Simple joy hacks that work
I was in my early 20s when I stumbled into one of the most important lessons of my life: joy is a choice.
I had just been promoted to manager—not because I was the most experienced (I wasn’t) but because I had a “great attitude” and “seemed smart.” In reality, the company was in crisis. The previous manager had been caught stealing, morale was low, and the team I inherited was older, frustrated, and burned out. Even our clients felt the stagnation in the air.
Meanwhile, my personal life wasn’t exactly joyful either. I had recently moved eight hours away from family after marrying too young, and my health was struggling from years of juggling two jobs and full-time school. I felt completely out of my depth and disconnected from my support network. So, I did what I’ve always done when life feels heavy: I went to the library.
That’s where I found a little book called Fish!—and it changed everything.
The Lesson That Changed My Life
One of the core teachings of Fish! is simple but profound: “Choose your attitude.”
It reminded me of something my father used to say: “If your job is to clean toilets, make it the cleanest toilet anyone has ever seen.” That mindset had gotten me hired. But this book took it further. It taught me that I could feel a genuine sense of joy—yes, joy—even while cleaning toilets, if I chose my attitude with intention.
I applied that principle at work, and within three months, everything shifted. The office turned from toxic to thriving. Customers started coming back. For the first time in ten years, our location turned a profit. And most importantly, my team rediscovered their smiles. Those smiles led to real-life transformations: a long-awaited pregnancy, healing in a 20-year marriage, and the confidence to pursue new career opportunities. For me, it was the first step toward reclaiming my health and rebuilding my life.
Joy wasn’t just the byproduct of things improving—it was the fuel that made everything better.
Why Joy Matters for Wellness
When I teach holistic health, I talk about the 8 pillars of well-being: Mind, Body, Spirit, Intellectual, Environmental, Social, Financial, and Occupational. I use Qigong as a foundation to balance mind, body, and spirit and then layer habits across the pillars. But over time, I’ve realized there’s a ninth pillar worth naming: Joy.
Joy isn’t about being giddy 24/7. It’s that steady thread of contentment you can tap into whether you’re celebrating with friends on a Friday night or scrubbing toilets on Saturday morning. And research backs this up—joy is not just “nice to have,” it’s a critical part of wellness.
The Science of Joy and Wellness
- Physiological Benefits
– Joy triggers endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin—the same “feel-good” hormones that reduce cortisol (aka Corty the Stress Zombie, if you’ve listened to Episode 2 of the Say Yes with Kat podcast).
– Positive emotions lower blood pressure, protect your heart, and boost immune function.
– Laughter and play improve oxygenation and digestion. (True story: I’ve laughed so hard I farted, which made everyone else laugh harder—talk about joy boosting health!) - Mental & Emotional Resilience
– Joy buffers against anxiety and depression. For me, switching from tear-jerker Lifetime movies to comedy when I feel low has been game-changing.
-Regular joy practices increase creativity, problem-solving, and resilience. - Social Connection
-Joy is contagious. Start laughing in a room full of strangers and someone will join you. Shared joy builds trust, empathy, and belonging—all linked to longer, healthier lives. - Lifestyle & Longevity
– The “Blue Zones”—places where people live the longest—show that joy expressed through ritual, celebration, and play is just as important as diet and exercise.
– Joy supports better sleep, motivation, and sustainable healthy habits. - Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Perspective
– In TCM, joy is tied to the Heart, the “emperor organ” that governs spirit (Shen). Balanced joy nourishes clarity, vitality, and emotional harmony.
– Too little joy can weaken us, but balanced joy keeps our life force (Qi) flowing.
How to Practice Joy: Daily Happiness Habits
Joy doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are a few supercharged habits you can start today:
- Choose Your Attitude
– Remember, circumstances aren’t always in your control—but your reaction is.
– Positivity is contagious. Choose joy and watch how others shift too.
– Start in the morning. If you wake up grumpy, roll over, reset, and choose a better start. - Try Qigong for Joy
– Qigong practices focus on harmonizing energy in the body. To shift your mood, practice the heart- healing sound “Haaa.” Inhale, focus on your heart, then exhale with a long “Haaa.” Repeat until you feel lighter. - Eat for Joy
– Food carries energy, too. In TCM, foods that nurture the heart are red (cherries, red rice, rose petals) and bitter (arugula, sesame, dandelion greens).
– In Ayurveda, joy-boosting foods include antioxidant-rich fruits, healthy fats like ghee and avocado, whole grains like quinoa, and even a square of dark chocolate. - Find Micro-Moments of Play
– Laugh at silly videos.
– Dance while you cook.
– Play a game with your kids or friends.
– Let yourself be light—it’s medicine for the soul.
The big takeaway:
Joy isn’t the reward for living well—it’s a vital ingredient that makes living well possible. When you weave joy into your daily wellness habits, you create momentum for transformation that sticks.
So, here’s my gentle invitation: try one small shift today. Choose your attitude. Breathe with “Haaa.” Add a handful of cherries to your lunch. Laugh until you snort. Joy doesn’t just brighten the moment—it rewires your body, mind, and spirit for health and happiness.
And if you’re looking for inspiration, I’ll leave you with some of my favorite resources:
- Fish! – the book that started it all.
- The Joy Shelf – my curated list of books about joy, play, and happiness.
- Episode 2 of the Say Yes with Kat podcast – Explore the nemesis of Joy, it’s Stress!
- Healing sounds – Qigong video of all 5 healing sounds for overall wellness and wellbeing, including the one for the heart
- The Happiness Research Institute – A think take exploring why some societies are happier than others
Because joy, like wellness, is best when it’s shared please consider sharing this blog with someone you care about.
-Kat
