Where To Look For Joy

How can we feel more moments of joy? Explore how joy is rooted in connection, gratitude, and paying attention to the people and moments that bring meaning to our lives.

Summary: Did you know that joy isn’t just something we feel, but something we practice? On this episode of The Science of Happiness, poet Ross Gay shares how connection and attention can help us cultivate more joy, while psychologist Philip Watkins explains how gratitude can amplify that feeling. Learn how hanging out, noticing moments of connection, and reflecting on joyful experiences can help bring more joy into your life.

How To Do This Practice:

1. Notice connection: Pay attention to the people, places, animals, and natural world that make you feel connected.
2. Make time to be together: Look for opportunities to hang out, share experiences, and spend time with others without an agenda.
3. Pay attention to the small moments: Notice everyday interactions and moments of goodness that you might otherwise overlook.
4. Share your joy: Tell someone about something that delights you, celebrate good moments together, or help someone else carry their joy.
5. Savor what feels good: When you experience joy, pause and let yourself fully appreciate and celebrate the moment.
6. Reflect with gratitude: Think or write about a joyful experience and what it meant to you or how it made you feel connected.

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.

Today’s Guests:

ROSS GAY is an award-winning American poet and author. His latest book explores the complexities of joy and its connection to feelings like gratitude and sorrow.

Learn more about Ross: https://www.rossgay.net/about

PHILIP WATKINS is a psychology professor at Eastern Washington University. He conducts research on different aspects of well-being including gratitude, happiness, and joy.

Learn more about Philip and his work: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/profile/phil_watkins

Related Science of Happiness episodes:

How Joy Helps Save the Planet: https://tinyurl.com/2d5hjz9s

Are You Remembering the Good Times: https://tinyurl.com/ysbwrnr4

The Contagious Power of Compassion: https://tinyurl.com/y6bpvbv5

Related Happiness Break episodes:

Tap Into the Joy That Surrounds You: https://tinyurl.com/ykuz28za

How to Awaken Joy, with Spring Washam: https://tinyurl.com/ybpuvuj6

The Unexpected Joy of Slow Looking: https://tinyurl.com/4uudwwc2

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Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/2aext75x