I’ve really been leaning into joy recently. Things that make me happy and brighten my working week and inject more novelty into my business.

When I first relocated to Portugal after five years of travelling the world, I convinced myself that constantly seeking novelty was a bad thing and I should learn to be happier without constant dopamine rushes.

But I’m learning that, actually, there’s nothing wrong with looking for novelty in everyday life and those little joys bring me a lot of, well, joy. (Surprise, surprise)

Focusing on joy can sometimes feel like a secondary part of growing a business but, when you’re diversifying, I think it should sit right at the heart.

For two reasons: what’s the point in building a business if it’s not one you love? And, secondly, it’s gonna be far easier to add an extra income stream to your business (which takes more time!) when you’re passionate about it.

When you’re choosing where to diversify, start with what you actually love. Because when you enjoy something, you’re far more likely to:

• Show up consistently
• Build momentum
• Attract aligned clients and opportunities
• Feel like yourself in your own business

Joy makes it easier and it makes it stickier. It makes your working week feel more like you.

For example, if you love chatting with people and hate writing, maybe a podcast or coaching offer makes more sense than a weekly blog.

If you’re obsessed with organisation and systems, a Notion template shop might light you up more than another retainer client. If you love writing, but hate marketing yourself, ghostwriting for someone else might feel surprisingly dreamy.

It’s about recognising that your business gets to feel like your favourite version of work and using that as a guide when you grow.

Here’s the check-in I use for joyful diversification:

• What do I naturally enjoy doing or talking about?
• What formats feel fun and light for me?
• What would I create even if I wasn’t getting paid?
• How could I turn that into an offer, product or stream of income?

One of the things I’ve been leaning into lately is more in-person events. I’m thinking that a new diversified venture for me this year might be hosting events and eventually retreats.

I’ve got my kick-off call with a new business coach tomorrow and I’m planning on talking a lot about how to do this.

It doesn’t have to be complicated and it definitely doesn’t have to be boring.

Your business should feel like you. Scaling doesn’t mean sacrificing that – it means building because of that.