I came across this really cute TED talk by Ingrid Fetell Lee where she speaks about the importance of joy in life, and how objects can spark that feeling.

She says that

[Joy is] different than happiness, which measures how good we feel over time. Joy is about feeling good in the moment, right now. And this was interesting to me because as a culture, we are obsessed with the pursuit of happiness, and yet in the process, we kind of overlook joy.

And talks about how scientists have found that certain objects are almost universally joyful, meaning that they provide a common shared experience across age groups and cultures. Things like balloons, bubbles, confetti, fireworks - they all tend to stir joy, no matter who you are.

We all start out joyful, but as we get older, being colorful or exuberant opens us up to judgment. Adults who exhibit genuine joy are often dismissed as childish or too feminine or unserious or self-indulgent, and so we hold ourselves back from joy

She goes on to talk about the evolutionary basis of visual joy, about how scientists believe that brightly coloured, round, abundant objects (eg confetti! balloons!) trigger the part of the brain that responds to life and produces feelings of safety.

How would you describe the difference between joy and happiness?

Do you feel like one is more important than that other?

Do you think that society disparages joyfulness and considers it a childish pursuit?

What do you do to bring joy into you and your loved ones lives? Is it through art? Cooking? Music? Events?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this!