CLOSE YOUR EYES AND PICTURE it for a moment. Pure joy. Could be sitting in the sun on a warm day, basking in the knowledge that your grown kids are on their way to visit. Or it could be just the opposite: finally a moment of peace and quiet in the house after a chaotic week. Joy can seem fleeting, rare even. But there are ways to get closer to joy on a daily basis. A lot of people confuse joy with happiness, and although they are closely related and often occur simultaneously, these feelgood emotions are not synonymous. Happiness is an emotion that brings bursts of intense pleasure, excitement, and satisfaction, while joyfulness is a stronger, longer-term state that results in feelings of inner peace and contentment.
Spoiler alert: the last year has been challenging to say the least. Between the coronavirus pandemic, the nationwide protest over police brutality and racial injustice, and the normal demands on your time, there has been a lot to feel anxious about. So, if you’re having more difficulty finding positivity and joy, you’re not alone. You can absolutely improve your happiness level if you are willing to put the effort into it.
I recently read a book titled Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee, a designer and the founder of the blog The Aesthetics of Joy. In Joyful she writes about “the surprising power of ordinary things to create extraordinary happiness.” More than a decade ago, Fetell Lee started asking complete strangers about the tangible things that brought them joy. To her surprise, some answers came up over and over again, including confetti, tree houses, rainbows, googly eyes, kites, hot air balloons, and clouds. It was immediately clear that there was something about bright colors, Fetell Lee says, that seems like they translated to joy.
Here are some expert-approved strategies to finding more joy:
• Strike up a conversation with family members, friends, or even strangers. I know someone who started talking with a stranger in the laundry room and found her Joy. Social interaction is the thing that most positively increases people’s emotions, whether introverted or extroverted.
• Make a “joy list.” What brings you joy? The question seems simple enough, but when was the last time you really considered it? Think about what really makes you happy, spending time with friends, aspects of your work, or perhaps something else entirely, to help you make time for what truly matters.
• Give a little bit. There’s a reason the adage, “It is better to give than to receive” has stood the test of time. It’s actually true. Especially in terms of cultivating joy.
• Make time for exercise, even if it’s for only 10 minutes. Research shows that being on top of your game physically can also lead to being on top of your game mentally. A recent study shows that people who work out for even 10 minutes a week tend to be more cheerful than those who never exercise.
• Get houseplants. The benefits of owning indoor plants go beyond interior decorating. Touching and smelling indoor plants can reduce stress, as can the mere sight of an indoor plant. Don’t exactly have a green thumb? Try The Sill’s plants for beginners subscription service in NYC (www.thesill.com). Each month the online shop will send you a low-maintenance plant, a clay planter, and instructions on how to care for your new greenery. My first order from The Sill is due to ship this week.
• Better yet, go outside. A healthy dose of the great outdoors can make you healthier and happier. Spending time in nature quiets the part of the brain that tends to brood and ruminate over any problems or worries. In addition to boosting mental health, research indicates that exploring your local park or walking through the woods can reduce stress and decrease blood pressure, lower the risk of diabetes and heart disease, as well as increase creativity, recognition, and life expectancy.
Whatever joy means to you, this feeling can be harnessed in surprisingly simple ways even in difficult times. Best wishes.
Daniel J. Jachimiak, BA, is a Feature Writer/Journalist and Speaker. Dan can be reached at djachimiak@bex.net or 419-787-2036. ~ You can have a better life ~
