Weekly: Joy along the way
When something hard disrupts your life, all you want is for things to go back to "normal."
But, so often, we often fail to appreciate "normal" while it's happening. The ordinary joys that we take for granted are those moments that we so desperately wish we could return to.
What can you do this weekend to appreciate those ordinary moments of goodness?
With love,
Stephanie Harrison, founder of The New Happy
This Week
Old Happy: "Once I achieve my goal, then I will be happy."
New Happy: "I will find happiness as I work towards my goal."
There is no end goal that will make you lastingly happy. There is no promotion, no milestone, and no accolade that will magically alleviate your suffering and lead to a state of perpetual joy. Yet, because we believe what Old Happy culture teaches us, we constantly chase one goal after another, believing each one to be the solution to what ails us—a choice that only leaves happiness perpetually out of reach.
Pursuing personally meaningful goals does matter for your happiness, but not because of what happens at the end. It's because of what happens along the way: the experiences of growth, reflection, connection, purpose and love. These frequent, small experiences of joy have a far more meaningful impact on our overall well-being.
The next time you find yourself thinking, "I'll be happy when..." say these words to yourself:
"Where am I rushing to? The joy I'm looking for is right here.”
Tips and Tools
1. You are so much more — This week's animation.
2. Don't worry about consistency — Focus on joy instead.
3. Where are you going? — Pursue what's right for you.
4. Coping with difficult feelings — Use "I feel."
5. Respond, don't react — Every choice adds up.
More from TNH
Podcast — Get a daily morning pep talk — in five minutes or less
Speaking — Book us to speak to your team about well-being, resilience, and productivity.
Articles — Read more articles on our website.
Community
What's a small win you've had recently?
"Making sure I schedule in time for peace. Ex: Each day I pick some peaceful to do like listening to calming music."
"Learning how to crochet a granny square."
"I learned how to manage my tasks."
"Finished a 32x26 painting I've been working on for weeks."
"My post-op recovery is going well."
"I started reading again."
Inspiration
1. Tiny flying rainbows (Kottke) — A moment of awe for you.
2. This is 54: Elizabeth Gilbert responds to the Oldster questionnaire (Oldster) — I loved this interview with writer Elizabeth Gilbert on the beauty and gifts of aging.
3. Indian teen invents gadget that may transform dementia care (Guardian) — This week's New Happy hero is Hemesh Chadalavada, who is just 17 (!) and has invented a device that helps to support people with dementia—like his grandma, who inspired it.
Before You Go
No spam, just joy.
