I didn’t plan on building a life filled with joy quest moments—honestly, I was just trying to get through a really weird phase where everything felt… off. Not bad exactly. Just… flat. Like eating cereal without milk. Technically fine, but why?
It was one of those weeks where I forgot why I walked into rooms, replied “you too” when the waiter said “enjoy your meal,” and accidentally liked a photo from 2017 while stalking someone’s profile (don’t act like you’ve never done that).
And somewhere between all that chaos, I realized—I wasn’t not happy. I just wasn’t noticing anything.
Which, apparently, is a thing.
So I started paying attention. Not in a “I’m becoming a monk” way. More like… “what doesn’t suck right now?”
And weirdly, that’s where the joy quest thing started.
What Even Is a Joy Quest Moment? (Because I Had to Ask Myself That Too)
Okay so—don’t picture some big, dramatic, movie-scene happiness.
No slow-motion running through fields. No background music swelling like you’re in a trailer.
A joy quest moment is smaller. Sneakier.
It’s like:
- That first sip of coffee when it’s exactly the right temperature
- Finding money in your jeans pocket (unexpected wealth!!)
- Laughing at something dumb way longer than necessary
- When someone remembers something tiny about you
It’s not life-changing.
But it’s life-touching.
And if you stack enough of these moments together… something shifts.
The Problem: We’re All Kinda Distracted (Okay, Very Distracted)
I used to scroll through my phone while watching TV… while texting… while thinking about what I needed to do tomorrow.
Which means I was basically experiencing nothing fully.
Like, my brain was open in 17 tabs and all of them were buffering.
You ever feel like that?
So yeah—of course I wasn’t noticing joy. I was barely noticing anything.
Small experiment I tried (accidentally)
One day my Wi-Fi went out.
At first I was annoyed. Then I just… sat there.
And I noticed:
- The sound of the fan (why was it kinda soothing??)
- The way sunlight hit the wall
- My own thoughts (which… okay, mixed reviews there)
And for a few minutes, I felt weirdly calm.
Not excited. Not thrilled.
Just… good.
And that’s when it clicked—joy quest moments aren’t always loud.
Sometimes they whisper.
1. Start Ridiculously Small (Like, Almost Stupidly Small)
I made the mistake of trying to “be happier” all at once.
That lasted… maybe a day.
So I scaled it down.
Instead of chasing happiness, I started noticing one tiny thing per day that didn’t suck.
That’s it.
Day 1: My sandwich was actually good
Day 2: Found a parking spot immediately (miracle)
Day 3: A random dog looked at me like I was important
Was it groundbreaking? No.
But it was… something.
And something beats nothing every time.
2. Narrate Your Life Like It’s a Sitcom (Trust Me on This)
Okay this one sounds unhinged, but hear me out.
Sometimes I mentally narrate my life like I’m in a show.
Like:
“She enters the kitchen… hoping for snacks… but finds only disappointment.”
It makes everything funnier. Even the annoying stuff.
Burnt toast? Comedy.
Awkward conversation? Character development.
Spilled coffee? Dramatic plot twist.
I once tripped slightly while walking and instead of dying inside, I thought:
“And here we see her… almost falling… but recovering with grace… sort of.”
I laughed. Out loud. Alone.
No regrets.
3. Stop Waiting for “Big Happy” (It’s Kinda Overrated)
This one took me a while.
I kept thinking:
“I’ll feel happy when…”
- I finish this project
- I go on that trip
- I fix my life (lol)
But those moments are rare. And short.
Joy quest moments? They’re everywhere.
You just… ignore them most of the time.
Like background noise.
Real moment:
I was sitting in my car after a long day, and a song I hadn’t heard in years came on.
And suddenly I was back in high school. Same feelings. Same weird nostalgia.
And I just sat there. Didn’t skip it. Didn’t multitask.
Just listened.
It wasn’t a big moment.
But it felt… full.
4. Let Yourself Be Easily Amused (Seriously)
I think somewhere along the way, we decided we need to be cool all the time.
Like laughing too much is embarrassing or something.
But honestly? Being easily amused is a superpower.
I laugh at:
- Dumb memes
- My own mistakes (eventually… not immediately, let’s be real)
- Conversations that go slightly off the rails
One time my friend said “pass me the… uh… food stick” instead of fork.
We laughed for five minutes.
Five.
Minutes.
Was it dumb? Yes.
Was it a joy quest moment? Also yes.
5. Talk About the Good Stuff (Out Loud, Like a Human)
You ever notice how easy it is to complain?
Like we can go on for hours about what’s annoying.
But when something good happens, we’re like:
“Yeah it was nice.”
That’s it?? That’s all we’re giving it??
I started sharing small good things more intentionally.
“Hey, this random thing made me laugh today…”
“I had a really good cup of coffee this morning…”
And weirdly, people respond to that.
They share their own stuff.
And suddenly the conversation isn’t just stress + complaints.
It’s… lighter.
6. Protect Your Energy (Because Not Everything Deserves It)
Okay this part is less fun but important.
Not everything needs your attention.
Not every thought needs to be believed.
I used to waste so much energy on stuff that didn’t matter.
Now I try (keyword: try) to step back and ask:
“Will this matter tomorrow?”
If the answer is no… I let it go.
Or at least I attempt to.
(Progress, not perfection. Always.)
Random Side Note Because My Brain Won’t Stay on Track
Why do we remember embarrassing moments from 10 years ago…
…but forget what made us laugh yesterday?
Like?? Brain?? Explain yourself.
7. Create Tiny Rituals (That Feel Like Yours)
This might be my favorite one.
Tiny rituals make ordinary days feel… intentional.
Not fancy rituals. Not Pinterest-level aesthetic.
Just little things you look forward to.
Mine are:
- Sitting with coffee for 5 minutes before doing anything
- Playing the same song while getting ready
- Taking a short walk at night (even if it’s just around the block)
These moments anchor your day.
They give it shape.
And honestly, they make life feel less like a blur.
Two Random Things That Helped Me (Unexpectedly)
- The blog “Mark Manson” — not always soft and cozy, but weirdly grounding
- Watching old sitcom clips on YouTube (comfort chaos, highly recommend)