As a fan of self-help books, I consider myself well-versed in the genre but never have I found one so timely and enriching as Joynetix: Unlock Your Joy Potential.
Penned by acclaimed ‘joy tsar’ Saj Shah, this personal development guide explains how bringing more joy into our busy, hectic lives can supercharge our health, wellbeing, and productivity.
It’s a no-brainer to say that we could all do with a little more daily joy, but you won’t perhaps realise just how important it is until you read Joynetix.
And once you’ve signed up for this ‘joy-fuelled’ transformation, as the author describes it, Shah shows exactly how to go about achieving it, with a wealth of easy-to-understand and practical guidance.
Today’s turbo-charged world is certainly no friend to joy, with stress a near-constant companion to many.
Recent figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that a quarter of adults now report high feelings of anxiety each day — a big leap from 2017, where only one fifth reported it.
Work-related stress, meanwhile, is now the most common form of stress in the UK, and the impact is immense, both to our personal lives and wider society. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that mental health disorders cost the global economy US$1 trillion each year in lost productivity.
Worse, chronic stress — defined as a continuous stress-filled state — is a killer, with a 2020 study by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare finding that it can actually shorten our lives by as much as three years.
Bearing in mind that almost a third of Brits live with chronic stress, and the remainder are probably not so far behind, Joynetix is hugely important. Every other type of self-improvement — whether it concerns entrepreneurship, becoming a more confident public speaker, or a more organised individual — counts for naught if not underpinned by happiness and contentment.
Already an Amazon bestseller, Joynetix is described as a ‘modern-day play book’ for transforming your outlook on life and creating a life fuelled by joy rather than stress and anxiety.
This, says Shah, involves releasing ourselves from the ‘STORM’ (stress, tiredness, overwhelmedness, resignation, and misery) to trigger deeper satisfaction, bringing about a shift in mindset to one focused on wellness with the associated benefits of boosted motivation, vitality, and good health.
Shah certainly knows about the STORM, and the immense changes that can arise from its escape.
Now the CEO of Joynetix — a consultancy which advises global organisations on strategies to generate thriving, joy-fuelled cultures at work to expand well-being, optimise performance, elevate productivity, and spark innovation — he has found true purpose and personal satisfaction in his work, which will next year expand with the launch of an innovative digital health tech solution to alleviate stress and trigger joy in the moment developed by a tech start-up he co-founded called Momentus Technologies.
But as he explains openly in Joynetix, he had to travel down a long, stress-packed road before finding his release.
For more than two decades, he carved an impressive resume as a pharmacist, lawyer, and senior manager at global pharma company AstraZeneca.
While at AstraZeneca, he brought his cutting-edge joy methodology and thinking into the business which enabled the creation of innovative digital health solutions designed to transform the lives of patients.
But, as he relates, the cost to his personal happiness was huge. A self-confessed overachiever, he was for many years focused primarily on work at the expense of everything else, including his young family.
No matter how well he did in his day job, he always found himself stressing about finances, his health, and other everyday concerns, and couldn’t shake the feeling that there had to be more to life than professional glory.
The catalyst for his reinvention came, sadly, through tragedy. In 2013, his beloved father died unexpectedly while on holiday.
It was at the funeral, while speaking with the many guests who had come to pay their respects, that he discovered just how much his father had touched their lives, bringing little moments of joy.
Inspired by the metaphor of life as the mere ‘dash’ between our dates of birth and death, Saj made an immediate, personal commitment to revive the experience of joy in his own ‘dash’ and help others do the same.
The fruits of this fascinating journey into the secrets of finding joy can be found in Joynetix, which is informed by Shah’s training in pharmacy and healthcare, the latest scientific discoveries in the fields of epigenetics, positive psychology, and neuroscience, and tried-and-tested Eastern wisdom techniques that have stood the test of time.
At the beginning of the book, he points out that joy is the least studied of all emotions, and it is perhaps for that reason that so much of what follows is revelatory.
In fact, I was astonished to read that developing a major disease is 95 per cent related to chronic stress, lifestyle choices, and the condition of our outer and inner environment — a toxic combination that causes inflammation and adverse changes in our genes.
Viewed the other way, only five per cent of the risk lies in our inherited genes, so we have incredible potential to live a long and healthy life.
But whereas many of us know the commonplace mantras to improve our diets and exercise regimes, few would think how becoming more joyful by improving our habitual thought patterns, behaviours, and management of emotional stress can be just as, if not more so, important to our wellbeing.
Joynetix (a portmanteau of ‘joy’ and ‘genetics’) make a strong case, highlighting compelling research that has found that those with higher levels of joy show lower levels of inflammatory gene expression and strong expressions of antiviral and antibody genes.
The author discusses a plethora of tools from practising gratitude for 66 days, the time it takes to create a habit, to cultivating joy through breath control and making time to play.
Fostering gratitude is an excellent antidepressant, he says, as the brain cannot concentrate on both negative and positive things at the same time.
As a music lover, I particularly loved the section where Shah advises we gather a ‘joy playlist’ to listen to, with neuroscientific research showing how pop songs with 140–150 beats per minute (BPM) rapidly improve our mood.
I also found his discussion into resetting the imagination fascinating, based on the premise that our brains do not know the difference between real and fake events and can, therefore, be moulded in a direction of our choosing.
And, of course, there is an exploration of laughter (Shah is a certified Laughter Yoga Leader), which in light of the science behind joy could literally be the best medicine, not least given how it has been shown to reduce physical pain.
A 2013 study showed that laughter was most common in people aged between16 and 23, so making time for a few minutes of stress-busting giggles every day from our mid 20s onwards — and apparently we can train ourselves to do this — sounds like a wonderful prescription.
