to the essence of really what's important to you. And so if, if that's too hard, you can do your own in speech. But just to get to the core of what really matters to your own heart is the life hack Life Chico. Well, get your hands on her book. Thank you to Grace Harry, author of the Joy Strategist. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Enjoy having you here. Yes. Really is. Thank you. I feel your energy.