7 Easy Ways to Bring More Joy into Your Daily Life

I’ve been witnessing a growing number of conversations that revolve around a lack of joy, purpose and fulfillment in the midst of life. As one who advocates for tapping into joy daily, I thought I’d share a few ideas, tips and easy ways to bring more joy into your daily life.

​This list is by no means exhaustive - but meant as a starting point for a conversation about JOY.

Tips to Incorporate More JOY into Your Life

​1. Make a Joy List
Create an ongoing list of things that bring you joy. For example: a bubble bath, a phone call with your grandmother, a walk in the woods, reading a book, etc. Commit to doing one thing from the list every day so that you are always tapped into joy. Depending on the amount of time available, you can choose which item you want to do for the day - one that takes 5 minutes or 30 - you decide. Keep the list somewhere that you will see it each day and keep adding to the list over time. Use it as your daily menu for joy!

2. Remember to Laugh
Laughter is a direct pathway towards cultivating an inner spirit of joy. Even if you fake it, you are still building that joy muscle - so laugh in the shower, laugh in bed, laugh on your commute - just remember to laugh!

3. Spend Time with the Children in Your Life
Kids have a way of expressing an exuberance at life that we often forget about in adulthood. Spend some time with the kids in your life and really seek to experience the wonder of this world thru their eyes.

4. Do a Random Act of Kindness
When we act in service to another person, we step outside of ourselves as we show up for another human being. Try it. Notice how you feel afterwards.

5. Keep a Daily Gratitude Journal
Noticing and acknowledging the things in our life for which we are thankful allows us to show up from a place of gratitude and joy. Choose a time in the morning, before bedtime or some other quiet moment in your day when you can reflect and write out a simple list of things for which you are grateful each day. This is such a powerful practice. 

6. Remove the Word “Should” from Your Vocabulary
Quit “shoulding” on yourself. That’s right. Every time we do something from a place of “should” we are chipping away at our joy. Follow your desires - not your “shoulds.”

7. Get Comfortable Saying “No”
Healthy boundaries are important for keeping us tapped into a joyful spirit. Remember that a “no” to one things opens up a “yes” to something else. So next time you are faced with a decision ask yourself: “In saying no to this right now, what am I allowing myself to say yes to instead?”

Again, these seven ideas are simply meant to get the conversation started.
​
What tips do YOU have to share for incorporating more joy into our daily lives?

Share your ideas in the comments below. Let’s all learn from one another!

Return from 7 Easy Ways to Bring More Joy into Your Daily Life to Rebecca Brown Coaching Home