Follow Your Bliss (Even When You’re Tired)

Last week I was speaking with a founder, part of a group of startup leaders I was supporting. We were reflecting on transitions, and he turned the spotlight on me: "So… what do you want to do next?"

I’d just wrapped up a two-month road trip after resigning from my leadership role, and I gave what I thought was an honest answer: “I want to do more of what brings me joy.” But he wasn’t satisfied. "So, no specific job? No goals?"

I paused, scanned my body, and said again: “I just want to do more of the things that make me feel alive.” He smiled and said, “Ah. So… you’re following your bliss.”

That phrase stuck. As I reflected on it, I realised: yes - that’s exactly what I’m doing. And the litmus test for me has become crystal clear:

Even when I’m exhausted, I feel alive.

And that’s exactly how I felt that entire week – physically depleted at times from a full schedule, but completely and unmistakably energised. The kind of energy that doesn’t come from caffeine or sleep, but from alignment. From being exactly where you’re meant to be.

That feeling – aliveness, presence, clarity – is what Joseph Campbell called bliss. And it’s not a fluffy concept. When we follow what brings us joy, something powerful happens in our minds and bodies. We enter flow. We expand. We lead from within.

But… what does it really mean to “follow your bliss”?

What is is and what it isn't

The phrase was coined by mythologist Joseph Campbell, who described bliss not as pleasure or escapism, but as a deep inner yes – the rapture of being aligned with your purpose. He warned it’s not always easy. Bliss isn’t always convenient. Sometimes it means doing the hard thing, even when no one else understands why. But if you’re honest with yourself, you know the feeling. You feel it in your body.

And that’s where the work begins.

Why doing what brings you joy matters (and isn’t selfish)

Modern neuroscience and psychology are catching up with what many ancient traditions and embodied practices have always known; when we do what brings us joy, we:

• Reduce cortisol (stress hormone)

• Improve immune function

• Sleep better and focus more easily

• Build emotional resilience

• Increase engagement and productivity

• Access flow states more frequently

In other words: following your bliss is good leadership hygiene. Especially in high-stakes environments like startups, joy isn’t a luxury. It’s a stabiliser, an amplifier, and often, your most reliable internal compass.

But what if you can’t? (or feel like you shouldn’t?)

You might be reading this thinking: That’s nice in theory, but I’ve got a business to run / kids to feed / deadlines to meet. Fair. Bliss isn’t always available in big, obvious ways. But it can often be accessed in micro-moments:

• 10 minutes of deep focus on something you love

• One project that energises you amidst many that don’t

• A conversation where you feel truly lit up

You don’t need to upend your life. You just need to listen. Your body already knows. It tightens around what’s not aligned. It softens around what is.

So how do you follow your bliss, practically?

Here are some invitations I share with founders and leaders I work with:

1. Learn your body’s yes and no Practice somatic check-ins. When considering a decision, notice: do I feel expansion or contraction? Warmth or tension? Energy or shutdown?

2. Track your aliveness At the end of the day or week, ask: when did I feel most like myself? What gave me energy? What drained me?

3. Budget for bliss Even in busy times, allocate time for what lights you up – a creative outlet, meaningful conversation, a hobby. Even 15 minutes counts.

4. Redefine success Balance outcome-driven goals with aliveness-oriented goals. Ask not just “What do I want to achieve?” but also “What do I want to feel more of?”

5. Create environments, not pressure Rather than setting rigid goals, raise your standards. Focus on how you want to show up, not just what you want to produce.

In closing…

Following your bliss isn’t about waiting for clarity or certainty. It’s about responding to what brings you alive – again and again.

The work will still be hard. But it will be worth it. Because it will be yours.

And yes, it’s a risk. But as Joseph Campbell said, "If you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all along."

So ask yourself: What brings me alive? What’s asking to be followed? And how can I honour it – even in small ways – this week?

I’d love to hear from you. Do you resonate with the idea of following your bliss? What does it look like for you? And what gets in the way?

And if you would like copy of my Bliss Audit & Alignment Map and/or Somatic Compass Practice, hit reply, leave a comment or DM me.

Want to follow your bliss, not just chase goals?

If you’re a leader, founder, or team ready to build a more fulfilling, energised way of working, let’s talk. I help people reconnect with what lights them up through embodied leadership practices – from breathwork and presence to joy, awe, and sustainable performance. Together, we’ll create space for you to lead from a place of deep alignment and aliveness.

📅 Book a Coaching Session: Click here to schedule a call

📧 Email me: coaching@dagmaraaldridge.com

Until then,

Love from blissful Dag