The Joy We Forget (and How to Get It Back)
S2 Ep10 | Briona Gallagher on Creativity
When was the last time you danced around the kitchen just because you felt like it?
Talking to Briona, a creative strategist and coach, I realised just how much we lose touch with the simple, soul-filling practices that connect us to ourselves—and how vital they are, not just for personal happiness, but for real, lasting success.
In our conversation, Briona shared her approach to creativity: not as something reserved for artists, but as something woven into every part of life. Creativity, she says, is the bridge between the logical and the intuitive. It’s how we solve problems, connect more deeply, and ultimately find more meaning in what we do.
She also spoke about holistic marketing, a concept that starts from within a business, not just from flashy campaigns aimed at customers. When the heart of a business, the reason it was founded in the first place, is alive and well, the creativity and connection flow naturally outward.
But tapping into creativity takes courage. It means pushing past the inner critic, the fear of judgment, and the need to be "productive" all the time. It means remembering how to play again. Not to perform. Not to sell something. Just to play, because it reminds us who we really are.
It’s funny, isn't it? We tell kids to play because it’s good for them, but as adults, we forget to do it ourselves.
One thing that stuck with me was Briona’s reminder that joy is not a by-product of success, it’s a strategy. When we follow our joy, when we create freely without worrying about outcomes, when we let spirituality and soulfulness exist alongside professionalism, we actually do better.
We’re not just happier. We’re more magnetic, more resilient, and more capable of real impact.
If you’ve been feeling stuck or disconnected lately, maybe the solution isn’t to work harder.
Maybe it’s to turn up your favourite song, dance like nobody’s watching, and let the spark inside you catch fire again.
Find out more about Briona at Growcreative.ie