Awakening joy during times of stress, loss, and illness can help us to stay balanced during uncertain times.
Joy arises when we are open to both the beauty and suffering inherent in living. –Tara Brach
Joy isn’t something we chase. It’s something we awaken. And it’s possible to awaken joy, even during difficult times.
In the midst of everyday stress, loss, or uncertainty, it’s easy to believe that joy is something reserved for special occasions—or for people who aren’t struggling. But joy doesn’t require perfect circumstances. It arises naturally when we pause, pay attention, and connect with what is already good, already present, already alive inside us.
Mindfulness helps us do just that.
By grounding us in the present moment, mindfulness opens the door to joy—not just fleeting happiness, but a deeper, more sustaining joy rooted in gratitude, aliveness, and compassion.
What Does It Mean to Awaken Joy?
To awaken joy means to notice it, nourish it, and allow it. It’s not about pretending things are okay when they’re not. It’s about making space for beauty and wonder, even alongside sorrow.
Joy can be quiet—a moment of breath in the sunlight.
Joy can be subtle—a loved one’s mile
Joy can be fierce—a reminder that life is worth loving, even in difficulty.
Mindfulness teaches us how to notice those moments and invite them in.
How Mindfulness Cultivates Joy
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention, on purpose, to the present moment with openness and curiosity. When we slow down and soften our awareness, we begin to see what we’ve been missing.
Through mindfulness, we can:
- Shift attention from worry to wonder
- Let go of the need to fix or control every moment
- Become more receptive to the joy that already surrounds us
Even in grief or trauma, joy can appear—in a memory, a connection, a breath of fresh air. Mindfulness makes us more available to these moments.
5 Mindfulness Practices to Awaken Joy
1. Start with Gratitude
Gratitude is the gateway to joy. When we acknowledge what’s already here—what we love, what brings ease, what holds us—we naturally open the heart.
Try this:
Each morning or evening, write down three small things you’re grateful for. Don’t overthink it. Let it be simple.
The way your pet greeted you. The taste of warm tea. The blue of the sky.
Joy lives in the ordinary.
2. Practice Presence with the Senses
Joy is a felt experience. Mindfulness brings us back into the body—into the rich textures, sounds, colors, and flavors of the present.
Try this:
Pause once a day to fully engage your senses. What do you see, hear, smell, touch, and taste? Name them. Breathe them in. Feel yourself alive in this moment.
3. Cultivate Loving-Kindness
Loving-kindness meditation helps nurture feelings of warmth, care, and connection—key ingredients of joy.
Try this:
Close your eyes and repeat silently:
May I be safe. May I be peaceful. May I be filled with joy.
Then extend the wish to others: May you be safe… May you be filled with joy.
This practice helps dissolve isolation and reawaken the joy of belonging.
4. Allow Joy to Coexist with Sorrow
Joy doesn’t cancel out pain. In fact, allowing both to exist can deepen your experience of each.
Try this:
Write: Even though I feel [tired, anxious, grieving], I can still notice [the birdsong, a child’s laughter, the color of flowers].
Let joy become a companion—not a replacement—for your grief.
5. Savor the Good
We often rush past good moments without letting them sink in. Savoring is the practice of letting joy land—fully and consciously.
Try this:
When something brings you pleasure or ease, pause. Take three slow breaths. Smile. Let the goodness settle into your nervous system like warm sunlight.
A Writing Prompt to Deepen Joy
“Joy feels like…”
Take five minutes to finish this sentence over and over.
Joy feels like the smell of rain. Joy feels like laughing until I cry. Joy feels like the weight lifting from my chest.
Let the images and memories flow. Then read what you’ve written. Let it remind you that joy is still within reach.
Why Joy Is a Radical Act
In a culture that prioritizes productivity and fear, choosing joy can feel rebellious. But it’s also deeply healing.
Joy strengthens resilience.
Joy nurtures connection.
Joy reminds us of what makes life worth living.
You don’t have to wait for everything to be calm or perfect to feel joy. All you need is a moment of presence, a willingness to pause, and a gentle invitation to joy to return.
Final Thoughts: Joy Is Your Birthright
Joy is not something you have to earn. It belongs to you. It may come and go, like sunlight through the trees, but it is always available beneath the noise and the ache.
Mindfulness helps us return to that quiet, joyful place within—a place untouched by circumstances and full of life.
Start small. One breath. One moment. One noticing of something beautiful. That’s where joy begins.
Want to Deepen Your Practice?
If you’re longing to reconnect with joy, presence, and purpose, I invite you to explore my mindfulness coaching or join a Writing as Refuge workshop—spaces to nurture the light within, even in the darkest seasons.