Patrice Tanaka, Founder & Chief Joy Officer, Joyful Planet LLC 

We’re all on edge.  Understandably so.  COVID-19, America’s reckoning from systemic racism and the culmination of a vitriolic Presidential campaign has kept us on edge for months.  

We’ve all heard from family and friends, saying they are worried, stressed and can’t focus on anything while they await the results of the Presidential election.  I’ve been advising people to simply focus on the outcome they seek rather than worrying about what will happen if their candidate doesn’t win.

I know these stressed out souls would be better served by discovering and living their life purpose rather than wasting time and energy, worrying about what might or might not happen.  But, I know suggesting that they simply focus on discovering and living their purpose would probably not be well received as the way to end their suffering.  It is, however, the only thing powerful enough to actually do that. 

Living my purpose – “to choose joy, be mindful of that joy and share my joy with others” – has kept me productive and positively focused for the past 18 years, including the recent, challenging months of COVID and this increasingly polarized election season. 

I know that even when the full election results are in, if my candidate doesn’t win, I will simply continue to focus on living my purpose and leveraging my talents, expertise and passion in service of other people and our planet.  

Living my purpose and “choosing joy” has meant conducting “Discover Your Life & Leadership Purpose” webinars for Scripps PRSSA at Ohio University, the PRSSA Chapter at the University of Kentucky, among others; co-chairing the Diversity Action Alliance, a coalition of 15 of the largest, national PR membership organizations committed to action on improving diversity, equity and inclusion in the PR profession; and helping two non-profits – Girl Scouts of Greater New York and Dancing Classrooms – strategize how they can continue to deliver their mission and fundraise during this incredibly challenging time.  

“Choosing joy” during this election season has also meant helping as many people as I can – via webinars for employees and one-on-one work with individuals – gain greater clarity about the impact they seek to make in the world with their one very brief and precious life.  Knowing their life purpose will help focus and drive these individuals to accomplish what matters most in a highly efficient way and, in doing so, unleash greater success, fulfillment and joy in their personal lives, workplaces and communities.  

When I help people discover their life and leadership purpose and articulate it in an inspiring and galvanizing statement like these below, I know they have a compelling focus that will guide them like a north star to navigate life’s most challenging terrain like this moment in time:

• “My purpose in life is to live full-out and fearlessly, help myself and others live our healthiest and happiest lives, and unleash good vibes on people and planet.”
• “My purpose in life is to help myself and others flourish and, specifically, to help disadvantaged communities bloom through sustainable, economic growth.
• “My purpose in life is to build on the conversation of equity, inclusion and belonging to help create systemic change and the opportunity for everyone, especially diverse people, to achieve our biggest goals and dreams.”
• “My purpose in life is to lead with love, be present in every moment, and serve as a beacon for living with passion, helping others and creating a healthy, sustainable planet for generations to come."
• “My purpose in life is to help people care for and protect their loved ones for generations to come.”
• “My purpose in life is to help others be the CEOs of their own lives so they can contribute fully to the people and world around them.”
• “My purpose in life is to connect women to their power to help them succeed and invest in their ability to build businesses that positively impact the world.”

Helping people gain greater clarity about their life and leadership purpose so they can more actively live it is my contribution to creating a more joyful planet.  This is a much better use of my time and energy than stressing over the Presidential election.  And it’s a much more productive way to help myself and others – Democrats, Republicans and Independents, alike – channel our energy and focus on creating a better America and world for all.  

About the Author: After an award-winning PR & Marketing career and co-founding three agencies, Patrice Tanaka started Joyful Planet, working with individuals and organizations to discover and actively live their purpose and unleash greater success, fulfillment and joy in their personal lives, in their workplaces and in their communities. Life and organizational purpose are the subjects of Patrice’s best-selling books, Beat the Curve and Performance360. Patrice has been honored by PRWeek (Hall of Fame inductee), PRSA Foundation (Paladin Award), PRSA (Paul M. Lund Award for Public Service), New York Women in Communications (Matrix Award), among others. Reach Patrice via LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.