Dakota Beerman

Don’t Miss Joy in Your Journey.

I walked into a room of men last night surrounded by wood panels, plastic tables, bourbon, charcuterie, and stress. The weight of the day sat on the shoulders of 30 men (and one brave woman) last night.

The awkward networking small talk made way to a night of fun.

The Bourbon Experience was put together to help leaders of organizations have fun.

Joe Long, Bourbon Steward, taught us about the common recipes of bourbon. He covered origin stories and fables of where and why bourbon was created. He made us better consumers of that sweet brown liquid we’ve come to know and love.

Kevin Rains, Dappled Light Adventures, spoke to us about rejuvenation. Rejuvenation means “made young again”. He shared about the adventures he had as a kid and how he has been on a journey to recover those adventures as an older man.

The combination of bourbon and stories of fun inspired a feeling of joy. With bourbon warming our bellies and youthful stories warming our minds I could observe the room grow light and the stress slowly lift.

Here is what I observed:

Experience + Relationship = Joy

I saw a bunch of leaders from different organizations come together and experience something together and leave lighter because of it. They brought their stress, and they brought their problems and by the end of the night I saw smiles and laughter fill these people.

1. How can you, as a leader, create a feeling of joy within yourself?
2. How can you, as a leader, create a feeling of joy in those who follow you?
3. How can you, as a leader, create a feeling of joy within your work atmosphere?

These are the questions I am left with.

I am grateful to, for one night, forget about the destination and enjoy the journey. How can you do the same?