Stay Golden - The Art of Holding Joy

What if learning to hold joy is just as brave as overcoming struggle? If you've ever felt guilty celebrating your wins, rushed past your victories, or wondered if happiness this bright is safe to keep... this episode is for you.

In today's tender and transformative conversation, host Jodi Rose Gonzales explores the quiet territory beyond breakthrough—the sacred work of learning to stay in your radiance without apology. Through the wisdom of her latest sculpture Timberella Seven and powerful client stories, she unpacks the neuroscience of sustained pleasure, the discipline of delight, and why your joy doesn't need to be temporary.

Whether you're celebrating a recent victory or learning to expand your capacity for goodness, this episode invites you to stop sabotaging your celebrations and start building a nervous system that can handle sustained joy.

Key Takeaways

• Joy Requires Practice: Your capacity for sustained pleasure grows stronger with intentional cultivation—it's a discipline as rigorous as any spiritual work.


• Your Nervous System Resists Goodness: Research reveals that prolonged joy can feel unsafe to a brain wired for survival, but you can literally rewire these patterns.


• Celebration Isn't Selfish: Rushing past victories is a form of self-abandonment—your joy deserves the same attention your struggles once received.


• Sustained Radiance Serves Others: When you learn to hold joy without flinching, you model what's possible and light the path for collective healing.

Journal Prompts

After completing the joy portrait art practice offered in the episode, explore these reflections:

• "When I allow myself to feel genuinely happy, I notice..." 


• "The part of me that resists joy is trying to protect me from..." 


• "I give myself permission to celebrate..." 


• "My joy serves others by..."

Then, identify one daily practice for holding joy this week: morning gratitude, evening celebration review, or simply pausing to savor good moments as they happen.

Resources

Get Your Copy of Field Notes: https://www.jodirosestudio.com/art-drop-t7

Join the iROSE Society: https://www.jodirosestudio.com/society 

Explore Creative Freedom: https://www.jodirosestudio.com/creativefreedom

Referenced Research 

Hanson, R. (2013). Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence 

Bryant, F. & Veroff, J. (2007). Savoring: A New Model of Positive Experience 

Seligman, M. (2011). Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being