Hey Reader heeeyyyy!

“I made a vow to myself that I would never take another job for title or pay.”

Those were the words shared by Dr. Tonya Harris Cornileus on the latest episode of the JOYrney To Purpose® Podcast.

When she said it — I immediately felt it in my bones.

Because I made a similar promise to myself at 23.

But let me back up.

I‘ve been reflecting a lot, and if there’s one thing I’m grateful I did in my 20s, it was this:

I documented my seasons of “failure” and first attempts.

The tears.
The confusion.
The pivots.
The prayers.

Because now, looking back over 20 years, I can see something clearly:

JOY wasn’t waiting for me at the destination.​
​It was hidden in the messy middle of becoming.

At 17, I was convinced I’d work at an international fashion magazine.

At 19, I was certain I’d be an international marketer.

At 20, I studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain and tried desperately to land a corporate role with Desigual when I returned.

At 21, I graduated during the recession.
Applied to 400+ jobs.
Barely got interviews.
Felt invisible.

By 22, I was depressed.

I was crying all the time.

I cried in bathroom stalls at work.
On lunch breaks.
On the bus ride home.

I felt behind.
I felt unqualified.
I felt like I had wasted my degree — and maybe even my potential.

And maybe you’ve had your own version of that season.

Not necessarily crying in a corporate bathroom.

But showing up every day feeling:
misaligned
uninspired
resentful
or quietly disappointed.

Then 23 happened.

22 had shifted something in me and that year, I decided I was tired of being sad.
Tired of shrinking.
Tired of performing professionalism that didn’t feel like me.

(Actual photos from my 23rd Birthday. We did Karaoke and I got my first – and only – tattoo. Apparently much hasn’t changed Lol)

I didn’t have savings.
I didn’t have a plan.
I didn’t have connections.

But I had a decision.

I wanted to:
Live life in color.
Meet new people.
Create something meaningful.

So I quit.

And the next day, I called out of work and took a “field trip” to New York City.

No safety net.
Just faith and a willingness to try.

I didn’t know it then, but that was the beginning of my JOYrney™.

Now here’s the part I want you to hear clearly:

That decision wasn’t about quitting a job.

It was about quitting the belief that I had to earn fulfillment through exhaustion and settle for a life of discontentment.

And as a woman — especially if you’re also a mother or caregiver — that belief can sneak in fast (even as a woman of faith).

We tell ourselves:
“I’ll rest later.”
“I’ll enjoy life when…”
“I just need to push through this season.”

But JOY isn’t something God dangles at the end of burnout.

It’s something He invites us into — even in process.

Over the years, I’ve reinvented myself more times than I can count.

But when people ask how I became a Corporate JOY Strategist, the honest answer is this:

I stopped chasing titles.
I stopped chasing applause.
I started paying attention to alignment.

And I started seeking an intimate relationship with God.

Not one based on what others told me about Him, but getting to know Him for myself – and who He was calling me to be.

That alignment changed everything.

If you’re feeling stuck right now —
in your 9–5,
in motherhood,
in a season that feels “too small” for your calling —

you don’t have to quit your life to experience JOY.

You just need a reset.

That’s why I created The JOY Quest™.

It’s a guided reflection experience built from 33 years of lessons — condensed into a framework you can walk through in as little as an hour (or as long as you need).

No dramatic exit required. 😅
No blowing up your life.

Just clarity.
A little alignment.
And a faithful next step.

You can begin your own JOYrney™ here:

👉🏾Take The JOY Quest™​

Because JOY isn’t found in the perfect job, the perfect family, or even the perfect spouse.

It’s found in within the journey of becoming who God created you to be all along — right where you are.

We’re on the JOYrney™ together… one feel-good thing at a time

Erica

P.S. If this story resonated, I really think you’ll love the newest podcast episode. (More on that below!)

The JOYrney To Purpose® Podcast

In this episode of the JOYrney To Purpose® Podcast, I sat down with Tonya Harris Cornileus, Ph.D., former Senior Vice President of Learning and Talent Solutions at The Walt Disney Company, and the founder of Your AHA Life!

With nearly three decades of executive leadership experience across Disney, ESPN, and Turner Broadcasting, Dr. Tonya shares what it looks like to release identity rooted in productivity and performance — and embrace a JOY-filled, faith-led next chapter.
​

In the conversation we explore leadership, legacy, and redefining success in seasons of transition.

If you’re in a season of change this is an honest dialogue about purpose, reinvention, and choosing alignment – not only for the moment – but and as an intentional guide for your future!

Have an amazing weekend, friend!

We’re on the JOYrney™ together — one feel-good thing at a time,
Erica