My university professor once painted a vivid picture of what happiness means to her. She described a long, sunny hike through the Bavarian mountains and how at one point she paused by a rushing alpine river to take off her boots and socks and submerge her tired feet in the ice-cold water. I could practically feel her bliss in that moment — and its simplicity made it unforgettable.

Of course, we can’t spend every day on scenic mountain trails, but it’s a great reminder that little luxuries are everywhere if we look for them. It could be a heartfelt “thank you” from a stranger, a beautiful bird flying overhead, or seeing the sunrise out of the window on your way to work. These small moments cost nothing, yet they can brighten our day with a surprising amount of joy.

Micro-Moments Matter

Positive-psychology pioneer Barbara Fredrickson argues that brief “micro-moments” of positivity through social connection widen our perspective and build long-term resilience — tiny sparks that keep us from burning out. Punctuating our day with small moments that make us smile is a strong strategy for happiness that sticks.

Similarly, a 2024 UCSF study of 18,000 people found that spending just five to ten minutes a day on “micro-acts of joy” — spotting something beautiful, sharing a joke, or thanking a coworker — lifted happiness scores, lowered stress, and even improved sleep after only one week. Little things, big return.

Stress Steals Joy

In high-pressure moments, our minds put on blinders, instinctively focusing on what’s wrong and overlooking what’s right. That’s the brain’s negativity bias — a survival instinct to zero-in on threats. Neuropsychologist Rick Hanson notes: our brains “learn quickly from bad experiences and slowly from good ones,” often leaving us on-edge. In other words, when we’re in fight-or-flight mode, even little moments can fly under the radar. Author Ingrid Fetell Lee observes that “stress narrows our focus… joy might be right in our midst, but we simply don’t notice it.” Recognising this blind spot is the first step to counteracting it.

I hope you’re enjoying this read! These articles are now monthly. If you’d like to hear from me weekly, I invite you to join readers who enjoy my 2-minute mid-week newsletter.

How to enjoy the little things?

Knowing all this is one thing, but actually slowing down to appreciate small moments can be challenging. Here are a few techniques to help tune your mind into life’s tiny delights:

1. The Tiny-Triumph Ledger

Before bed, jot one ridiculously small win — a perfect avocado, a parking space appearing like magic, your kid finally pronouncing “spaghetti.” Author Neil Pasricha has logged one “awesome thing” nightly since 2008 and credits the habit with rewiring his mood set-point: “If you can be happy with simple things, it will be simple to be happy”, he explains. Your running list becomes proof that today had its micro-moments of joy.

2. Sensory Snapshots

When something nice crosses your path, freeze-frame it for five breaths: texture, colour, smell, sound. Psychologist Fred Bryant’s research on “savouring” shows that intentionally amplifying sensory detail stretches a positive moment like slow-motion replay and leaves a measurable lift in mood and life satisfaction. Think of it as stealing extra seconds of joy from the clock.

3. Random Acts of Kindness

Do something kind for someone else — compliment a colleague or hold the door open for a stranger. Acts of kindness don’t just help recipients; studies by Sonja Lyubomirsky find they bounce happiness back to the giver, lowering stress hormones and boosting self-esteem. On stressful days, dropping a random act of kindness is the emotional equivalent of pulling the emergency brake.

Give it a try

Tonight, set a three-minute timer and start your Tiny-Triumph Ledger. Pencil in the best moment of the day — maybe a cool breeze you enjoyed, a beautiful flower you saw or the cat pawing at your face to wake you up in the morning. Drop the pen, exhale, and notice how even a rough day suddenly has a cool stream running through it. Life is still there, in the little things — dip your feet.

I hope you enjoyed this read! These articles are now monthly. If you’d like to hear from me weekly, I invite you to join readers who enjoy my 2-minute mid-week newsletter.