Joomla is a technical and serious thing, we admit, but we spend a lot of time on it, and it ends up taking up a lot of space in our lives.

As a result, our relationship with Joomla becomes philosophical, even metaphysical... 

"The goal is the path," wrote Confucius or Goethe (delete as appropriate), so I'm going to try and share with you the path I've taken with Joomla.

I came across Joomla by coincidence, although some would say that there's no such thing as coincidence.

Just as I was losing interest in my job, just as my children were being born, just as I was taking a break to take a look at my life and make some impactful decisions, I came across an article talking about Joomla! as the successor to Mambo, tested it, discovered its structure and fell in love with it. 

I loved this software, structured in a way that made sense to me as a beginner, and whose name, meaning "all together", summed up what I hoped for in life: sharing and solidarity.

Joomla became a permanent part of my life. That was 18 years ago!

The explorer years

I took a leave of absence to look after my newborn children.

Nothing extraordinary ... they needed me, I needed to do some reflecting, and I needed time to give them. 

Devoting time to yourself allows you to refocus, but it's not an egotistical act: it opens up perspectives from which those around you also benefit. Being happy makes others happy.

So I used to garden and do odd jobs with my babies, and their few nap times gave me time to explore Joomla, learn and understand, always with enthusiasm.

Meeting new people…

After 4 years, I decided to take the plunge professionally, with the fear that I wouldn't have the necessary skills to exercise this new profession.

I met people, each one as friendly as the next, on forums, in meetings to exchange ideas about free software, and one day one of them invited me to my first Joomladay.

It was another revelation! 

I understood what the speakers were saying, and this world, which seemed beyond my reach and of which I was irrationally afraid, I became part of it and spoke its language!

I was gradually becoming a Joomler, but perhaps I'd been one all along without realizing it?

My Joomla friends opened doors for me, gave me ideas, provided support and encouraged me to share as much as I had received. I took time to answer questions on the forums, translate documentation, train those who needed it, and that always gave me great pleasure.

… and soulmates

I also discovered that many of my colleagues had followed the same path, had the same approach, shared the same orientations, and above all had the same thirst for knowledge and the same curiosity. I've met some great souls, some serene people and some wounded ones, I've had the pleasure of making real friends, the joy of meeting them physically, the sadness of losing some sometimes...

Finding the purpose

One of my passions is reading, philosophical reading among others, which enables everyone to question themselves, find their bearings, and contribute to a better world.

So I had the opportunity to read books on the Japanese secret to living a long, healthy and happy life. 

From fitness tips to diet advice, I discovered that, according to the Japanese, we all possess an Ikigai: a reason for existing, which drives us to get up every morning and take charge of our lives.

The principle is simple: something within us exists, it's our reason for being.

Ikigai is a concept at the crossroads of : 

• What you are good at 
• What you can be paid for
• What the world needs
• What you love

You can look for your own, and once you've found it, you'll need to cultivate it, because it gives you the strength to get up every morning. 

For some it will be botany, for others cooking, writing a book, physical training… the essential thing is to strike the right balance between the above concepts.

What if…?

So, as you can imagine after reading my story, I looked for my Ikigai, I asked myself questions, and finally the answer revealed itself: what if it was Joomla?

• I'm good at it (well, not too bad)
• I can get paid for it (even just a little, enough to survive)
• The world needs it (sharing, love, solidarity) 
• and above all, I like Joomla

So I think I've found my Ikigaï in Joomla. I don't rule out the possibility that I made a mistake, but in the meantime I'm going to cultivate it, look after it and make sure it contributes to my healthy and happy old age.

What’s your Ikigai?

Now, what about you? What would be your Ikigai?