Add joy to your day! You’ve found a Foundation Guide to Joyful Living, here to invite ease, play, and resilience into everyday life.
Joy doesn’t wait for milestones. This playful guide shows how simple practices spark connection, play, and resilience in your life.
Why It Helps to Add Joy to Your Day
You don’t have to wait for the big WINS to feel joy, adding micro moments to your day doesn’t work on a time table.
Promotions, holidays, falling in love… they’re all great, but they are fleeting.
Joy isn’t an experience you sometimes get, it is a way of being & an art you create.
The brain is wired to respond to little moments. In fact, research in positive psychology shows that it’s the small, repeated doses of positive emotion that change our baseline mood over time.
Think of these as “joy vitamins” tiny, low-effort, high-impact boosts you sprinkle throughout your day. They don’t need planning, a budget, or even other people (though sometimes that’s the best part).
When you deliberately create micro-moments of joy, you’re not just “being cheerful,” you’re rewiring your brain’s attentional bias to notice what’s good, even in the middle of the ordinary.
Here are twelve simple daily tools to boost mood:
1. Sunlight on Your Skin
Step outside. Close your eyes. Lift your face to the sun for 20–30 seconds.
This isn’t just poetic, sunlight triggers nervous system regulation through the release of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that improves mood and helps you feel calm and focused. If it’s winter or cloudy, even daylight through a window can help reset your circadian rhythm.
Tip: Try pairing this with a deep breath and notice the contrast between the air on your skin and the warmth on your face. Let it be the only thing you do for those few seconds.
EXPLORE MORE – For bigger-picture practices in hard seasons, Create Joy in Hard Times is a supportive guide to partner with you
2. Your Favourite Song on Repeat
Music is one of the fastest ways to shift emotional state because it bypasses logic and regulates the nervous system. When you play your favourite song, especially on repeat, your brain receives a reliable hit of dopamine, the neurotransmitter that fuels pleasure and motivation.
But it’s not just about brain chemistry. Music acts like emotional choreography: the beat sets your pace, the melody shapes your feelings, and the lyrics remind you of memories, values, or even the version of yourself you want to step into.
Neuroscience tells us that rhythm syncs with the body. Your heartbeat, breath rate, and even your gait subtly adjust to music. That’s why a powerful track energises you when you’re sluggish and calms you when you’re anxious.
Try weaving it into daily rituals: while you’re making coffee, cooking dinner, or commuting. Let it be the background score of your ordinary moments.
Want to multiply the effect?
Move. Dance in your kitchen, tap your fingers on the steering wheel, or sway while stirring a pot. Your body becomes part of the song, and that physical engagement anchors joy more deeply into your system.
Now you are in emotional choreography. The beat sets your energy, the melody moves your feelings, and the lyrics can remind you who you are.
Bonus joy challenge: Dance, even if you’re holding a spoon. Especially if you’re holding a spoon.
Now let’s move from sound to words…
“I never realised how powerful the little things could be. Tess helped me weave small joys into my day, and now even my stressful weeks feel lighter.” — Annie H.
3. Add joy to your day by Texting a Kind Word
Joy multiplies when it’s shared. Sending a quick message to someone you appreciate, whether it’s a close friend, a colleague, or even the barista who knows your order by heart, joy is one of the simplest ways to create a ripple of connection.
Texting a kind word is a mindfulness exercise that strengthens connection and well-being. Here’s what happens: as soon as you type (or speak) that kind word, your brain releases oxytocin, the “bonding hormone,” which strengthens feelings of closeness.
When they receive it, their brain gets the same little hit. This small act creates a “double joy loop”: they feel seen, and you feel connected.
Social connection is one of the strongest predictors of long-term well-being, and the beauty is, it doesn’t require a long phone call or a big plan. Sometimes, a single sentence is enough.
Examples:
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“Just wanted to say I really appreciate you.”
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“That thing you said last week is still making me smile.”
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“Thinking of you — hope your day has some ease in it.”
These tiny check-ins matter more than we think. In a busy, distracted world, being noticed is healing. And when you’re the one offering that moment of recognition, you not only brighten someone else’s day you remind yourself that you’re connected, too.
Connection is a double joy hit: they feel seen, and you feel connected. Social connection is one of the most consistent predictors of well-being, and it can be nurtured in seconds.
