Little Drops of Happiness to Improve Mood
- Kristin Keough Williams
- 20 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Finding Joy in the Little Things
We live in a world of milestones. We chase the big promotion, count down the days to the exotic vacation, and plan meticulously for the perfect wedding or special occasion. We are conditioned to believe that happiness is a destination, a grand, thundering event that, once it arrives, will change everything. Then if we aren't living what we think should be our best life, we may experience a feeling of FOMO (fear of missing out) or start to become depressed or disenchanted.
But what about the life that happens in between? What about the ordinary Tuesday afternoons, the quiet morning peace before our day starts, or the simple evening wind down routines? Too often, we treat these moments as filler, the mundane landscape we must cross to get to the next "big thing."
We’re so busy waiting for the big moments that we forget to feel the gentle rain of daily joy. This is where we miss the point. True, lasting contentment isn’t found in the occasional big bursts; it's cultivated in the steady collection of what I call “Little Drops of Happiness.”
What Are "Little Drops of Happiness"?
A drop of happiness is a small, often overlooked moment of positive experience. It’s not earth-shattering. It’s simple, fleeting, and profoundly human. It's the little positives, flutters of joy, simple things we are grateful for, and mindful moments of calm.
Think about your little drops of happiness such as:
The first sip of coffee or tea in the morning, when the warmth and aroma hit you just right.
The feeling of the sun on your skin for the first time on a cool day.
A favorite song that warms your heart or gives you a much needed pick-me-up.
A text from a friend that makes you smile.
The simple satisfaction of crossing a task off your to-do list.
The deep comfort of your favorite chair or couch after a long day.
The calm of nature such as birds flying smoothly in the sky, big puffy white clouds drifting lazily above you, or the gentle feel of warm sun on your skin.
Or my new favorite: watching hummingbirds land on my rainbow feeder.
These moments are the pixels that create the bigger picture of our lives, yet we rarely give them our full attention. We experience them, but we don't absorb them. Consider, what little moments have you bypassed too easily lately?
It’s Not Just a Feeling—It’s Brain Science
This practice of noticing the good isn't just wishful thinking; it’s a powerful way to actively reshape your brain. Thanks to a principle called neuroplasticity, our brains are constantly changing based on our experiences and focus. When you repeatedly direct your attention toward small, positive moments, you strengthen the neural pathways associated with noticing joy. It’s like creating a well-worn path in a forest—the more you walk it, the easier it becomes to follow.
Studies in the field of Positive Psychology have confirmed this repeatedly. In one well-known exercise, participants who were simply asked to write down three good things that happened each day showed significant increases in happiness and decreases in depressive symptoms in just a matter of weeks. Each time you acknowledge a "drop of happiness," you are giving your brain a mini-workout, quite literally retraining its default setting from scanning for threats to seeking out moments of contentment.
How to Start Collecting Your Drops
This isn't about adding another chore to your day. It’s about shifting your awareness to things that you are already experiencing in your daily life. Here’s how to begin:
Tune Into Your Senses: The easiest way to find your drops is through your senses. Right now, pause and notice one thing you can see that is pleasant, one thing you can hear that is calming, and one thing you can feel that is comfortable. That’s three drops, right there.
Start a "Joy Journal": Before bed, take two minutes to jot down three small things that brought you a flicker of happiness during the day. This simple act trains your brain to look for them.
Name the Drop: When you experience a pleasant moment, consciously label it: "That's a drop of happiness." This simple acknowledgment locks in the positive feeling, much like the famous "That was easy" button from the Staples commercials. By mentally "pressing the button" on each good moment, you solidify its positive impact on your mood.
Share Your Drops: When a friend asks how your day was, don't just list the challenges. Mention a small joy. "Work was busy, but I saw the most beautiful sunset on my way home."
Listen to my YouTube meditation on Little Drops of Happiness: This meditation is designed to lift your spirits, help you better connect to your little drops of happiness. and fill you with a lasting sense of positivity. https://youtu.be/h-6V-ntPw6g
The Life-Changing Result
Remember, when you practice this, something incredible happens. You stop outsourcing your happiness to future events. You realize that your life, right now, is already filled with reasons to feel good. Your mood improves, your positivity increases, and your overall satisfaction with your life grows, not because your circumstances have changed, but because your focus has.
Your happiness isn't waiting for you in the future. It's falling all around you, right now, in a gentle, life-giving drizzle. Now lift your hands up and catch all the happiness raining down!
Positive Psychology Study Source: Seligman, M. E. P., Steen, T. A., Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2005). "Positive Psychology Progress: Empirical Validation of Interventions." American Psychologist, 60(5), 410–421.
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