Pleasure as Liberation (Part 2): Channeling My Inner Audre

Encapsulate Studio - Santa Monica, CA

"The erotic is a measure between the beginnings of our sense of self and the chaos of our strongest feelings." – Audre Lorde

If you’re like me, you might have been taught - directly or indirectly - to see pleasure as something external, something we must earn, something grand, something reserved for later.

But what if pleasure was an everyday practice? What if, instead of being a reward, it was a way of living?

This was the heart of my conversation with Crystle Johnson on We Ain’t Dying For This podcast, where I explored Pleasure as Liberation and reflected on how reclaiming pleasure has reshaped my identity, my work, and my sense of self.

Who Is Marisha?

I used to define myself by what I did—my titles, my achievements, the roles I played for others. But I am unlearning that.

I am a truthteller, a visionary, a human doing my best to milk the experience we call life. I am chronically thoughtful, deeply intentional, and endlessly curious about how we can craft spaces that honor the unseen, the mystery within ourselves and each other.

If I must give myself a title, I am an educator turned experience designer and storyteller. But beyond that, I am someone experimenting with artistic expression - written, sonic, aromatic, and visual - to disentangle myself from societal expectations and fully embrace my inherent identity as a creator.

I am audacious. I am unconventional. And I am in the midst of a love affair with pleasure, not as indulgence, but as liberation.

The Lies We Tell Ourselves About Pleasure

Too many of us have been fed myths that keep us disconnected from pleasure. Here are a few:

We don’t have time for pleasure.

• The truth? We don’t have time not to prioritize pleasure. When we push it aside, we push aside the very energy that sustains us.

• Instead of thinking of pleasure as something that requires extra time, what if we wove it into the lives we’re already living?

We must grind, struggle, or accomplish before we can enjoy pleasure.

• Society has conditioned us to believe that suffering earns us the right to rest. But pleasure is not a reward—it is a necessity.

• What if we stopped delaying joy and allowed ourselves to experience it in real-time?

Pleasure must come from outside of us—a lover, an experience, a destination.

• Pleasure is not something we wait to be given; it is something we cultivate.

• When we reclaim pleasure as an internal resource, we stop outsourcing our joy and begin accessing it at will.

Pleasure is always sexual.

• While erotic energy is powerful, pleasure extends far beyond the bedroom.

• It is the warmth of the sun on your skin, the rhythm of a song that moves you, the deep exhale of a moment fully lived.

Pleasure must be extravagant to be real.

• True pleasure is often found in the simplest moments.

• The scent of a favorite candle. The sound of laughter. The texture of a soft fabric.

New Truths to Embrace

Pleasure is a practice, not a reward.
Pleasure is fuel, not a distraction.
Pleasure is power, when we claim it, we reclaim ourselves.

How Pleasure Transformed My Life

Photo Credit: Shereen Jenkins x Ms. Marisha

Before my ‘Purposefully Pursuing Pleasure’ era, I was a high achiever, always striving, always proving. As the firstborn, the first in my family to go to college, a collegiate athlete, I measured my worth in success, in service, in sacrifice.

I lived for external validation. I sought control. I avoided vulnerability.

But something was missing.

When I started prioritizing pleasure, my world expanded. My senses sharpened. My emotions became clearer. I began experiencing life in a way I had never allowed myself to before.

I realized there was more to self-care than just pushing my body to be strong. Pleasure taught me softness, intimacy with myself, connection with others, the ability to be deeply present in the textures, sounds, and scents that soothed my soul.

Pleasure, in many ways, was my liberation. It helped me articulate my needs, honor my desires, and trust my inner wisdom, even when it led me into unknown territory.

And now, in this chapter of my life, I am not just embracing pleasure for myself, I am creating spaces where others can do the same.

A Treasure Chest Inventory: Reclaiming Pleasure

For those struggling to feel deserving of pleasure, I offer this:

Imagine yourself as a treasure chest. Within you are all the beliefs, values, and narratives you’ve collected over time. Some are precious. Others? Burdensome.

Take inventory:

• What stories about pleasure are you carrying?

• Who placed them there?

• Which ones still serve you? Which ones don’t?

Through this practice of non-judgmental reflection, we begin to reclaim pleasure on our terms.

Why Pleasure-Centered Experiences Matter Now More Than Ever

This journey is why I am designing ‘Unwind’ which is a multi-sensory, pop up series of immersive, pleasure-centered enrichment experiences.

