Happiness Break: Tap into the Joy that Surrounds You, With Anushka Fernandopulle

Beyond just feeling good, studies show experiencing other people's joy makes us more compassionate and satisfied with life.

Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/kycnk4ca

How to Do This Practice:

1. Find a comfortable position to begin this practice, focusing on your breath.
2. Visualize a person or situation that brings you a sense of joy or happiness. It might be a child laughing, the success of a friend, or even a dog wagging its tail.
3. Connect with their joy and happiness, wishing them well.
4. Expand your focus to larger groups of people, like a team winning a match, wishing them well.
5. Consider repeating this practice when you want to connect your sense of happiness with others.

Today’s Happiness Break host:

Anushka Fernandopulle is a Buddhist meditation teacher and leadership coach.

Learn More about Anushka: https://www.anushkaf.org/about/

Follow Anushka on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anushka_dharma/

Follow Anushka on Twitter: https://twitter.com/anushkaf

More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

Happiness Break: Wishing Others’ Well, With Anushka Fernandopulle: https://tinyurl.com/jrkewjs8

What Is Sympathetic Joy and How Can You Feel More of It? https://tinyurl.com/yuzmykct

How to Overcome Stress by Seeing Other People’s Joy: https://tinyurl.com/4csukyd5

Can Little Steps Lead to Big Joy? https://tinyurl.com/3e5yt3hp

Why Experiencing Joy and Pain in a Group Is So Powerful: https://tinyurl.com/3trjtzfm

We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience of appreciating others’ joy. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Find us on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/3bj4637f

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We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day.