This will be the best thing you read all day. At least, that’s my intention in curating this list for you. Here are five things we do each day to spark joy. They’re free, they’re simple, and they work every single time:

Before we get to the five; have you heard about the difference between joy vs. happiness? I used to use those words interchangeably. But in actuality, they have very different meanings:

Happiness is an emotional state characterized by feelings of joy, satisfaction, contentment, and fulfillment. It’s more of an overall state of being, long-term. Whereas joy is the emotion of great delight caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying in the moment. joy is a bit more short-lived.

But here’s the secret: bursts of joy throughout the day cause a dopamine drip (according to Dr. Huberman) that build over time and lead to a greater sentiment of overall contentment and happiness.

Who doesn’t want more of both? Give these a try for a week, and let me know if you start to feel the drip:

1. Carve out time for YOU. Choose (at least) one non-negotiable each day that you do to fill your cup. Here’s a great place to start if you need some fresh inspo! But don’t put too much pressure on it. This can be as simple as savoring every sip of your morning coffee, sitting in meditation for even ten minutes, or locking yourself in the bathroom to read in peace after a long day.
2. Move your body. Take a walk around the block, throw some music on and dance around the kitchen, or run the stairs for a few minutes to get your blood pumping. The golden ticket that takes it to the next level for me? Presence. When I force myself to be fully “there”, I appreciate it so much more, and can actually feel the shift in my mood. I’ll even do this on a walk where I pause the podcast, stop exactly where I am, and notice all the beauty around me.
3. Send a text or a card to an old friend. Sometimes a simple I love you text, or a handwritten note of gratitude is just the jolt you need. Filling someone else’s bucket always fills yours in return.
4. Cross one thing off your list you didn’t want to do. We all have that item on our to-do-list that keeps getting transferred to the next day, then the day after that. But studies show when you accomplish something (especially something you’ve deemed to be hard), you get an instant dopamine hit and feelings of satisfaction and contentment.
5. Set a goal. But wait! Here’s the part you need to focus on – it’s not the goal, but the work to get there. Each step you take closer to your goal is the real win. It’s training your mind to appreciate and value the effort you’re putting in (tiny jumps of joy). When we are so focused on the end result, we get a big let-down when it’s over. The dopamine pours out for the initial celebration and we’re left depleted. Whereas when we focus on the small actions we’re taking for the big picture, and celebrating along the way, we’re teaching our brain that we can do it again, and again. That’s how winners are born, and that’s who we are. AmIright?

What ideas do you have to weave joy into your day? We’d love to hear them in the comments and add them to our list! Be well and joyful today, kind friend. XO, Kaylea

PS – here are a few Nixon Pack Joy Jolts from this week!