Each activation will be tailored to its city’s unique cultural, artistic, and wellness landscape while aligning with the vision of restoration, self-discovery, and connection. Through guided sensory explorations, storytelling, and more, Unwind invites us to slow down, reconnect with ourselves, meet new people, and rewrite our narratives around pleasure as a lifestyle.

These spaces matter now more than ever because in our world of rapid change, emerging technologies, and societal shifts, one thing remains true: our ability to access pleasure shapes our ability to lead, create, and innovate.

Self-Guided Exercise: Welcome Pleasure In

If pleasure feels foreign to you, start here:

• Define what pleasure means to you. What sensations, emotions, people, places, and practices bring you pleasure?

• Create a Pleasure List. Write down experiences that evoke pleasure, or ones you’ve been curious about but never explored.

• Set Pleasure Dates. Commit to engaging in these experiences more often. Whether solo or with others, prioritize them.

• Form a Pleasure Accountability Community. Surround yourself with people who encourage pleasure, rest, and authenticity.

Closing: A Reflection on Pleasure as Power

Photo Credit: @Goddusrising x Ms. Marisha

Pleasure is not a luxury. It is a homecoming.

Audre Lorde reminds us that "the erotic is the nurturer and nursemaid of all our deepest knowledge." When we embrace pleasure, we embrace our deepest selves.

So, I’ll leave you with this:

What would your life look like if you stopped waiting for pleasure and started welcoming it?

Pleasure as Liberation (Part 1): Reclaiming Joy, Freedom & Self-Belonging

Photo Credit: @Goddusrising x Ms. Marisha

I don’t know about you, but I used to believe that pleasure was something to be earned. That joy was a reward for hard work, that rest required justification, that indulgence was a distraction from purpose. But what if pleasure isn’t a luxury but instead the pathway to freedom? What if allowing myself to enjoy, to feel, to lean into what brings me pleasure was the most radical act of self-liberation I could choose?

My Year of Kintsugi was the first time I truly explored these questions. This year of intentional disruption, while uncomfortable and came with many sacrifices, was my radical act of choosing pleasure. This was not as a fleeting escape, but as an intentional and restorative way of being. Like many of us, I spent my entire life pushing forward, hustling, striving for an ideal of success, but when I stepped away from the conventional way of life to disrupt my own patterns, I began to shatter the idea that fulfillment and impact comes solely from doing and achieving. I gave myself permission to redefine success: not as productivity, but as presence.

And in that presence, I found pleasure.

Camelback Mountain - Phoenix, AZ

Pleasure as a Disruption

When I stepped away from academia a year and a half after returning to in-person instruction (following the pandemic), I wasn’t just taking a break. I was disrupting a deeply ingrained cycle, one that glorified burnout and minimized rest, one that equated struggle with strength, a badge of honor, worthiness. I chose instead to explore what pleasure could look like when it wasn’t conditional.

How I’ve Integrated Pleasure as Liberation in My Life

Kualoa Ranch on Oahu

• I let my body move in ways that felt intuitive, whether that was dancing, hiking, or simply lying or playing in nature.

• I indulged in creativity without agenda, writing, creative direction, designing sonic experiences, not for an audience, but for myself.

• I sought intimacy in deep conversations, coffee shop encounters, first dates, and phone calls with [geographically] distant friends; not as a performance, but as a space where I could be fully seen and received.

• I allowed slowness to be sacred, resting not because I was exhausted, but because I deserved to be well, replenished, and quite frankly this is how I become more creative and efficient.

Each of these acts became a reclamation, a reminder that pleasure is not an afterthought, but a birthright and a power source. In the poetic and wise words of activist, writer, and proponent of pleasure (the erotic) Audre Lorde shares, “When we live outside ourselves, and by that I mean on the external directive only, on what is expected of us rather from our internal knowledge and needs, when we live away from those erotic guides from within ourselves then our lives are limited by external and alien forms and we conform to the needs of a structure that is not based on human need, let alone any individuals.”

When we embrace pleasure, we remind the world (and ourselves) that we are more than what we do. We are beings worthy of joy, intimacy, creativity, and deep satisfaction.

The 4 Personas: Reimagining My Own Story

Photo Credit: Maria Joyner x Ms. Marisha

My journey into pleasure as liberation also meant stepping into self-expression in ways that once felt inaccessible or uncomfortable. My boudoir photo series, The 4 Personas, was a direct response to years of societal conditioning that told me who I should be and how I should exist in my body – what path my life should take.

