The Tiny Joy Experiment

One week of "micro moments."

Book in hand, I was in my back yard on a beautiful summer day when I lifted the lounge chair cushion to dust off the dried grass and whatever else. As it unfolded, I saw a beautiful, metallic, emerald green shape. Before my brain could calculate what it was, it flew off. I had probably disrupted the cicada’s nap. I smiled, so pleased that this was the first cicada I saw this season. Their song is always a comforting sound of summer.

Over the weekend, I visited a friend’s house because they are fostering five kittens until they are ready for adoption. Granted, this is a macro moment of joy for me, but specifically, one of the kittens, white with black splotches all over, including one little one on his nose, was on a square ottoman alone, pouncing on his tail, circling and pouncing again. I sat and watched him for a couple of minutes until another kitten joined him and they tumbled off the ottoman and scurried somewhere else. That image of the kitten hunting his tail was delightful and I’m keeping it right here in my mind’s pocket in case I need a little mood boost.

These moments of joy are like vitamins throughout my day. And I’ve learned to seek them, especially if I’m in a not so great mood. Of course, being outside alone helps that. And the micro moments help boost me into a downright good mood.

This isn’t just personal, either. As we, at Nourish Coaches, recently added “Nature” as our sixth foundation, I’ve been finding more and more reasons to encourage people to get outside. If you’re a regular reader, you already know that I’m outside at least a couple times a day because I have my dog, Benjamin Franklin, who needs his own doses of nature. Having a dog has enhanced my life in so many ways, but getting outside, rain or shine, hot or cold, has enhanced my health too.

Last one: While playing tennis the other day, as I walked to the corner of the court to pick up the ball, I noticed the sounds of the children in the newly installed playground right next to us. I saw four young kids on the sit-and-spin, twirling round and round while a dad stood and pushed them. Their laughter and delight brought me right back to my years at the playground with my kids.

Here’s my encouragement for you, dog or no dog: get outside to collect some micro moments of joy. Maybe it’s a bee working on a clover, or biting into a locally grown fresh peach that finally tastes like a peach, or hearing someone’s laugh in the grocery store, or simply a momentary breeze on a hot day. Whatever you may find that causes a micro moment of joy counts. They add up. It’s just a matter of noticing.

If you want an actual assignment, then collect these micro moments of joy throughout the rest of the week. Write them down. Send them to us by clicking the button below. We’d love to read about what’s creating joy in your life, even if it’s teeny tiny.