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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Ratgeber
- Sprache: Englisch
NATIONAL BESTSELLER
Bring joy, fulfillment, and gratitude back into your life—regardless of what you're going through right now
In Joy Through the Journey, renowned resilience and transformation expert Amberly Lago delivers a one-of-a-kind exploration of finding light in life's darkest moments. She delivers a transformative discussion of how to take your joy back when life gets hard and provides readers with a guiding light for navigating life's toughest challenges.
In the book, Amberly effortlessly weaves together personal stories, practical wisdom, and profound insight into creating more joy for yourself—regardless of what you're going through. You'll find actionable solutions rooted in mindfulness, resilience, and gratitude, all backed by relatable and powerful stories that will help you create a renewed sense of purpose and wellbeing.
You'll also discover:
- Techniques for coping with the lack of fulfillment and enjoyment that so many experience in their day-to-day lives and work
- Practical exercises and mindset-shifting strategies to help you embrace and accept your present moment
- Tools to help you navigate some of life's most formidable obstacles and go from surviving to thriving
A can't-miss guide to everything in your life that's worth being joyful about, Joy Through the Journey is a compelling discussion of how to return joy, fulfillment, and gratitude back to your life—no matter what your life is like now.
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Seitenzahl: 290
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025
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Table of Contents
Cover
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Foreword
Introduction: Falling off the Wagon
CHAPTER 1: The Moment I Discovered Joy
Before I Knew It
The Cure, or the Cause?
Vicious Cycle
Reflection
Actionable Steps
Key Takeaway
CHAPTER 2: The Power of Acceptance: A Path to Inner Peace and Personal Growth
Denial Is Not Your Superpower
Accepting Imperfection
Accepting Uncertainty
Extending Acceptance to Others
Reflection
Actionable Steps
Key Takeaway
CHAPTER 3: Shift Your Perspective: Serving Others with Gratitude
That Person You're Thanking Is Not an ATM
Don't Be a Pimp
Reflection
Actionable Steps
Key Takeaway
CHAPTER 4: Forgiveness: The Liberating Journey to Emotional Freedom
Faith Fortifies Us in Forgiveness
It's All About Empowerment, Chicks
Forgiveness and Emotional Empowerment
Free Yourself to Take Back Your Power
Reflection
Actionable Steps
Key Takeaway
CHAPTER 5: The Power of Mindful Living: Finding Joy in the Present Moment and Celebrating Everyday Achievements Along the Way
Full Throttle Versus Full Potential
Grace over Control
Finding Freedom
Actionable Steps
Key Takeaway
CHAPTER 6: The Art of Letting Go: Releasing the Past to Embrace a Brighter Future
Outcome, I Release You
Reflection: The Kindness of Letting Go
Actionable Steps
Key Takeaway
CHAPTER 7: Discovering Your Joy: A Blueprint for Uncovering Personal Passions and Pursuits That Ignite Happiness
Discovering Your Purpose … for Now
Reflection: Dreaming Just Won't Get You There
Actionable Steps
Key Takeaway
CHAPTER 8: Building Meaningful Connections: Nurturing Relationships That Foster Joy
No Is Enough
Different Strokes for Different Folks
Fallout Can Happen
With a Little Help from My Friend
Reflection: Invest in Meaningful Relationships
Who's the Sucker Here?
