Power Hour: Being Present in the Moments of Joy
On June 4, 2025, the Women in the Floor Covering Industry (WIFI) community gathered for a deeply moving and uplifting Power Hour focused on a topic that resonates with every professional and person: being present in the moments of joy. The featured speaker, Lori Eberenz, shared a powerful message rooted in personal experience, designed to help us better understand how identifying and collecting joy can fortify us for life's toughest moments.
Meet the Speaker: Lori Eberenz
Lori, a seasoned marketing professional and mother of two daughters, is no stranger to stress and responsibility. But everything shifted when she was unexpectedly diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer at the age of 43. This life-altering moment forced her to look at the world through a new lens—one where joy became not a luxury, but a necessity.
It all began with a question from her executive coach: “What brings you joy?” Lori couldn’t answer right away. But that question stuck—and became her lifeline.
From Simple Question to Powerful Compass
Lori’s talk centered on how that one question prompted her to reflect on and identify specific moments that filled her with joy—quiet coffee on her deck before her household wakes, watching her daughter shine in a school play, a sunset cruise with lifelong friends. By recognizing these moments and naming them, Lori began building what she calls a "joy muscle"—a practice of being present and filling her cup in preparation for life’s curveballs.
And the curveball came.
Shortly after beginning her joy practice, Lori was diagnosed with breast cancer. What began as a simple bruise turned into a diagnosis that required multiple surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation. But thanks to the intentional habit of identifying joy, she was emotionally equipped for the grueling months ahead.
The Role of Joy in Resilience
Throughout her treatment, Lori used joy as fuel. She shared how small, intentional practices—like spending time with loved ones, laughing with friends during chemo sessions, and curating a mental library of joyful moments—helped her fight through the physical and emotional toll of cancer.
Even during the hardest moments, Lori stayed committed to filling her cup. She planned chemo around family events, leaned on a support system that brought not just comfort but laughter, and made space to pause and absorb joy wherever she could find it.
From Glimmers to Full-Body Joy
One of Lori’s key takeaways was the distinction between fleeting “glimmers” of happiness and profound moments of joy. While both are meaningful, she encouraged attendees to be intentional about pursuing joy—those moments where your cheeks hurt from smiling, where pride swells, and where time seems to stop.
Joy isn’t just something that happens to us; it’s something we can choose to look for, savor, and store up for when we need it most.
Your Joy Journal: A Tool for Daily Life
To help others build their joy muscle, Lori is developing a guided journal. Over 20 weeks, users will reflect on weekly themes and capture five moments of joy per week. By the end, they’ll have a collection of 100 joy-filled memories they can return to again and again.
As Lori shared, even the simple act of writing these memories down helps them imprint on the brain—making them easier to recall when times get hard.
Highlights from the Community Chat
Attendees shared their own examples of moments that have brought them joy throughout the session, including:
A beloved dog snuggled with a toy
Finishing a long-anticipated home project and finally enjoying it
Watching kids squeal with laughter in sprinklers
Receiving the first box of printed books after publishing a personal work
Final Thoughts: Ask Yourself the Question
Lori left us with a challenge: ask yourself, “What brings me joy?” Don’t settle for generic answers. Be specific. Be intentional. Write it down.
Start collecting these moments now—because when life gets tough, they’ll be what sustains you.
WIFI Updates & Opportunities
📚 Mentorship Program: The fourth cohort is currently active, with applications open for the fifth round launching in the fall.
🎓 Scholarships: WIFI awards $1,000–$5,000 annually for continuing education. The latest round of winners has just been announced—stay tuned for future opportunities!
🙋♀️ Get Involved: Join Friends of WIFI to help support programming, mentorship, and scholarships. Individual donations start at $15/month, with corporate levels beginning at $1,500/year.
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