Create Joy: A Simple Theme for the New Year
I gave up making New Year’s Resolutions years ago. They never seemed to stick and when I didn’t achieve what I set out to do, I felt worse than if I hadn’t made them at all. The only resolution I managed to keep? Avoiding my local gym during January and February and returning only after the crowds thinned out.
But that doesn’t mean I gave up on growth or change. Instead, I let go of the pressure that resolutions brought. They felt restrictive and counterproductive to me.
This year, instead of simply ignoring the concept of resolutions, I chose a different approach: I asked and I listened—and waited for clarity. Yesterday morning, during a quiet moment in the shower (where the best ideas often arrive!), the answer came through—my theme for 2025 is to create joy in my life. Now this I can work with!
A theme helps me set a clear intention while leaving plenty of room for creativity and flexibility. It gives me both focus and freedom. Rather than measuring success with a rigid checklist, I’m guided by the feeling I want to nurture. I can still set goals to track progress toward my intention, but this shift in perspective has made growth feel more empowering—and a lot less stressful.
How to Build More Joy
This past year, I’ve been exploring small, intentional ways to bring more joy into my life. Joy isn’t the same as the fleeting happiness we feel from external events like a promotion, a fun weekend, or a compliment. It’s something deeper, more enduring, and rooted within ourselves—independent of outside circumstances.
Over time, I learned that joy can become a habit—one that naturally shifts my perspective toward the positive. Interestingly, a 2024 University of Bristol Study supports this idea, finding that we can learn to be happier, but the benefits last only if we keep practicing.
Here are a few simple ways I’ve been cultivating joy:
Laugh often
Laughter is powerful. Even if I don’t feel like it, choosing to laugh shifts my mood and energy. The body can’t tell the difference between “pretend” and real laughter—it releases feel good endorphins and reduces stress either way. My weekly Laughter Yoga class has made this a habit, and it always leaves me feeling lighter and more positive. I even find myself shifting to laughter when someone cuts me off in traffic!
Smile
In the past, I’ve consciously used smiling to lift my mood, but I had fallen out of the habit. I realized I was waiting for those fleeting happy moments to spark my smile, instead of smiling simply for the joy of it.
Try this: Smile at five strangers today. Whether it’s quick smile as you pass by or a warm ‘hello’ to a cashier, notice how it makes you feel and how it shifts the energy around you. Smiling (even at yourself in the mirror) has a ripple effect, boosting your confidence and brightening the day for others. Your small act of kindness might even be the highlight of someone’s day.
Prioritize fun time
Set aside one hour a week for something that sparks joy—a hobby, a walk or even dancing to your favorite playlist. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. What matters is making time for play, which recharges your energy and spirit.
There were definitely days when I wanted to skip my scheduled fun time—either because I didn’t feel like it or because other responsibilities seemed more urgent. Sometimes, I even felt like I hadn’t “earned” the break. But over time, it became easier to prioritize this part of myself, and the positive impact on my outlook has been incredible.
I’m planning to keep these three habits going and add a few more joy-boosting practices that I know work but just need a little more attention to make them stick.
You can create joy, too. Whether it’s through small daily actions or a broader intention for whatever you want to nurture this year, you have the power to bring more joy in your life. Let this year be guided by what truly matters to you.
Here’s to a joyful 2025—one smile, one laugh, and one small step at a time as we fill our hearts with more joy!