Actionable Steps
Key Takeaway
CHAPTER 9: Mind–Body Harmony: Cultivating Physical and Mental Well‐Being for Lasting Joy
Self‐Care Isn't One‐Size‐Fits‐All
HALT and Cultivate Resilience
Find What Works
Reflection: Protect Your Purpose and Keep Moving Forward
Actionable Steps
Key Takeaway
CHAPTER 10: Thriving in Transition: Embracing Change as a Catalyst for Personal Growth
Begin Where You Are
Don't Be Perfect, Be Human
Reflection: Embracing Change to Spark Joy
Actionable Steps
Key Takeaway
CHAPTER 11: Gratitude Is Alchemy/Gratitude in Action: How Practicing Gratitude Transforms Your Outlook on Life
When Life Gives You Lemons
The Lemonade Will Follow
Reflection: Gratitude and Resilience
Actionable Steps
Key Takeaway
CHAPTER 12: Radiating Joy to the World: Creating a Ripple Effect of Positivity and Happiness
Challenging Negative Thoughts
Positive Thoughts and Self‐Love
Cultivate a Positive “Soulset”
Positive Thoughts, Stronger Agency
Reflection: Create Ripples of Positivity
Actionable Steps
Key Takeaway
CHAPTER 13: Bouncing Forward from Life's Hard Knocks
Layers and Layers of the Worst of It
Environment, People, and Perception
Movement over Addiction
Reflection: Dispelling Common Myths About Healing
Actionable Steps
Key Takeaway
Conclusion: The Purpose in Pain Opportunity
Reflection: Nothing Wasted
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Index
End User License Agreement
Guide
Cover
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Foreword
Introduction: Falling off the Wagon
Begin Reading
Conclusion: The Purpose in Pain Opportunity
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Index
End User License Agreement
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Praise for Joy Through the Journey
“Very few people I meet put off an immediate impression of increase like Amberly Lago. She gets you in the mindset of expansion and increase. Her stories are transformational and her method is proven. I can't wait to see how many people she impacts with this book and message.”
—Coach Micheal Burt, 22‐time author of books including Wall Street Journal bestseller, Flip the Switch
“In Joy Through the Journey, Amberly Lago masterfully blends personal anecdotes with actionable strategies to help readers navigate their darkest moments. This book is a powerful guide to rediscovering joy and living with renewed gratitude. Amberly's insights will inspire you to embrace life's journey with resilience and hope.”
—Leah Amico, three‐time Olympic Gold medalist and speaker
“Joy Through the Journey by Amberly Lago is a powerful and transformative guide for anyone seeking to reclaim their joy and live authentically. This book will ignite the reader's inner fire, encouraging them to embrace their imperfections and align with their true self. An inspiring and life‐changing read!”
—Rudi Riekstins, leadership visionary, business mentor and coach, and speaker
“Whether attending her live event, joining her Mastermind, or within the pages of this brand‐new book, spending time with Amberly Lago is always an inspiring and uplifting experience. She is the real deal! I love this new book and how it guides me to tap into indeed more joy in the journey. What a gift this book is and one that I'll return to again and again!”
—Tiffany Peterson, TEDx speaker, top 1% podcast host, and coach
“This book is an unparalleled guide to finding joy even in the midst of sorrow and pain. Amberly reminds us that no one is exempt from life's challenges—whether it's addiction, abuse, depression, or loss—but we all have access to the profound well of gratitude within us. Through her deeply personal experiences, she not only shares her journey to accessing joy but also provides practical steps to awaken authentic joy in your life, no matter the circumstances. Her raw, real, and honest voice transforms challenges into opportunities to draw gratitude and joy closer. If you're navigating a difficult season or climbing to the next level, this book is an essential companion.”
—Brooke Hemingway, speaker, high‐performance coach, and creator of Align for Success
FOREWORD BY JON GORDON
BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE ENERGY BUS
AMBERLY LAGO
JOY THROUGH THE Journey
Shift YOUR MINDSET, Embrace THE PRESENT MOMENT, AND Cultivate Resilience THROUGH LIFE’S UPS AND DOWNS
Copyright © 2025 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved, including rights for text and data mining and training of artificial technologies or similar technologies.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.Published simultaneously in Canada.
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Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data Is Available:
ISBN 9781394265541 (cloth)ISBN 9781394265558 (ePub)ISBN 9781394265565 (ePDF)
Cover Design: WileyAuthor Photo: © Johnny Lavallee
For my husband, Johnny, who holds my hand and has my heart.
For my daughters, Savanna and Ruby Lee, my biggest inspirations.
Foreword
Jon Gordon
I am an encourager and I often find other voices of encouragement who are making a big difference in this world. When I meet these encouragers, I love supporting and sharing their work with others.
In this spirit I'm excited and honored to write the foreword to this book, written by my inspirational and encouraging friend Amberly Lago.
