#Unexpected Joy

Sowing Wonder, Reaping Seasons of Joyful Surprise

Meanwhile, awe acts as a super-seed of perspective. Dacher Keltner and Jonathan Haidt (2003) describe awe as an emotion that shrinks the self and widens our sense of connection, which in turn fosters generosity. In a randomized "awe walk" study, older adults who took weekly 15-minute walks while intentionally seeking vast or intricate scenes reported more awe and prosocial joy (Sturm et al., Emotion, 2020). The intervention is modest; the harvest, disproportionate. [...]

Happiness Often Sneaks in Through a Door You Didn’t Know You Left Open — John Barrymore

John Barrymore, an iconic figure in early Hollywood cinema during the early 20th century, lends a philosophical tone to this observation, reminding us that happiness can sometimes come from serendipity rather than intention. [...]