Through this creative immersion, I didn’t just pose for a camera, I reclaimed ownership of my narrative. I depicted myself in ways that honored my softness, my sensuality, my strength. I illustrated not just my survival, but my thriving, my evolution. It was a visual manifesto: I am allowed to take up space. I am allowed to enjoy this moment, this body, this life.

Pleasure is the Path, Not the Prize

Lake Castiac - Los Angeles County

I used to think I had to achieve something before I could deserve pleasure. Now, I understand that pleasure itself is the achievement. It is the act of honoring oneself, of trusting oneself, of choosing joy without apology.

So I ask you:

• How do you allow yourself to experience pleasure?

• What does pleasure as liberation look like in your life?

• How often do you let pleasure be the reason, not just the reward?

Drop your reflections in the comments.

Bumble Love, Learning & Brand Growth: A Valentine’s Day Masterclass

Photo Credit: Ms. Marisha’s Bumble Bizz profile photo

Imagine this…

It’s Valentine’s season, and college campuses are buzzing with talk of love, dating, and friendship. Enter Bumble’s Honey Ambassadors, armed with customized Valentine’s Day activations that blend digital storytelling with real-world engagement.

They launch an on-campus campaign called #LoveOutLoud, encouraging students to share stories of meaningful connections—romantic, platonic, or professional—via social media. Ambassadors distribute Bumble-themed Valentine’s cards with QR codes leading to the app, host “Swipe Right for Career Advice” networking events, and partner with local cafes for “Buy One, Match One” coffee promotions. The result? Increased app downloads, meaningful conversations, strategic partnerships, and a dynamic learning experience for students navigating digital marketing, community engagement, and experiential branding.

This is career-connected learning in action—where students build professional skills while brands gain authentic, grassroots exposure. And it’s exactly why more companies should follow Bumble’s lead in integrating education with business strategy.

In today’s rapidly evolving world of work, the most successful companies aren’t just selling products or services; they’re shaping culture, fostering community, and creating career pathways for the next generation of talent.

Aside from my startup impact relations agency - ZENtertainment™ Enterprises - what’s one brand leading this charge?

Bumble.

Photo Credit: Bumble

Bumble’s Honey Ambassadors: A Blueprint for Career-Connected Learning

The Bumble Honey Ambassadors program is more than just a brand advocacy initiative—it’s an experience design masterclass in career-connected learning. By providing college students with real-world marketing, content creation, and community engagement opportunities, Bumble has built a powerful talent pipeline while empowering young professionals with tangible, transferable skills.

This program exemplifies how companies can blend brand growth with workforce development, offering students hands-on experience that prepares them for the evolving job market. As the nature of work shifts towards gig-based, creator-driven, and community-led models, initiatives like this are critical in bridging the gap between education and industry.

Photo Credit: Bumble

The Future of Work: Experience-Driven, Socially-Connected, and Brand-Integrated

Bumble’s success story offers three key insights into the future of work:

1. Learning by Doing – Traditional education is shifting toward experience-first models, where students gain skills by actively working on projects. Bumble’s ambassador program serves as a compelling case study of how companies can embed hands-on learning within brand-building efforts.

2. Community as Currency – In today’s digital landscape, career growth is increasingly tied to networks and brand affiliation. Bumble isn’t just creating customers; it’s cultivating a community of brand advocates who develop critical marketing and engagement skills through real-world applications.

3. Authenticity & Purpose-Driven Work – Gen Z and Millennial professionals prioritize purpose and alignment over traditional career trajectories. Bumble’s brand mission—centered on fostering meaningful connections—resonates with young professionals seeking work that integrates social impact with skill-building.

Why More Companies Should Follow Bumble’s Lead

Photo Credit: @HailiAndRicky x Ms. Marisha

For educators, workforce leaders, and brands alike, Bumble’s Honey Ambassadors program is a call to action. It underscores why career-connected learning must be a cornerstone of the future of education. By designing experiences that empower young adults with practical, resume-worthy skills, companies can build brand loyalty, drive innovation, and prepare the next generation for the workforce of tomorrow.