You might know Amberly from her appearances on NBC's Today Show or one of her numerous features in magazines like Shape, Fit Pregnancy, or Health and Disability Magazine. Perhaps you've been inspired by her TEDx Talk or one of her other excellent speaking engagements, subscribed to her podcast, followed her on social media, or read her first book, True Grit and Grace. Amberly is truly a person of fortitude, grit, and determination.
No one survives what she has—a near‐death motorcycle accident, being told she had a 1% chance of saving her leg from amputation, 34 surgeries in a span of just a few years, and narrowly avoiding being in a wheelchair for the rest of her life—without Amberly's particular brand of fortitude. True Grit and Grace tells that story and more. No spoilers here, but suffice it to say that relearning how to walk—and eventually, run—was not the first mountain Amberly had to summit in her life.
Amberly invited my wife, Kathryn, and me to appear on her podcast, The Amberly Lago Show: Stories of True Grit and Grace. The experience was so good that I asked her to be a guest on my podcast in the following year. In true Amberly fashion, she showed up focused and ready to share the compelling story of her motorcycle accident. She spoke passionately about how she'd learned through her painful recovery process to turn tragedy into triumph and live a life of grit and grace.
After we finished recording her episode, I remember being struck by how joyfully she spoke—both on the podcast and off. It gave me an idea. “Amberly,” I said, “I am really good at book titles, and your next book should be titled Joy Through the Journey.”
It was so clear to me. The way Amberly continually works to be positive and cultivate joy for herself and those around her, regardless of circumstances, is simply inspiring. Told through the lens of her unique experience, a book about joy had the potential to help so many others live with more joy.
Today, having read Joy Through the Journey, I can attest not only to the potential of her message but also to its power.
In this book, Amberly mines her experiences to share the techniques and tips she uses to redirect her focus away from pain and toward joy. Using storytelling and strategies, she provides resources and guidance for readers who want more positivity and resilience in their lives. For the first time, Amberly also delves deep into her journey with addiction, sobriety, and living with complex regional pain syndrome. At times hilarious, raw, and vulnerable, her candid message will inspire you to cultivate joy in your own life.
Most of us need to learn how to choose joy and bring joy into our life, and that's why I believe this book is going to speak to you and all who read it.
Amberly had to work at being joyful, and due to this process she has become a great teacher, and we, her readers, are the beneficiary of the lessons she has learned and the joy she shares.
That's the true power of Joy Through the Journey. With every sentence, Amberly assures us we can keep going, joyfully, and become better versions of ourselves.
Because we are better together.
—Jon Gordon, 17‐time best‐selling author of The Energy Bus and The Power of Positive Leadership
Introduction: Falling off the Wagon
Not long ago, when I'd just begun writing this book, something horribly embarrassing happened to me. It was the kind of thing that makes a person want to crawl under the covers and never come out.
Two separate times, I'd gotten an infection that put me in urgent care. The second time, the doctor laid out my choices: I could be admitted to the hospital for IV antibiotics or try a different prescription I took on my own.
She did not recommend the second option.
“I'll take the prescription,” I said.
“The side effects are really bad,” she countered. “You could rupture a tendon.”
I assured her I would be fine. I have grit, I thought. I know how to push through physical pain and discomfort. After all, I live every day with a nerve disease that's ranked highest on the pain scale—I get through days when it feels like there's an ice pick jabbing me in the foot and fire ants covering my feet all the time. I knew I could just keep going.
The doctor didn't look happy, but I smiled and did what I could do to comfort her and set her mind at ease. “I have a big day ahead,” I said. “This is going to work.”
Boy, was I wrong.
I got my meds from the pharmacy and swallowed them on an empty stomach. I'd skipped my morning workout to go to urgent care; I'd skipped my morning ritual of reading, writing, and asking God to walk with me through the day. And there was no time for food. I had three virtual events to deliver a keynote to, a client, and I was going live on Instagram to help another client promote her new book.
I was off to the races.
Thankfully, adrenaline kicked in and my pain seemed to disappear for a bit. I gave those three keynotes every last bit of my energy. One more thing to do, I told myself, and then I can come up for air. I'd eat something, maybe even rest. My mind agreed with the grit in my work ethic, pushing right along with me. My body decided, nah. It couldn't push anymore.
