"Do you savor moments of joy? Or do you postpone it until easier times? When the world feels gray and shaky, joy might seem almost offensive-something for other people, something for other times. That real or imagined voice says, "What are you smiling about?" Or else, we are just too busy multitasking, keeping up, side-hustling; we don't have the time to smell the proverbial roses."
"Noticing joy is nothing like chasing " happiness." Chasing happiness as a goal tends to backfire. "Am I happy yet? Am I happy enough?" When people constantly monitor themselves, they end up more stressed, more self‑critical, and more disappointed when life (predictably) doesn't cooperate. The demand to be happy becomes one more task on an already exploding to‑do list, and the nervous system, like an overmanaged employee, becomes too stressed to "perform.""
Joy functions as a small but vital necessity that preserves humanity even amid severe stress and crisis. Seeking happiness as a goal often backfires because constant self-monitoring increases stress, self-criticism, and disappointment. Joy requires only brief noticing of small pleasures—sunlight on a wall, the smell of coffee, the weight of a book, or a kind 90‑second interaction. Research on "savoring" shows that intentionally noticing and lingering on these moments builds habits that improve stress management. Giving joy to others increases happiness, flourishing, and optimism while lowering anxiety and loneliness. Noticing joy is simple, local, and accessible regardless of life circumstances.
Read at Psychology Today
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