Let’s Build the Future of Work—Together

I’m passionate about advocating for career-connected learning experiences that integrate storytelling, experience design, and professional development. If you’re a brand looking to cultivate the next wave of talent through immersive and strategic career-building programs, let’s connect. The future of work is experiential, connected, and driven by purpose—and I’m here to shape it.

Photo Credit: @HailiAndRicky x Ms. Marisha

As a former educator, I bring these skills to the forefront of my new direction in experience design and storytelling. If you’re a socially responsible brand or purpose-driven organization looking to create fresh and relevant content-driven experiences that inspire, provoke, teach, and deliver meaningful impact, I’d love to explore collaboration. Let’s connect and make magic happen. Tag, you’re it!

From Educator to Experience Designer: Why the Future Needs Us

Photo Credit: UsabilityGeek

In a 2025 marketing landscape driven by immersive experiences, authentic storytelling, and community-centered design, here’s a question worth pondering:

Who better to lead the charge than educators?

Flyer promoting virtual enrichment experiences curated by Ms. Marisha and hosted by Teach For America to develop social emotional wellness and combat teacher burnout.

As brands race to create deeper connections through experience design and storytelling, they must recognize the untapped potential of professionals who’ve spent their careers crafting meaningful, transformative moments both in-person and virtually. The pivot from education to either experience design, content creation and marketing isn’t just logical; it’s essential. Companies and organizations seeking freelancers or full-time talent for these roles should actively prioritize candidates with an education background for their unparalleled ability to engage, challenge, teach, and empower.

Let’s dive into five key characteristics that make educators the ultimate content creators and experience designers, especially in light of 2025 trends:

1. Thinks Like an Educator: In today’s world of brand activations and experiential marketing, content isn’t just consumed—it’s experienced. Just as educators design lesson plans to resonate with diverse learners, experience designers craft moments that educate, delight, and inspire. Think about brands like IKEA, who recently launched its "Hus of FRAKTA" popup on London’s Oxford Street dedicated to its iconic blue, sustainable shopping bags - encouraging creative, shareworthy social moments or moments to interact IRL with that brand helping to drive brand visibility, engagement and awareness. These campaigns don’t just sell products; they highlight values, inspire action, and build loyalty—precisely the kind of outcomes educators excel at creating.

2. Speaks with Clarity and Flair: In 2025, communication is no longer just about being heard; it’s about being remembered - just like this 3:46 Instagram Volvo ad shot by Hoyte Van Hoytema, the cinematographer of Interstellar and Oppenheimer. The best experiences and marketing content combines clarity with creativity, just like a great classroom lesson. Educators have mastered this balance, often presenting complex ideas in digestible, engaging formats. Companies like HubSpot, known for their clear, actionable content marketing strategies, thrive because they adopt an educator’s mindset—breaking down big ideas into relatable, actionable insights. 

3. Masters Resourcefulness: Creative resourcefulness is the secret weapon of both educators and marketers. In a world where AI and other emerging technologies are reshaping how brands interact with audiences, knowing how to adapt and leverage tools is critical. Educators—accustomed to operating within constraints—bring unparalleled creativity to the table. Look at Stich Fix, Sephora and Ulta Beauty who are creating interactive experiences for their audiences. Stich Fix leverages AI to curate personalized clothing recommendations based on customer profiles while Sephora and Ulta Beauty offer virtual try-on features using AR technology for makeup products. Such innovations require the resourceful, forward-thinking mindset educators bring.

My Spotify Wrapped banners for a peek into my listening habits, top artists and songs from 2024.

4. Sets Goals and Tracks Progress Data-driven decision-making is the cornerstone of effective marketing in 2025. Educators already have experience setting learning objectives, measuring progress, and iterating strategies to improve outcomes. Take Spotify’s Wrapped campaign launched by former intern Jewel Ham: its success lies in the brand’s ability to track user data and create personalized, shareable content that resonates deeply. Similarly, educators are trained to analyze data and refine their approach—a perfect match for the metrics-driven world of content creation.

5. Knows Their Audience Inside and Out Personalization remains the dominant trend in marketing. Just as educators tailor lessons to meet the needs of individual students, skilled experience designers, content creators, and marketers curate offerings that feel uniquely crafted for their audiences. Consider Cleo, an AI-powered app that acts as Gen Z’s personal finance assistant, which uses an authentic voice through relatable memes, imagery, and slang. This requires deep empathy and understanding—qualities at the core of every educator’s skill set.

