How to Find Joy in Everything

Have fun. ^[1] Adults often think that their lives should be serious, and filled with obligations towards family and work. However, playtime when you’re an adult is just as important as when you were a kid. Adults play to learn and broaden their horizons, to feel challenged, to have fun, and to immerse themselves in exciting activities. You cannot hope that joy will find you. You need to actively incorporate a fun activity you love into your daily and/or weekly schedule.

• Examples of incorporating playtime into your life might be pursuing a new artistic hobby, spending more time with your kids, or hosting a game or movie night with some friends. .

Look on the bright side of things. You can learn how to have fun in any activity by finding hope. Even the most grueling task offers you something worthwhile; you just need to look for the positives and cherish them. ^[2]

• Practice finding hope each day through the following activity. Take 10 minutes a day for 3 weeks. Start by listing 5 things you love in your life (for example, “watch the sunrise every morning,” or “hear the laughter of someone you love”). Now, you should think about a time when things didn’t go smoothly. Describe the situation. Then, find three ways to help you see the bright side of trouble.
• For example, your car broke down while on the way to work. You feel uncomfortable and impatient when you have to wait for a mechanic to fix your car. But, this is a period that gives you the opportunity to reread the poem your best friend has asked you to read. You also have a few minutes to call your mother. Finally, the waiting period allows you to think about something before starting a new work day. Being aware of the bright side will help you realize that there will always be some positive element in a negative situation.

Celebrate everything. Maybe you can’t find joy in life because you don’t want to take advantage of every little miracle and success. Have you achieved something recently? Let’s celebrate it. Has your friend just found a new job or lost a few pounds? Let’s celebrate. You should be looking for ways to celebrate the small victories in life. ^[3]

• Purchase a calendar that lists exotic holidays, and try to get involved in celebrating these dates as much as possible. ^[4]

Environmental innovation. At work, school, or at home, you should add more fun to your surroundings. Redecorate your office or bedroom with fun, bright colors that make you smile. Take care of a few ornamental plants. Changing the environment with lights, fabrics, colors, and other decorative items, like books, can improve your mood. ^[5]

• The colors you choose for your surroundings will positively impact your mood and view of the world. One study found that people in a green room feel less stressed than people in a red room. ^[6]
• In general, people feel happier when they are surrounded by yellow and green. ^[7] If these colors don’t match your walls, you can opt for artwork, decorations, or even flowers that can bring out your spring. You can also add a few fun toys, like a multicolored spiral spring (slinky) or a health ball (stress ball) to improve the mood in your home.