Joy is not a reward.
It’s your compass.
Start designing the life you want to live!
Welcome to my
Word Cloud of Worthlessness!
Before I created Joy by Design, I was here.These are the words I carried, for years!
Fear. Shame. Exhaustion.
The sense that something was wrong with me. That I was somehow failing at life.
Maybe some of these words live in you too.
This isn’t a diagnosis. It’s a snapshot—a mirror of what it feels like to be stuck, overwhelmed, disconnected from yourself.
If you’ve ever found yourself here, you're not alone.
And you don’t have to stay here.
What Is Joy by Design?
Joy by Design is a grounded, practical way to reconnect with who you are—and how you want to feel.It’s not about toxic positivity or forced gratitude.
It’s about learning to listen—and using simple, powerful tools to feel better, one thought at a time.
I didn’t create this work to sell it. I created it to survive.
Over time, it did more than help me cope. It transformed my life. My marriage. My parenting. My work life.
And it can absolutely change yours, too.
My daughter calls this our “generational wealth.”
Joy by Design is how I share it—with you.
It’s about choosing clarity over chaos, curiosity over shame, momentum over stuckness.
And it’s about practicing joy—not as a reward, but as a way of moving through the world.
This is what we do here:
We design lives that feel worth living—from the inside out.
And when you do this work, moment by moment— you unleash your ability to manifest the life you really want.
I’m so happy you’re here!
The Resilient Optimism Roadmap
How To Move Through Big Emotions (and Back Into Action)
For anyone facing job loss, panic, or a WTF moment. This isn’t just a feel-good graphic. It’s a serious tool—for getting unstuck when life feels impossible - and it’s almost ready to share!
I built this framework during the hardest season of my life, after the 2008 crash. These lessons were earned—not imagined—and they carried me through.
If you’re crying at your desk trying to write a cover letter, I’ve been there.
This roadmap is for that moment.
I’ll also be providing short, supportive lessons (think: quick videos or guides) to help you move forward, moment by moment—not just in theory, but in real life.
Because this is a practice.
You can get better.
You can get unstuck.
And you don’t have to do it alone.
Drop your email below and I’ll send you everything when it’s ready! FREE. Real. No fluff.
Sign Me Up.
Sign up here to get first access to the Resilient Optimism Roadmap (FREE!) and/or Joy Studio. Zero commitment. Opt out anytime.
Joy Studio
The Road to Joy Continues! The Resilient Optimism Roadmap is just the beginning. There are more maps to navigate.Joy isn’t a destination—it’s a practice.
And as you move from having → doing → being, you need new tools, deeper insight, and a little bit of magic.
That’s where the Joy Studio begins.
It’s a four-part journey grounded in ancient wisdom, modern mindset work, and real-life emotional tools—woven together with my experience as an innovator and experience designer.
What emerges is more than a curriculum.
It’s part learning, part community, part alchemy.
This space is serious, soulful, and a little bit magical.
Think Harry Potter meets emotional resilience.
A small pilot is opening soon.
If you want first access (and a founder’s discount), sign up here.
I’d love to welcome you into the room when the magic begins.
The Energy Gauge™
A quietly powerful tool at the heart of Joy by Design.The Energy Gauge isn’t just a feeling check-in.
It’s a layered tool that helps you notice your emotional state, shift your energy, and reconnect with what matters.
Simple to use. Surprisingly deep.
And yes… there’s an app coming.
We can’t wait to share this with you as part of our Joy Studio curriculum!
Stories, Reflections, and Real Talk
This is where the framework meets real life. On Substack, I share the behind-the-scenes stories, honest reflections, and everyday moments where Joy by Design comes to life. Here are a few stories to get you started. I would love to have you subscribe and join our Joy by Design community!
The Day I Stopped Living Inside…
The Joy Line
Start Here: Welcome to Joy By Design
I’ve been a diplomat in West Africa, had a maker studio at the Smithsonian, and sold art nationally through Pottery Barn Kids. I once lived in Mombasa researching prostitution (yes, really) and worked with shipbuilders in Taiwan. I’ve studied French, Swahili, and a little Mandarin—just enough to get lost and find my way back.
I’ve created magical museum experiences, reimagined learning spaces for kids, and helped leaders rediscover what’s possible.
I grew up between New York City and a sheep farm in Maine.
Raised three incredible, complicated kids.
Meditated in silence. Cried in bathrooms. Kept going.
Along the way, I changed my setpoint—from fear to trust, from shame to curiosity.
I cast off old patterns and chose a different path.
This work is the after to a very real before.
I believe play is sacred, creativity is medicine, and joy isn’t a reward—it’s a way home.
Joy by Design is where it all comes together.
The soul. The strategy. The mess. The magic.
If you’re craving more—you’re not alone.
We’re just getting started. Join me.
About Justine.
Mom. Maker. Meditator. Creative rebel. Student of joy.