But I had no time for giving myself grace. I logged on for the live Instagram event, where thousands of people were waiting.
And crashed.
It was almost like I was blacked out but still conscious enough to know everything was going horribly wrong. Come on, brain! I told myself. WORK! But my words weren't even coming out right. I cut the event short and passed out. I didn't even make it to the bed—just collapsed right there on the sofa and slept until morning.
As horrible as that might sound, it was far worse when I woke up to dozens of concerned messages from clients and friends. The particulars varied, but the main concern was pretty consistent: they could all tell something was off. I hadn't been myself. One person even thought I'd fallen off the wagon after years of hard‐won sobriety.
Well, I hadn't. I was still sober as they day was long. But what had happened seemed far more damaging. I felt like I'd fallen off the wagon emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
I was beat.
I was embarrassed.
I was scared.
Going Bankrupt
The day of that fateful Instagram Live, I reminded myself, I had just gotten out of urgent care. But long before that I'd begun to let my workouts slip so I could take an extra coaching call if one of my clients had an “emergency.” I'd started skipping the 12‐step meetings that fueled me spiritually so I could help promote someone else's podcast. I'd made a practice of skipping meals so I could stay on Zoom just a little longer. Forget “falling off the wagon.” I'd become mentally, physically, and spiritually bankrupt.
Something had to change.
After apologizing for my actions and behavior on that Instagram Live, I took a good hard look at the part I'd played in that potentially career‐decimating outcome. Of course there had been warning signs, like when I missed a recent appointment for the first time in 20 years because I was feeling sick enough to lie down in the middle of the day—and had slept right through my alarm. At the time, it worried my client because it was so out of character for me.
Truth was, it had worried me, too. So did the fact that I'd been feeling anxious enough to tell my sponsor, “I feel my heart beating all the time—almost like palpitations—kind of the way I feel sometimes before I get onstage.” The difference was, when I got onstage, adrenaline always kicked in when I stepped into the spotlight and everything felt awesome. But these anxious palpitations happened nonstop from the moment I woke up through trying to fall asleep at night.
“You're not taking care of yourself,” my sponsor had responded.
“I know,” I told her. Not for the first time, I was funneling all my energy into taking care of other people. I knew it. But I still couldn't quite shift gears enough to take care of me.
I thought back to that Instagram Live. When I got on that interview and wasn't myself, I thought, What am I doing? I'm going to destroy everything I have worked so hard to build if I keep pushing this hard. I remembered what my friend Jessie told me once, years before, when she'd seen me doing the same thing. “Amberly,” she'd said, “your impact is only as strong as you are healthy.”
It hit me hard when she said it—hard enough to stick. So why had I continued to push so hard? Why had I chosen to grit it out instead of giving myself grace? Why did I always seem to put others' needs before mine to the point of nearly destroying everything I've worked for years, decades, to achieve? Yes, I love helping others.
But why wasn't I helping myself?
Limiting Beliefs: The Little Girl That I Was
It took some soul‐searching, but I had my answer. When it came right down to it, I didn't feel like I deserved help. And let me tell you, that limiting belief was deep‐seated. I had long ago convinced myself that my needs were secondary (if they even ever rose as high as second on my list of important things). And in supporting others, I had lost sight of my own self.
But sometimes we have to get to such a low place—and get real humble—so we can remember what's really important. For me, in that moment, it took looking at why I had those feelings of unworthiness—why I felt everyone else deserved to feel safe, taken care of, and worthy of grace and compassion—in the first place.
Eventually I realized that those feelings, and the certainty they'd grown into, came from a moment when I was a little girl. If you've read my first book, True Grit and Grace, you know a little of my background. You know that my stepdad hurt me for years, and that when I gathered enough courage to tell my real dad about the sexual abuse I was routinely subjected to, Dad did nothing to stop it. He had his reasons, and when I was an adult he explained them to me. But when I held that experience up to the light, I understood how it made me feel like he didn't protect me because I didn't deserve protection.
