Joy has an unfortunate reputation.
Many people imagine it belongs to the lucky: the ones with fewer worries, healthier bodies, stable finances, perfect relationships, and lives that seem to glide along smoothly.
But if that were true, joy would be very rare.
In reality, joy behaves less like a gift and more like a skill, something the brain can learn, practice, and strengthen over time.
Psychologists studying wellbeing have discovered that positive emotions are reactions to good circumstances as they are responses to small daily experiences that help the nervous system settle and expand.
Which means joy can be had amid the imperfections of life.
Sometimes it simply requires movement.
The Body Knows How to Help
The human brain responds quickly to physical activity.
Even light exercise such as walking outdoors can trigger the release of endorphins and dopamine, chemicals associated with improved mood and motivation. Researchers at Stanford University found that walking increases creative thinking and reduces mental rumination, the kind of overthinking many people know too well.
So the next time worry begins to loop in your mind, try the simplest intervention available: walk around the block.
Joy sometimes begins with ten minutes of movement.
Dancing Counts as Therapy
There is something quietly magical about dancing, even if no one else is watching.
Music activates multiple areas of the brain at once—emotion, memory, rhythm, and movement. Studies in neuroscience show that dancing can lower stress hormones and improve mood regulation.
It will be rewarding to try.
Body-jamming in the living room, dancing in the kitchen while cooking dinner, or joining a group fitness class can all deliver the same message to the brain: we are alive, and this moment is not a threat.
The nervous system relaxes.
Nature Has a Quiet Power
Spending time outdoors, even briefly, has measurable effects on wellbeing.
Researchers studying “green exposure” have found that being in parks, near trees, or by water can lower cortisol levels and reduce symptoms of anxiety and fatigue.
This may explain why simple activities like sitting under a tree, gardening, watching a sunset—can feel surprisingly restorative.
Nature reminds the body that things can wait.
READ: The Joy of Asking Questions (A Conversation with the Self)
Play Is Not Just for Children
Pickleball. Badminton. Casual sports with friends.
These activities may look recreational, but they offer something deeper: play.
Play combines movement, social connection, laughter, and mild competition. All four elements are powerful regulators of mood and stress.
Adults often stop playing because life feels too serious.
Ironically, play may be exactly what serious lives need.
Joy in Difficult Lives
Some readers might be thinking: This sounds nice, but my life is not easy.
Perhaps you worry constantly. Maybe you are exhausted from work. Perhaps you are living with illness, financial uncertainty, family conflict, or loneliness.
Perhaps you quietly call yourself a failure.
If so, joy recognizes your struggles. It is something that coexists with them.
Joy comes along with the troubles of this world.
And asks for moments.
A walk while the sun is rising.
A badminton game that makes you laugh.
Music playing while you sweep the floor.
A quiet breath outside after a long day.
These small experiences teach the brain a powerful lesson: difficulty exists, but so does life.
Training the Brain for Joy
Psychologists describe this as positive neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to strengthen pathways that support wellbeing.
The more we notice small moments of pleasure, calm, or laughter, the more the brain learns to recognize them again.
Joy becomes easier to access.
This way, we learn to do life with pain without pretending everything is fine. We come to terms with allowing space for good moments to exist alongside the difficult ones.
A Small Experiment for This Week
Try this simple routine:
- Take one short walk outdoors each day.
- Play music and dance for one song.
- Step outside and notice something beautiful—a tree, a breeze, a cloud.
- Laugh with someone or play a light sport like badminton or pickleball.
None of these actions require perfection.
But they require showing up.
A Gift for Women This March
Many women carry heavy responsibilities—caregiving, work pressures, emotional labor, expectations that rarely pause.
Joy can feel like a luxury.
But it is something else.
Joy is a form of strength. A way the body protects itself from becoming overwhelmed by life.
Which means joy belongs to anyone willing to practice it.
And practice, thankfully, is something we can begin today.
Photo by Felipe Galvan on Unsplash
References:
- Fredrickson, B. (2001). The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist
- Stanford University research on walking and creativity
- WHO physical activity guidelines for mental health
- Kaplan, R. (Nature exposure and psychological restoration studies)
- Harvard Health Publishing – Exercise and mood regulation