As a former educator, I bring these skills to the forefront of my new direction in experience design and storytelling. If you’re a socially responsible brand or purpose-driven organization looking to create fresh and relevant content-driven experiences that inspire, provoke, teach, and deliver meaningful impact, I’d love to explore collaboration. Let’s connect and make magic happen. Tag, you’re it!

Purposefully Pursuing Pleasure: Centering Courage, Connection, and Creativity

The Golden Rejoining: My Year of Kintsugi

I’ve been practicing intentional disruption. While I never officially announced this outside of the conversation I had with my former director, two years ago, I took a leap many would consider unconventional. I stepped away from my faculty role at a top university and declared a personal sabbatical: My Year of Kintsugi. Inspired by the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, this year became a metaphor for my own journey, where during this time, I began to learn more about my own fragmented life experiences weave their lessons into a renewed narrative that reflected purpose, compassion, and beauty.

This year-long practice allowed me to confront my wounded inner child, unlearn shame, and embrace radical self-acknowledgement while I frequently sat in solitude, savored nature, and experimented with creative expression. A symbolic moment during this transformation was when I coordinated a boudoir photo shoot—a vulnerable act that celebrated my resilience and redefined how I viewed old versions of myself. Voice journaling and other forms of artistic expression amidst serene landscapes prompted me to repair the fractured pieces of my story that took place during key moments in my life.

This process taught me a profound truth: life’s contrasts —our undesirable or seemingly unrepairable broken moments—are the foundation of our beauty. They are the stories that make us whole. The stories that make us human.

This deeply personal experience set the stage for something greater: a movement to normalize the pursuit of pleasure as a foundational pillar for wellbeing, creativity, connection, and innovation.

Purposefully Pursuing Pleasure Defined

Pleasure is not frivolity; it is fuel. It is the spark that ignites creativity, connection, and resilience. ‘Purposefully Pursuing Pleasure’ is more than indulgence; it’s an intentional choice to infuse joy, depth, and restoration into our daily lives.

For me, ‘Purposefully Pursuing Pleasure’ means intentionally choosing people, places, platforms, and practices that evoke unconditional love, curiosity, safety, and flow. It’s about self-accountability and designing a life that is both restorative and inspiring, anchored in the belief that our wellbeing is the foundation of our contributions to the world.

Science supports this: pleasure is tied to dopamine release, which enhances motivation, learning, and emotional resilience. Studies in psychology and neuroscience reveal that positive experiences improve cognitive function, deepen interpersonal relationships, and foster innovation. When we approach pleasure as purposeful, we build the capacity to face challenges with courage and compassion, transforming pleasure into a tool for personal growth and societal impact.

From Educator to Experience Designer: A Call for Intentional Disruption

As an educator, I valued the structured learning environments I facilitated. But through my sabbatical, I’ve learned the power of stepping off the beaten path and discovered a broader calling: to become an example, a collaborator, and fellow human exploring what life has to offer beyond professional accomplishments. Leaving academia to immerse myself in pleasure-driven exploration was an intentional disruption—a choice to break free from the hustle mentality and redefine success.

In this new creative chapter, I’ve embraced storytelling and experience design as powerful vehicles to nurture curiosity, courage, and creativity. Whether curating intimate workshops on sensual awakening or developing traveling, multi-sensory experiences, my mission remains the same: to cultivate spaces where people feel seen, safe, and inspired to grow while making new connections.

Pleasure, when pursued with purpose, is transformative. It’s the antidote to burnout, a catalyst for innovation, and a bridge to meaningful relationships. This realization birthed Purposefully Pursuing Pleasure – a series of enrichment offerings I’ve been designing to explore how pleasure can revolutionize how we live, learn, lead, and love.

The Case for Purposeful Pleasure in Our Collective Future

Our society often undervalues pleasure, treating it as secondary to productivity. But in truth, pleasure is a necessity, not a luxury. Pleasure isn’t just personal,it’s pivotal to our collective wellbeing. By redefining its role in our lives, we unlock opportunities to:

• Innovate: Pleasure activates areas of the brain associated with idea generation and problem-solving.

• Connect: Shared pleasurable experiences build empathy and foster stronger relationships.

• Lead: Leaders who embrace pleasure as a personal wellbeing practice are more emotionally intelligent and they inspire trust, collaboration, and resilience in their teams.

• Wellbeing: Intentionally pursuing pleasure helps us release trauma, break cycles of shame, and rediscover joy. Cultivating joy and intimacy reduces stress and improves mental health.

