If you’ve read the first seven articles in this series, you know how to create sustainable joy. Let’s close by turning our focus to how Life Model Works can teach you to start joy.
Joy is foundational to develop resiliency and learn new relational brain skills. We designed Thrive to provide the best possible conditions for a “bonded pair” (such as a married couple or prayer partners) to learn how to build joy. We practice nineteen relational brain skills, and along the way, learn ways to spread those skills to others. With nearly 40 hours of hands-on Life Model Exercises in three distinct, interactive tracks, it is hard not to start some serious joy.
Friends, couples, prayer partners, parents and siblings practice joy with a variety of interactive activities. Joy levels increase with each new session. People comment how they feel connected, seen, valued and appreciated.
Personal transformation ignites hope. For the first time, some people perceive the active presence of God. Many are impacted deeply as they discover new skills. Words fail to capture the growing momentum that increases in a group of people who start joy.
From our experience, not to mention science and scripture, we can see that God designed us for relational joy.
Contagious Joy
I notice a most remarkable transformation take place while the event as excitement spills into conversations and interactions. I watch energy levels climb as smiles adorn the faces of friends and family members. Something deep and profound erupts when people exchange “glad to be together” moments.
My colleagues and I call this “contagious joy.” Here is what recent Thrive attendee Barb says to describe her joy in Track One:
“I found Track One life-enhancing, life-changing, and life-giving in a way I never imagined. Friends and co-workers noticed the changes immediately and continue to stand in awe at the level of joy that I carry one year after my Thrive Training.
The brain skills that I learned and continue to practice allow me to grow and make a lasting impact both at work and in my personal life. Thrive Training equips me to influence others through joyful interactions on a daily basis.”
Contagious joy bubbles up with interactive training that is specific and strategic. I hear people like Barb express this joyful change saying, “I don’t want to leave!” “I can’t believe we have only three days left!” “Can I bring my track (of people) home with me?” “This week has been better than I ever imagined!”
Why Thrive Works
We hear about joy spreading to the servers, management and staff of the hotels which host our events, saying, “I don’t know what you are doing, but our staff thinks you are the best group they have ever served. When are you coming back?”
There is nothing magical about this training.
No one spiked the punch bowl. With 12 years of testing and refining, nineteen skills are carefully sequenced for maximum effectiveness. We meticulously plan out every minute of THRIVE with the best brain science has to offer. We anchored it in Scripture and intersperse it with opportunities to engage people and God in joy and rest states. This package of training results in joy bursting at the seams in a group of Christ-followers, who is serious about joyful transformation.
This excitement should be no surprise. Personal, interactive, relational joy is a fundamental element of how our brains are wired.
Genuine joy is one of the most intense, rewarding and satisfying experiences we will ever know. We are compelled to pursue joy, much like the drive to eat, breathe and procreate. Such joy is impossible to resist. The flow of our teaching reflects this:
- Thrive Track One is about joy
- Thrive Track Two is full of skills to help return to joy no matter what it happening
- Thrive Track Three teaches about how joy is necessary for overcoming pain and suffering.
It’s not enough to want joy. We need to learn what it is, how to initiate it, how to sustain it and how to spread it to others.
Image Credit Parker Knight
