Joy, despite everything

Finding lightness when the work feels heavy

One of the wonderful valleys we spent time walking, talking, and brainstorming in recently. Photo: J. Tonkin.

When everything feels urgent, joy can seem a bit indulgent. But I’m beginning to realise it's essential — for resilience, sustainability, and connection. And, as I come to below, for generating good ideas. So, here's a short reflection on why joy matters.

I’ve been reflecting on the need to have fun in what we do. In this field, we’re faced with persistent loss, looming doom, and a general sense of dread about the future. It can be a negative space at times. And as you know, I'm always conscious of needing to strike a balance in my communications — between sharing the cold hard facts along with stories of hope and progress.

As an ecologist, I spend my days analysing data that rarely contains good news.

But it doesn’t always have to feel so negative. Taking action, in itself, is a positive step. But sometimes that’s not enough. It too can be a negative, frustration-filled space.

But here's what I've come to realise: the antidote to doom-scrolling through grim data and papers isn't just positive thinking — it's remembering why this work matters and who I get to do it with.

So I think it’s important to find ways to feel joy — to enjoy the process. Whether that’s by getting out and enjoying nature itself or in the way we work with others.

I’ve been reflecting on how incredibly privileged we are in academia sometimes to get to do the work we do and the freedom to pursue interesting things. I recently attended probably the most fun workshop I’ve ever been to. Instead of the usual conference powerpoints, we spent three days walking, talking, and throwing around wacky ideas. These kinds of gatherings are a chance to get together with incredible colleagues and brainstorm ideas, this time in an amazing mountainous location.

But what brought me the most joy were the new connections.

I made friends with people whose research I’ve looked up to for years and built new relationships with early-career researchers I’ll work with for years to come. That kind of genuine, energising connection is rare and meaningful.

Because it’s the coming together of minds where the real magic happens.

This is a confronting but joyful process. Seeing our ideas meld together and produce something greater than any one of our own individual nuggets of wisdom is powerful. That kind of emergence isn’t possible with individual thinking. It emerges from a safe space of care, connection, and freedom. When given these spaces, people come alive.

Seeing the back and forth of bold, outside-the-box ideas gradually refining into something that might actually change things for practitioners and policymakers the world over... That's priceless. But that can only happen when we break down barriers and build new connections.

Joy isn’t a distraction from impact — it’s part of what makes it possible.

I'm curious: What brings you joy amid the crisis? Whether it's a moment of wonder in nature, a collaboration that energised you, a small victory worth celebrating, or something else entirely — hit reply and share what lifts you when the world feels heavy.

And if this resonated with you, I'd love for you to share it. Conversations like this feel especially important right now.