Two simple rituals anchor my days:
I savor my first cup of tea by the bedroom window each morning, watching birds splash and feed in my garden sanctuary. Their daily visits, recorded in my journal's pages, bring fresh delight every time.
My second habit is to always look up when I'm out walking. Whether it's cotton candy clouds drifting by or autumn leaves against a blue sky, I've learned that looking up almost always rewards me with a photo-worthy view.
These moments of noticing have become part of my daily instruction in joy.
Where Wild Joy Grows
We're surrounded by reasons to despair. Headlines blare catastrophes, social media amplifies outrage, and we or our loved ones get sick. It's easier to notice what's wrong than what's right, what's broken than what's whole.
But what if we treated joy spotting like a skill to be honed, a muscle to be strengthened? Consider how poet Mary Oliver approached each day in "Mindful"—expecting to encounter something that would "kill me with delight." Not someday. Today.
It's not about forced optimism or turning away from the world's pain. It's about widening our lens.
While noting society's ills or listing our worries, we might also notice the way sunlight dapples through autumn leaves, the story about the retired teacher who still writes encouraging notes to former students, or the coffee shop owner who remembers everyone's name and story.
The practice is deceptively simple: pause, notice, and allow yourself to be moved. That's it. No special equipment required, no membership fees, and no expertise needed. Just the willingness to be surprised by joy.
Joy Spotting Practice
Some days, it's grand things—a double rainbow, a long-awaited reunion, a dream finally realized. But more often, it's small moments that crack open the heart: the delicious aroma of your morning coffee, a child's unselfconscious laughter, or, as poet e.e. cummings wrote, "a blue true dream of sky."
The surprise is how this practice changes you over time. You begin to expect wonder and to look for it in unlikely places. You discover that joy isn't just something that happens to you—it's something you can cultivate, like a garden. And like any garden, it requires attention, patience, and regular tending.
Yesterday, I watched a squirrel perform aerial acrobatics trying to reach my bird feeder. It failed spectacularly three times, undeterred. On the fourth attempt, it succeeded, then sat there eating seeds with what I can only describe as smug satisfaction. I laughed out loud, alone in my kitchen.
This is the stuff of joy—not the Instagram-worthy moments, but the real, ordinary, unexpected ones that make you feel more alive.
How Light Takes Root
This doesn't mean ignoring life's shadows. Joy and sorrow often live side by side, each deepening our capacity for the other. But deliberately seeking out moments of delight builds resilience for harder times. We create a reservoir of light to draw from when darkness falls.
The world will always give us reasons to close down our hearts. But it will also offer us infinite invitations to open them wider.
The choice—and it is a choice—is whether we'll keep looking for those moments that pierce us with unexpected beauty.
When I first get up in the morning, I don't know what will spark that sense of wonder. But I know it's out there, waiting to be discovered.
And so I keep my eyes open throughout the day, instructing myself over and over in the art of joy. Some days I'm a better student than others. But the curriculum never ends, and the tuition is free.
All we have to do is remember to look.
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Psychologist Nick Wignall believes we’d all be better off if we started thinking more holistically—and perhaps more traditionally—about what really improves emotional health.
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Life Purpose: The Real Longevity Key
A new study suggests that a sense of purpose may be more important to our longevity than life satisfaction.
But do those two factors even matter so much for longevity when you consider other ones, like your age or gender, or whether you’re a smoker or drinker or have a chronic health condition?
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The Open Door
"Adults whose kids have left home deserve a metaphor that emphasizes possibility," says author Gretchen Rubin. "Empty nest" does capture a certain atmosphere. But it’s not a useful metaphor for adults left wondering what to do once their kids are gone.
The open door is a reminder of possibilities: What might await us on the other side? We’re not sitting in a vacated nest, passively watching as someone else takes flight; we have our own places to go and plans to make. This is a time of opportunity if met with purpose.
Abandon the Empty Nest, Try the Open Door | The Atlantic (Gift Article)
When Holiday Cheer Meets Missing Hearts
While the holidays bring joy and celebration for many, they can stir deep emotions for those experiencing loss. The season's focus on gathering with loved ones can intensify feelings of absence and grief.
Yet even in the midst of mourning, there are gentle ways to navigate this challenging time and honor both your memories and your need for healing.
5 Ways to Deal with Grief During the Holidays | Psychology Today
Little Bits of Light
Words to open your heart and SOOTHE YOUR SOUL
Photos by: Linda Wattier
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