That little girl, who felt like she wasn't worth protecting or loving or being taken care of, was still with me as an adult. In other words, my spectacular Instagram fail had begun long, long before I started feeling sick or even missing appointments. It started that day at my Dad's house.
I couldn't have known that or seen this particular public consequence coming. But, as I said, all this unfolded while I was in the process of writing a book about joy. The irony didn't escape me. If I'm going to write a book on joy, I thought, well, my gosh—I better spark some.
Like so many things in life, I couldn't change what had happened. I couldn't change that I'd gotten caught up in the momentum of my career and, as a result, wound up stuck in my little office for 12 or 14 hours a day, with no sun, no breaks, no exercise, doing back‐to‐back Zoom calls. What kind of life is that?
I wasn't doing it anymore.
Instead, I recommitted to practices that would help me come into realignment with my own well‐being.
Reflect and Recommit
Without your health, you lose your relationships, business, reputation, and even your mind. Even worse, you could lose your life. It's not like I didn't know all that, and you would think that going septic once after a kidney infection and winding up in the intensive care unit—and hearing a doctor tell me that if I'd waited one more day to come in, I would be dead—would have scared me enough that I would've paid attention to the alarms going off in my body. But I've always been good at grit, to a detriment. It was only when I realized I couldn't make an impact and help others if I was unhealthy that really got me.
“You know what, Amberly?” my sponsor said. “I want you to do something every day that's going to take care of you the way you take care of other people. I want you to do something to take care of yourself.”
Of course, she was right. I could—and needed to—tell that little girl in me that I am worthy of being taken care of and doing things that bring me joy.
Right out of the gate, I also had to let go of the shame I felt over making a fool of myself in front of thousands of people. So I shined a light on it. I made apologies, faced every text from concerned friends. Heck, I thought, I'm glad they cared enough to reach out. I returned phone calls and assured everyone that I was going to take care of myself—and this time, I meant it.
I decided I would even do an episode on my show, The Amberly Lago Show, and share all the lessons I had learned and what I was doing to improve. Sure, I did this to help listeners, but I also did it to hold myself accountable.
I also looked at the part I'd played that day of the Instagram Live to see what I could change. I couldn't unmake a fool of myself, but I could show up differently from that point on.
If you're reading this and have experienced this kind of embarrassment from your own hand (the worst kind, isn't it?), get radically honest with yourself. Take a good hard look at what isn't working. Ask yourself, “How's that working for ya?” and accept the fact that everything you do is either helping you or hurting you. It's either moving you closer to your goal—moving the needle on your business and your health—or it's hurting you. Get objective with you and call it like it is.
Me, I wasn't doing myself any favors by skipping all the practices I'd cultivated to help me live a full, joy‐filled life. So I recommitted to reading out of my daily reflection books, writing in my journal, and doing what Mel Robbins calls brain dumping, so I could get all the negative feelings out of my head and tame that inner critic. When you read, you learn about the world and others, but when you write, you learn about yourself.
I also made another call to my sponsor, who always makes me feel better. “We can do good on the outside if we're working on our insides,” she reminded me. In other words, when we focus on improving our inner selves—our mindset, emotions, and values—we are better equipped to do good in the world and positively affect those around us. Whether it's a sponsor, a mentor, a good friend who'll risk calling you out, or a therapist, have people you can confide in. For the record, I have them all. She'd also asked me to write down the things I did each day to take care of me, and having the accountability helped. I started making it a point to check in with someone, usually a sober sister, every day.
Mental practices, check.
Within a week, I had my first day without feeling like my heart wasn't beating out of my chest. I still determined to address what was going on with me physically—I wanted to know why my body was trying to tell me something was wrong. I saw a functional doctor and had bloodwork done.
Listen, people—numbers don't lie. When I got the results back, so many things were off. They explained why I'd been feeling anxious to the point that my hair was falling out. The doctor recommended supplements, drinking more water, sleeping more, and keeping my workouts in check. I made those things part of my new business strategy, and I'm already seeing more consistency in my workouts and I'm more intentional about how I move my body.