From words shared outward, let’s come back to a ritual inward…
4. The First Sip
We often rush through the small rituals of daily life, but the first sip of a favourite drink can be transformed into a grounding micro-moment. That first taste of coffee, tea, or sparkling water is more than flavour it’s a signal to your nervous system that you’ve arrived in the present.
Instead of gulping, slow down. Feel the temperature as it hits your lips, notice the texture, savour the flavour notes. Let yourself register the pleasure before you move on to the next task. This tiny act of mindfulness flips the switch from autopilot into awareness, and even a single moment of deliberate presence can calm your stress response.
It’s not “just” caffeine it’s a sensory anchor. Each sip tells your body: I’m here, I’m safe, and I’m allowed to enjoy this. Over time, these anchors accumulate, training your brain to pause more often and to draw joy from the ordinary.
Tip: Try closing your eyes for that very first sip and simply breathe with it. You’ll be amazed how much richer the experience feels.
EXPLORE MORE – For more mindfulness exercises and practices, Tara Brach has offered a free course here.
5. Add Joy to Your Day In Nature Glimpses
You don’t need a full day in the forest to feel nature’s benefits. A single glimpse of trees swaying, sunlight shifting across the floor, or raindrops running down a window can lower cortisol and improve your mood.
Research shows that noticing natural patterns, clouds, leaves, water, lowers cortisol and builds emotional resilience. Even a 30-second glimpse interrupts stress. It also triggers your parasympathetic nervous system, the part of you wired for calm and restoration. Your body instinctively softens because it recognizes these rhythms as safe and timeless.
Take 30 seconds to choose one natural element and give it your full attention. Watch the way branches bend in the wind, how the light changes colour, or how a bird moves across the sky. This micro-moment of awe interrupts stress and reminds your nervous system that life is larger than your current worries.
Tip: If you can’t get outside, bring nature in. A houseplant on your desk, a photograph of a landscape, or even a short video of waves can deliver a similar calming effect. Your body will respond to the image as though you’re there.
When it’s hard to create more joy, I have you covered; try this relaxing guide with my compliments:
Soothe your nervous system with this free 7-day guide with simple daily practices to help you feel calmer and more in control.
6. Add joy to your day and Stretch Like a Cat
Cats have mastered the art of unapologetic stretching. Long, slow, indulgent movements as if the stretch itself were the whole point of life. You can borrow that wisdom.
Stand up, raise your arms overhead, and let your body lengthen. Take a deep breath, then slowly roll down towards your toes, softening your knees as you go. Notice how your shoulders drop, your back releases, and even your jaw relaxes.
Movement breaks up the static build-up of stress in your tissues. When you stretch deliberately, you remind your body that it’s flexible and your brain follows suit.
That’s why a slow stretch can feel like more than just physical relief; it’s also a joyful message to yourself: I’m free to expand. This isn’t exercise; it’s a nervous system signal that says: I’m not trapped, I can move, I have choice.
Tip: Take a “cat stretch break” every couple of hours. Just one or two minutes can refresh your body and shift your mood.
7. Touch Something Soft
Texture is underrated therapy. Your skin is covered in specialised receptors that send safety and pleasure signals directly to your brain, and soft textures are especially powerful. Running your hands over a warm jumper, a silky scarf, a cozy blanket, or the fur of your dog or cat can soothe your nervous system in seconds.
This kind of tactile joy doesn’t ask for effort or planning. It’s a reminder that pleasure isn’t only visual or mental it can live in your fingertips. By choosing to notice softness, you turn an everyday object into a moment of comfort and presence.
Tip: Create a little “texture ritual.” Keep a favourite soft item nearby — a throw on your chair, a smooth stone in your pocket, or even a velvet cushion. Each time you touch it l,et that softness be a cue to exhale and re-centre.
8. Smile at a Stranger
I came into sessions feeling heavy and stuck in old patterns, but Tess helped me notice joy already available in my day. I feel more creative, and my relationships feel easier because I’m not waiting for happiness to come from big milestones anymore. Tess has a gift for making the simple profound.”
— Larissa M.
I know sometimes people will look at you like you’ve grown a second head. But often, they’ll smile back.
It might feel awkward at first if this isn’t your thing usually, but smiling at someone you pass can shift more than just your own mood. The simple act of lifting the corners of your mouth activates facial muscles that send a signal of safety and friendliness to your brain. Your nervous system interprets this as: I’m okay, I belong here.
