Practice ‘Micro-Acts’ to Bring More Joy to Life

Gloomy, dark winter days can be depressing, especially coupled with the typical day-to-day stresses and challenges of life. But while we can’t control the weather or all outside influences, there are some science-backed ways to bring more joy and light into our lives.

According to HuffPost, the Big Joy Project, a joint effort between researchers at the University of California, Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center and documentarians with the film Mission: Joy, identified small moments during the day, called “micro-acts” that we can focus on to bring daily happiness.

After practicing these micro-act exercises for seven minutes a day for seven days, participants in a web-based global study reported that their happiness, peace of mind and well-being went up 25 to 59%, said Peggy Callahan, the producer and director of Mission: Joy.

Here are some examples of micro-acts of joy and how they can benefit your life:

1. Dwell in awe. Experts say that when people experience awe ─ being in the presence of something vast and extraordinary ─ it creates a sense of greater humanity, making people more likely to be generous. Awe is critical to our well-being — just like joy, contentment, and love. One definition of awe is the feeling we get in the presence of something tremendous that challenges our understanding of the world, like looking up at millions of stars in the night sky or marveling at the birth of a child. According to The New York Times, Dacher Keltner, a psychologist at the University of California, Berkeley, says awe does not have to be momentous and it is simpler to experience than we think.

“Awe is the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your understanding of the world,” he says. Keltner is the author of Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life.”  He suggests that awe has tremendous health benefits that include calming down the nervous system and triggering the release of oxytocin, the “love” hormone that promotes trust and bonding.

2. Celebrate someone else’s joy. Paying attention to what happy experiences those around you may be experiencing can help you feel more joy in your own life. This comes from a concept in scientific circles called capitalizing on positive events. Ask detailed questions about what’s going on in the other person’s life and share what has inspired them.

3. Make a gratitude list. Mental health professionals encourage their patients to cultivate an attitude of gratitude by writing down the things they feel grateful for. “We know that when people practice gratitude, they feel a little bit less self-centered, they feel a little bit more warm and fuzzy and optimistic and they often link that to the efforts and presence of other people in their lives,” said Emiliana R. Simon-Thomas, the science director at the Greater Good Science Center.

4. Engage in random acts of kindness. “We encourage people to try the random acts of kindness practice,” says Simon-Thomas. “So, pick a given day and just imagine what you could do to bring some brightness to another person.” The act of kindness could be anything from holding the door open for a stranger to making banana bread for your neighbor.

5. Practice self-reflection. Simply reflecting how you can support others is an act of micro-joy, says Simon-Thomas. We very often dismiss our ability to help other people, or feel we are not useful, which is a flawed perspective, she said. This mindfulness reflection can help change your perspective about yourself and remind you that you can do good in this world.

6. Prioritize your connection with others. One of the strongest indicators of positive psychology is how well — and how often ─ people connect with other people, says HuffPost. Think about making the choice to close your laptop a little more often and find some friends to hang out with to strengthen the bond you have with them.  This valuable connection with others will come in handy during your highs and lows.