5 Ways to live and share your joy

Have you felt this year testing your overall level of happiness? Sickness, job loss, juggling remote work-life balance, virtual burnout – all of this can really take a toll on individuals and communities. Want to work with us to become a better source of joy and positive change? Here are five quick reminders for how to live your joy while sharing it and spreading it to others who need just that.

Make your voice count

Pepsi is proud to support KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky, one of our newest partners, to deliver Pepsi products to passionate music, entertainment and University of Louisville sports fans for years to come. To kick off our partnership, we are supporting the KFC Yum! Center in its role as a polling site for the 2020 Elections on October 29 & 30, by greeting early Louisville voters with free Pepsi products in the Arena Plaza as they exercise their civic duty.

Generate smiles

This can be so easy if you let it. One act of kindness, planned or spontaneous, can completely turn someone else’s day around. Keep it simple: Rake a neighbor’s lawn, or leave a kind note in their mailbox, or place a bright pot of flowers on their doorstep. They don’t need to know who did it – that’s part of the fun.

Give big (or small)

Studies show that generosity makes people happier, so why not test it out? Donate online to a local charity. If you need some ideas of where to start, keep in mind that more families are at risk of facing hunger this year (it’s expected that 54 million people could deal with food insecurity in the U.S.). At the same time, school children and teachers may be struggling to get the classroom supplies they need.

Or volunteer – give of your time. On our end, we’re partnering with the Memphis Grizzlies to offer guidance to high school students through a local internship and mentorship program. We’re also donating $10,000 to Miami HEAT police training programs.

Let go of what you don’t need

But don’t toss it in the trash, if you can help it. According to 2018 statistics, 65.% of materials thrown out from U.S. homes and businesses end up in landfills or get burned in incinerators. Clear your living space and office of clothing and furniture you no longer have a use for, but turn it into a gift for someone who can use it. Donate to your friend who just moved into a new place, or to a local charitable organization, or leave it at the end of your driveway with a “free” sign and see if a neighbor grabs it (you’d be surprised).

Share your gratitude

Many local businesses are suffering from lost revenue. According to the National Restaurant Association, the restaurant industry alone could lose $240 billion by the end of 2020. So take an extra step to say “thank you” when you receive a service. Tip 25% or 30% if you can, and even post a helpful review on Google or on your social media channels. Gratitude goes a long way in showing your support of others in your community, especially when their jobs are on the line.

While these are some of our favorite ways to live our joy, there are so many other approaches out there to choose from. So tag us with the hashtag #PepsiStrongerTogether on social media and tell us: How do you live your joy? And better yet, how do you spread it?