These principles form the foundation of my Purposefully Pursuing Pleasure enrichment offerings. While still in development and more details on how to enroll will be available soon, I can share that my offerings blend experience design, storytelling, and scientific research to explore how pleasure can reshape how we live, learn, love, and lead. Additionally, by redefining pleasure, we create a world where flourishing is not reserved for the few but accessible to all.

Themes and Benefits: Embracing Intentional Disruption

This journey is guided by themes that reflect the essence of purposeful pleasure:

• Intentional Disruptions: Stepping away from “business as usual” to reflect and realign.

• Pleasure Redefined: Embracing joy and connection as vital to success and wellbeing.

• Sabbaticals for Self-Acknowledgment: Creating space to honor life’s transitions.

• Storytelling & Experience Design: Using narrative and sensory experiences to process our lived experience and cultivate community and creativity.

By leaning into these practices, we can collectively reimagine leadership, education, and innovation, creating a world where pleasure becomes a catalyst for progress.

A Call to Journey Together

As I navigate this evolving path into my next chapter, I am no longer just an educator, nor am I here to serve as your guru, influencer, or expert. I am a guide, a collaborator, and fellow human navigating life’s complexities alongside other impact-minded explorers interested in uniting with me in embracing life’s golden rejoining. Through my ‘Purposefully Pursuing Pleasure’ experiential offerings, I challenge you to define and pursue intentional disruption in a way that allows you to experience the freedom in reimagining your relationship with pleasure, vulnerability and resilience. Together, we’ll explore how intentional disruptions can unlock courage, creativity, and connection in every aspect of our lives.

Let us honor our fragmented life moments and rediscover the beauty in becoming.

A Vision for the Future

This movement is not about escapism; it’s about transformation. When we purposefully pursue pleasure, we reclaim our humanity and tap into our full potential. By embedding pleasure into leadership, learning, and innovation, we redefine what’s possible for individuals and communities alike.

So, I leave you with this invitation:

Dare to pause. Explore what lights you up. And never hide from what makes you the beautiful work of art that you are.

The golden rejoining begins here, but this is only the beginning. Please, BARE With Me.

A Commitment to Myself: Purposefully Pursuing Pleasure at 40

In my 40s, I’ll be purposefully pursing pleasure. For me this means intentionally choosing people, places, platforms, and practices that offer or provoke unconditional love, joy, surprise, delight, depth, reciprocity, restoration, intimacy, curiosity, ease, safety, flow – pleasure.

In my 40s, I’ll be living, working, and playing internationally. My priorities are environments that are warm, community-oriented, open-minded, forward-thinking, culturally diverse, entrepreneurial yet human-centered and have a high quality of life, creative and artistic, inexpensive, friendly and safe for single Black women, varied in available terrain and activities, easily accessible to other interesting regions of the world that I’d like to explore.

In my 40s, I’ll be cultivating an understanding of my mind, body, spirit to expand my love for myself, to optimize my wellbeing, and to increase my social impact. Specifically, I’ll be exploring new wellness modalities from other cultures, studying the female anatomy at different stages of life, and how purposefully pursing pleasure affects learning, creativity, leadership, and innovation.

In my 40s, I’ll be wealthy, healthy, and in love with the most adventurous, funny, kind, wise, protective, encouraging, thoughtful, sexy, genuine, loyal, and adoring partner for me. We are compliments to one another, balancing, yet elevating for one another. Our union is a divine connection that births unforgettable memories, builds worlds, and leaves a legacy of meaning for generations to come.

In my 40s, I’ll be creating from my heart without shame or fear of judgement, just love and passionate thoughtfulness. I will learn and use various mediums to nurture spaces, design experiences and curate conversations that are intentional, elevating, and unifying. My aim is to invite others to explore their stories, see their depths, and become curious about the mysteries of others and the world around them.

Redefining the Human Experience Through Pleasure: The Role of Experience Design & Storytelling

In a world obsessed with hustle culture and relentless productivity, the notion of pleasure often feels like an afterthought—reserved for weekends, vacations, or fleeting indulgences. But what if pleasure were central to how we live, lead, learn, and love? What if it were the spark that transforms mundane routines into moments of growth, connection, and innovation?