Holistically addressing my health also helped me set healthy boundaries around my time. I started saying no to things that would drain me—Zoom meetings, podcast guesting invitations, and even three different event planners who approached me about potential speaking gigs. I'd finally recognized how important it is to take time for my mental and physical health, and I was committed to protecting them. If I didn't, everything would come crashing down around me. After all, I was living proof of that.
But I still wasn't done overhauling—I needed to address my spiritual health.
I got down on my knees and prayed, and if I couldn't go to church, I listened to my pastor online. I started my day with the gratitude practice I'd honed after a life‐altering motorcycle accident—and the 34 surgeries that followed—almost took my leg and my life. I shared my gratitude with a special group of women I affectionately refer to as my God Squad gals. Finally, I decided to go to more 12‐step recovery program meetings. I even promised my sponsor I would text her after each one.
All these things together helped me then and continue helping me today. I just needed to take a pause and figure out they were needed.
I think one of the most important things we can do in our lives is to pause. To breathe, take a step back, be still, and quiet our minds. When we pause, we put ourselves in a place to reflect and gain perspective. Sometimes that pause is necessary in a heated moment, so we can consider our response. Sometimes we need to pause when we reach a crossroads in life so we can consider our next steps—what we want most and how to get there. Other times, like it was for me, we need to pause after a busy period to rest, relax, and reflect.
About This Book
Truth be told, I'd started feeling sick the week before Instagram, but I kept pushing through, pushing through, pushing through. By the next week, I was a mess—an absolute mess. But this is a book about finding joy—so what does this experience have to do with the price of eggs in China? Simply this: in order to find joy and keep finding it, we have to acknowledge some truths about the ups and downs of growth and healing.
Lots of people think growing and healing are linear. Nope. That couldn't be farther from the truth. They think, Oh, once I've found joy I'll always be joyful. No—it gets knocked right out of you. Same goes for resilience and confidence. We bounce forward, we slip up. We build momentum, then we lag. Sometimes you fall down and you have to get back up and start over completely.
Similarly, too many people seem to believe that joy and pain are either/or—if you're in the throes of one of them, you can't have the other. Well, that's just plain wrong. But I can attest that it feels very, very true sometimes. There have been times in my life when things got pretty dark. There was a time when I didn't think joy would ever be a part of my life. But I realized that joy comes from deep within us. It's up to us to do the things that deepen our joy.
Repeat after me: we will never cross a boundary and find ourselves in a place where good is perpetual and setbacks don't exist. But with the right tools, we can get through the tough times—and find joy in the process.
That's what this book is for. I want you to have the tools to rebound from life's obstacles. Because believe me, they're coming. I'm going to tell you all about some of the worst ones I've experienced—from being abused as a child, to surviving the motorcycle accident that almost took my leg, to enduring the 34 surgeries that saved it, to asking my doctor for an amputation, to using alcohol as medicine when the pain felt like more than I could take. Pain has been one of my closest companions since I was a kid, but none of it was wasted. It prepared me for the next thing, and the next, and the next.
And it did not end my joy forever—it helped me fight harder to spark it and keep it.
Key Takeaway
You deserve to have your needs met. You are worth having your needs met. Achieving mental and physical well‐being ignites the spark of joy within, illuminating the path to a fulfilling life. When we prioritize self‐care, we fuel our inner light, radiate joy and vitality, brighten our days, and inspire others.
CHAPTER 1The Moment I Discovered Joy
I think my mom put me in dance when I was a kid because it was the girly thing to do and I was always such a tomboy. I had my curls cropped short like Shirley Temple's, and like her, whenever I danced I came alive. In fact, I was fearless about it. When I danced, it wasn't about me. It was about all the people watching, about how I saw them smiling. Their faces lit up.
That's where the joy was.
Well, one night, everyone in my town was celebrating our high school football team's recent win. Football is big in Texas, and it seemed like the whole town had squeezed into that little restaurant. Every table was filled and it was standing room only. There were parents, members of the marching band still in uniform, you name it. The way I remember, they were all clapping their hands along with the jukebox. I was young enough that I don't really remember how I got there or how I got home, but I remember the smiles and the music and the smell of French fries. I started dancing, and before long someone picked me up and put me on a tabletop.
You better believe I kept on dancing.
