Big Joy or Little Joys?

In a previous post I mentioned that one of the many benefits of walking regularly is that it helps me to find joy in everyday things, or to put it another way it helps me appreciate the simpler pleasures in life. This is something I’ve commented on before and referring to it again reminded me that I had bookmarked an article in The Guardian about a program called Big Joy. It turns out the article came out in January, where has the time gone?

Anyway the journalist had signed up to try this program to see what effect it would have on her. The idea is that by completing micro-acts of joy for 7 consecutive days you will become more open to happiness and this should lead to big joy. In The Guardian piece the journalist concluded that while it wasn’t a miraculous change, she did generally feel better and it reminded her that there is joy to be found in being with other people as well as spending time with her hens.

I was intrigued by the concept and decided to read further into it. Although as a typically cynical, self-deprecating Brit I have to admit that the title ‘Big Joy’ feels like you are setting yourself up for failure. Although I doubt a program entitled Moderate Joy or Big Contentment would get as many people interested.

Initial findings show that participants not only felt better but they also slept better as well. Although the researchers do admit that so far everyone involved with the study has been a volunteer which does imply a certain openness to the idea. So what’s involved? Well when participants first sign-up they are asked to complete a self-assessment of their current state of mind and then they commit to completing an act of micro-joy for the next 7 days. While the journalist in The Guardian found that connecting with people helped her complete these micro acts, I read it and thought I’m sure walking more often would also help. Let’s give it a go…

7 steps to Big Joy:

Do something kind: Think of people you might see today and list one thing you could do to brighten their day.
Tune in to what matters: Rank important personal values such as kindness, humility, and accountability and write about how they appear in your life.
Make a gratitude list: Think, reflect, and list anything you feel grateful about in your life.
Dwell in awe: Watch an awe-inspiring video, like the world’s natural wonders.
Celebrate another’s joy: Talk to someone today and ask them about a story that made them happy.
Shift your perspective: Recall a moment when you felt upset and frustrated. Think and write three positive things about that experience.
Be a force of good: Listed to an audio-guided reflection on how you inherently contribute goodness into the world.

I was going to take each one in turn but actually I think a few of these can be combined, not that I’m suggesting condensing the program into fewer days, this isn’t a race! But equally I don’t want to be repetitive. So to start with I’m going to couple ‘Do Something Kind’ with ‘Celebrate another’s joy‘ as the act of kindness could be to reach out to a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while and see if they fancy a walk. This happened to me not that long ago, I was busy working away when a friend I hadn’t seen in ages asked if I fancied a stroll on my lunch break. This act of kindness got me out in the fresh air and provided me with a lot of giggles, I really must return the favour soon. Then when you’re out on the walk you can ask them what’s made them happy recently, they may even say spending time with you but don’t get upset if they don’t!

Of course even if you are walking by yourself there are still other ways to do little acts of kindness for others. The classic example is helping a little old lady cross the road, and one time I would have rolled my eyes at such a cliched suggestion but as I have actually done this, I’m going to leave it in. It could also be picking up someone else’s litter and throwing it in the bin or perhaps slowing down your pace to avoid startling someone by trying to overtake them on a narrow pavement. These are all minor things in the grand scheme of things but every little helps.

I’m also going to group together ‘Tune into what matters‘, ‘Make a gratitude list‘ and ‘Shift your perspective‘. That may seem like a cop-out but bear with me! Walking is a great opportunity to think things through without the pressure of a blank page. These three tasks all involve writing & even though I enjoy writing the thought of staring at a blank page – or a white screen – can be daunting. However if I’m walking, especially if I have a problem to solve or a set question in mind, then once my feet find their rhythm that’s when the little grey cells kick in, the mental cogs start whirring and the ideas start flowing. Well, perhaps trickling, but usually by the end of the walk there’s a flow to it. So by the time you’ve finished your walk, you’ll find it much easier to complete these written tasks.

Which leaves our final two, although ‘Be a force for good‘ involves listening to audio-guided reflection and while some would do this during a walk I think it would probably be more beneficial to actively listen to the guide without any other distractions. However for ‘Dwell in awe‘ I think a better idea than simply watching a video would be to get out there and connect with nature. I’m frequently agog or awestruck by the beauty of the natural world, personally I’d head to the wood and dive into forest bathing but for others it may be sitting on the beach for a few minutes to dwell on the majestic beauty of the sea. Of course a video is a good back-up option but if possible it’s best to actually get out there.

And that’s that, we’ve done our 7 Steps but have we found Big Joy? Well any excuse to go for a walk brings me joy so I’ll say yes.

That’s how I stroll.