Even if the other person doesn’t smile back, you’ve still given your body a micro-dose of calm. When they do return the gesture, you both get a small oxytocin boost, that warm “I’m loved” hormone, as well as a sense of connection and well-being.
These tiny ripples of human connection add up. In a world where people often rush past one another, a smile says: I see you. That’s a beautiful way to add micro moments of joy to your day.
Tip: Try it in low-stakes settings when passing your neighbour, greeting the cashier, or walking in your community. You might be surprised by how much lighter you feel afterward.
EXPLORE MORE – Social connection is one of the most consistent predictors of JOY. → Here are some ways to keep yours healthy.
9. Add joy to your day with a Mini Gratitude List
Gratitude doesn’t have to be reserved for big milestones. In fact, the smaller and more ordinary, the more powerful the practice becomes. Noticing that your pen works, the air smells fresh, or the Wi-Fi is cooperating might sound trivial — but it’s these micro acknowledgments that slowly rewire your brain’s scanning pattern.
When you jot down (or even whisper) three small things you appreciate, you’re teaching your brain to look for what’s good. Over time, this shifts your baseline mood from scanning for threats to scanning for possibilities. It’s one of the simplest, most research-backed practices in positive psychology — and the benefits compound with repetition.
Tip: Keep a small notebook or use your phone notes app. Each day, jot down three micro gratitudes. Reread them at the end of the week, and you’ll see how much ordinary goodness you’re already surrounded by.
10. Pause for a Deep Breath
One slow, intentional breath can feel like a reset button for your nervous system. Inhale gently through your nose, hold for a moment, and exhale slowly through your mouth. That’s it. Just ten seconds can help shift you from “fight or flight” into “rest and digest.”
Breathwork is powerful because it’s the bridge between body and mind. When your exhale lengthens, your vagus nerve is activated, telling your body to relax. You don’t need a full meditation practice even pausing for one mindful breath in the middle of your day can restore clarity and calm.
Think of it as a micro-moment of sovereignty. Instead of being swept away by the day, you’ve chosen to pause, breathe, and reclaim your centre. That single act of noticing your breath can anchor you back into yourself.
Tip: Pair this breath with a physical cue like placing your hand on your chest or belly so your body remembers it as a grounding ritual.
11. Add Joy to Your Day With A Balloon
There’s something irresistibly light-hearted about balloons. They float, wobble, and drift without effort a perfect metaphor for joy that doesn’t need to be earned.
When you spot one in a shop window, drifting at a party, or even just in your imagination, pause and notice what happens in your body. That sudden flash of colour and movement often sparks a little lift inside, like your nervous system is mirroring the balloon’s weightlessness.
Balloons remind us of childhood, of celebration, of delight that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
They’re ordinary objects, yet they carry an emotional charge that whispers: life can be lighter than you think. By letting yourself pause with that moment, even for a few seconds, you’re giving your brain a playful reset.
Tip: Keep a balloon at home. I always have one or more bouncing around my office and living rooms floors. Blow it up & play just because. Watch how it wobbles in the air — your nervous system will mirror that playfulness.
“Tess helped me rediscover play. I’d forgotten how much creativity and joy were still inside me — now I’m laughing, experimenting, and letting life feel lighter again.” — Sophie R.
12. The Wonder of Big Wheels
Ferris wheels have a way of pulling us out of the ordinary. Even if you’re not at a carnival, you can bring that sense of wonder into your day by deliberately shifting perspective. Look up at the sky for 30 seconds, notice the vastness above, or imagine yourself rising above daily worries for a moment. That “big picture” view creates a micro-dose of awe which, research shows, is one of joy’s closest cousins. Try this perspective shift to add micro moments of joy to your day ANYWHERE you are.
Tip: Next time you’re outside, tilt your head back and trace the outline of something tall (a tree, a building, even cloud shapes) and let yourself feel small in the best way.
Add Joy to Your Day as a Habit
Pick one micro-moment for each part of your day: morning, midday, and evening. You’ll start noticing that your overall stress threshold drops, your mood steadies, and you feel more resourced to handle the harder stuff.
Closing Thoughts
Joy isn’t just an occasional experience it’s a practice. By weaving micro moments into your routine, you build emotional resilience and train your nervous system to notice what’s good.