Other amazing insights include how joy can help form a stronger bond between the three areas of the brain, leading to more effective decisions, as well as reducing anxiety to create a calmer, more resilient you.
There is clearly an appetite for joy creation, as evidenced by Shah’s lecture ‘3 Keys to Unlock a Dash of Joy’ ranking within the top five most-watched TEDx talks on YouTube last year.
It’s an inspiring talk and well worth a watch, but to truly master the art of joy, you have to read Joynetix.
Coming in at around 240 pages, it’s the guidebook to happiness we’ve all been crying out for and will equip you admirably on the pathway to a joy-fuelled existence.
Joynetix: Unlock Your Joy Potential by Saj Shah (Balboa Press) is out now on Amazon in paperback and eBook formats, priced £12.95 and £1.99 respectively. For more information, visit www.joynetix.com. You can also follow Saj Shah on LinkedIn for updates on Momentus Technologies or visit www.MomentusTec.com.
We speak to joy tsar Saj Shah to find out more about his bestselling book, Joynetix, and the vital importance of cultivating more joy in our lives.
Q. Why did you call the book Joynetix?
A. ‘Joynetix’ is a creative blend of ‘joy’ and ‘genetics’. It signifies the powerful interplay between our capacity for joy and the adaptability of our brain and genes. Both the science of epigenetics and neuroplasticity show that by cultivating joy, we can influence not only how our genes express themselves but also how our brain circuits form and change. This means that fostering joy doesn’t just feel good in the moment; it can reshape our very biology, steering us towards better health, vitality, and overall well-being.
Q. What is joy to you?
A. To me, joy is not just an emotion; it’s a natural performance enhancer. This profound, inherent state illuminates life beyond fleeting moments of happiness and chemically enhances our brain, boosting our capabilities. It’s the lens through which I view and engage with the world. Whether in grand milestones, like the birth of my children, or in the tranquil moments of daily life, such as a shared laugh or a heartfelt embrace, joy is present. More than just a reaction to external stimuli, joy is a conscious choice — a mindset that, when embraced, uplifts and supercharges our everyday existence. The key for me is to continually sharpen my ability to notice joy and savour those moments on a daily basis.
Q. What inspired you to write a book specifically focused on cultivating joy as a daily reality?
A. Beyond my personal journey and my own research and revelations following my father’s passing, I was struck by the profound epidemic of stress, burnout, and emotional turmoil evident in today’s society, especially in the workforce. This made me realise that a guide to reintroducing joy into daily life wasn’t just wanted; it was urgently needed. Joynetix became my canvas to share the amalgamation of scientific discoveries and age-old wisdom, making joy accessible and tangible for everyone.
Q. In today’s fast-paced and stressful world, why do you believe it is important for individuals to prioritise their emotional wellbeing and pursue joy?
A. Today, more than ever, our emotional landscape is constantly bombarded. The cost of ignoring emotional wellbeing is monumental — both personally and socio-economically. Prioritising joy is not just about feeling good; it’s about holistic wellbeing, resilience, enhancing productivity, and quite literally adding years to our lives. It’s the antidote to the chronic stresses of modern life.
Q. Can you provide an overview of the key concepts and strategies explored in Joynetix to help readers unlock their joy potential?
A. At its core, Joynetix offers a blueprint for transitioning from what I term the ‘STORM’ of modern life — stress, tiredness, overwhelmedness, resignation, and misery – to a state of deep-rooted joy. This transition is supported by the integration of contemporary scientific discoveries and timeless Eastern wisdom. The book provides an arsenal of tools and techniques from cultivating gratitude and harnessing the power of breath control to curating a joy playlist and exploring the therapeutic magic of laughter and play. All these strategies converge towards one goal: realigning one’s life with the essence of joy.
Q. What has the feedback been like for Joynetix?
A. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Many have shared personal stories of transformation, of finding light in dark times, and rediscovering a zest for life. It’s humbling to know that the book is resonating on such a profound level, making a tangible difference in people’s lives.
Q. What is the most powerful thing that people can start doing straight away to unlock more daily joy in their lives?
A. Start with gratitude. Even on challenging days, find something — however small — to be grateful for. This simple yet transformative act rewires the brain, shifting focus from lack to abundance, and instantly elevates our joy.
Q. You run a consultancy that helps bring joy into corporations around the world. What is the benefit to businesses of transforming the work environment in this way?
A. Joy isn’t just about individual wellbeing; it directly impacts team cohesion, creativity, and productivity in corporate settings. A joy-fuelled work environment fosters innovation, reduces employee turnover, and enhances overall performance. In essence, when businesses prioritise joy, they aren’t just promoting a healthy work culture; they’re investing in their own growth and success, including the bottom line.
Q. Your TEDx talk on joy was one of YouTube’s top five most-watched TEDx talks of 2022. How does that make you feel?
A. Humbled! It’s gratifying to know that the simple message is resonating on such a large scale. The reception of the TEDx talk reaffirms my belief that joy is not just a personal quest but a collective aspiration, one that has the power to transform communities, societies, and ultimately, the human experience.
Q. You have recently co-founded a health technology business and next year you will be launching a novel patent-pending digital technology to help people interrupt stress to find more joy in the moment. What can you tell us about this exciting new project?
A. I’m thrilled about this. Our technology company, Momentus Technologies, is on the cusp of releasing a game-changing, stress-mastery device in 2024. Imagine a sleek, avant-garde smart companion, tailored to your unique rhythms, that can effortlessly pivot your moments of heightened stress into instances of pure, rejuvenating joy. This isn’t just technology; it’s a revolution in harnessing joy from the very fabric of our daily challenges.
