Recently, I went along to an event with the Waikato Chamber of Commerce. They had Lisa O’Neill as their guest speaker, a motivational speaker with a real gift for talking about energy, joy, and living as your true self. She shared some great ideas, the kind you can take home and actually use in your everyday life. One of the things she spoke about really stuck with me: being uniquely you.
So often we walk into work or into social spaces trying to be the version of ourselves we think people want. We tidy up the rough edges, hide the parts we’re unsure about, and present this pristine version that isn’t actually us. And the truth is, people don’t get the real you when you do that. They get a performance.
It’s taken me a long time to understand who I really am. For years, I let my job define me. I was a welder, so that’s who I was. Later, I was a technician, so that’s who people thought I was. But when I finally started exploring what actually brings me joy, I realised something important: you’re not what you do.
Joy comes from the things that light you up, the things that make you feel alive. Sometimes that means you’re not in the wrong job, you’re just in the wrong position. Sometimes it means you need a small shift. Other times, it means you need a big change. And sometimes it means rediscovering hobbies or finding new ones.
For me, one of those joys has been building Lego cars. It’s simple, creative, hands-on, and strangely calming. I don’t pull them apart and rebuild them, I just enjoy the process once, section by section, until I’ve got something cool to display. It’s my thing. It brings me joy.
And that’s the point: find your thing. Find what brings you joy, whether it’s nature, exercise, friends, creativity, or something completely random. When you understand who you are, you start to understand what fills your energy tank.
Over the years, I’ve realised that the real joy in my work hasn’t come from the tools or the trade, it’s come from the people. Talking with them, helping them find solutions, helping them feel secure or excited or proud of their space. That’s where my energy comes from. That’s why I do what I do now, helping people understand themselves, find clarity, and move forward in ways that actually fit who they are.
And here’s the thing: you don’t have to apologise for who you are. I’m not talking about arrogance. I’m talking about living within your personality, your strengths, your joys. When you try to be someone you’re not, you drain your energy. When you live as yourself, people notice. They feel your energy. They want to be around you.
If you’re stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where you’re going, reach out to someone who can help you work through it without pressure or judgement. Someone who can help you understand what’s really going on and where your joy has been hiding. That’s the kind of work I love doing, helping people find themselves again.
Find your joy. Find your people. Find the things that make you feel alive. And let that energy spill over into the lives around you.