Our human existence – at least here in the Western world – seems to be increasingly defined by complexity and disconnection, yet we know the way we design and share experiences shapes the quality of our lives. As an educator-turned-experience designer and storyteller, I’ve seen firsthand how intentional, well-crafted experiences can unlock individual potential, build bridges through meaningful dialogue, and generate fresh ideas – to name a few benefits.

After taking an unconventional leap into a year-long sabbatical that required sacrifices across every aspect of my life, I unexpectedly spent much of my time exploring how purposeful pleasure can be a driver of holistic wellbeing and societal transformation. The answer lies in rethinking our approach, integrating experience design and storytelling into every facet of our personal and professional lives.

Yet, despite their profound impact, experience design and storytelling remain underutilized tools in shaping how we learn, lead, and innovate. It's time we change that.

The Science of Pleasure: More Than Just a Luxury

Neuroscience tells us that pleasure isn’t just a feel-good state—it’s a powerful motivator for human behavior. When we experience pleasure, the brain releases dopamine, enhancing focus, creativity, and emotional resilience. Studies have shown that positive emotional states can significantly improve learning outcomes, decision-making, and collaboration.

For example, Google’s renowned 20% Time policy, which encourages employees to pursue personal passion projects, has birthed innovations like Gmail and Google News. By creating an environment where curiosity and joy thrive, they’ve demonstrated that pleasure isn’t a distraction—it’s a driver of success.

Experience Design: Crafting Meaningful Encounters

At its core, experience design is about creating intentional, emotionally resonant interactions that leave lasting impressions. Think of how Apple reimagined the retail experience with its minimalist, interactive stores or how wellness brand Calm uses sensory design to turn a simple meditation app into a sanctuary for the mind. These are not just services; they are experiences that engage, inspire, and elevate.

In my own work, I’ve used experience design to transform classrooms, corporate wellness programs, and community spaces into environments where people feel seen, valued, and inspired. By integrating sensory elements like lighting, sound, and scent, we can evoke pleasure, deepen focus, and foster genuine connection.

Storytelling: The Universal Human Connector

Stories are how we make sense of the world. They build empathy, foster connection, and inspire action. Take Patagonia, for instance—a brand that doesn’t just sell outdoor gear but weaves stories of environmental stewardship into its marketing, fostering a loyal community of changemakers.

In education and leadership, storytelling has the power to bridge divides and create shared meaning. I’ve seen firsthand how sharing my own journey—of leaving academia, embracing the discomfort of vulnerability, and pursuing pleasure as a form of self-reclamation—has inspired others to rethink their narratives. Storytelling isn’t just about telling; it’s about inviting others to see themselves in the story.

Pleasure as a Catalyst for Wellbeing, Learning, and Leadership

Purposefully pursuing pleasure is a radical act of self-care and collective growth. Imagine a future where educators design curricula that engage students’ senses, where workplaces prioritize joy and belonging, and where leaders use storytelling to inspire collaboration across cultural and generational lines.

This isn’t a utopian dream—it’s already happening. Brands like Airbnb and Disney are redefining hospitality and entertainment through immersive storytelling. Companies like IDEO are using human-centered design to create solutions that blend functionality with delight.

At the intersection of pleasure, experience design, and storytelling lies the potential to:

• Elevate Wellbeing: Pleasure reduces stress and builds emotional resilience, enabling us to thrive in uncertain times.

• Foster Creativity: Joyful, engaging environments are the breeding grounds for innovative ideas.

• Strengthen Connection: Shared experiences and stories deepen empathy and create bonds that transcend differences.

• Inspire Leadership: Visionary leaders understand that humanity—not profit—drives lasting change.

A Vision for the Future

As I develop the Purposefully Pursuing Pleasure enrichment offerings, my mission is to create spaces where pleasure becomes the foundation for transformative experiences. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, storytelling, and immersive design, this program will equip participants to reimagine how we live, lead, learn, and love.

It’s time we move beyond survival and embrace pleasure as a pathway to collective flourishing. This isn’t just about feeling good—it’s about doing good, innovating boldly, and connecting deeply.

Let’s craft a world where pleasure is no longer the exception but the rule. After all, the human experience deserves nothing less.

About the Author:

Marisha Dixon is an educator turned experience designer and storyteller whose work bridges the intersections of multi-sensory pleasure-centered wellbeing and social impact. Her mission is to create evocative experiences that celebrate human vulnerability and resilience, inviting individuals and organizations to reimagine the power of pleasure.