Are You Experiencing Microjoys?

You’ve probably heard of mindfulness, gratitude journals, maybe even grounding techniques. But have you met microjoys?

They’re not big, transformative “aha” moments. They’re the tiny flickers that make you pause and go, “Huh… that was nice.” They might last five seconds. They’re easy to miss. But when you start noticing them, they stack up. And they matter.

A microjoy is a brief, often unexpected moment of comfort, beauty, or calm that reminds you you’re still here. Still human. Still capable of feeling something good.

It could be the exact song you needed playing at the exact right time. Or the smell of rain on hot pavement. Maybe it’s a perfectly ripe peach, or a bird building a nest outside your window. A meme that makes you laugh way harder than you expected. They’re small, but they interrupt the spiral. Like little speed bumps on a day that’s rolling downhill.

When you're living with a psychosocial disability, it’s easy to get buried in the big stuff. Appointments, paperwork, trying to stay regulated, trying to meet goals. Some days just brushing your teeth is the win. In the middle of all that, joy can feel like a luxury. Or like something you have to earn first.

But here’s the thing. You don’t need to be thriving to notice something beautiful. You don’t have to be “better” to enjoy a hot chip. Microjoys meet you exactly where you are.

They give your nervous system a breather. Even if it’s just for a moment, they remind your brain that not everything is awful. Something is actually okay right now.

This isn’t about pretending things are fine. It’s not that glossy “positive vibes only” stuff. Microjoys are about noticing the tiny parts that are fine, even when the rest isn’t. Like spotting a wildflower growing through a crack in the pavement. You don’t have to fix the pavement to admire the flower.

If you want to find more microjoys, you don’t need a special skill or a five-step plan. Think about what your senses are picking up. What smells nice? What feels good on your skin? What made you smile, even if you weren’t trying to?

Some people keep a list in their phone. Others take photos. You might send a message to a friend saying, “this cloud looks like a wombat, please appreciate it with me.” There’s no wrong way to notice a microjoy.

We asked a few people in our community to share theirs. One person told us their neighbour’s cat visits their window every morning, and they have silent little chats. Someone else mentioned a stranger complimenting their bright purple alien socks. Another just said, “my tea was the perfect temperature today.” That’s it. And that’s enough.

If your microjoy today is a good piece of toast, that counts. If it’s a funny autocorrect fail, or your doona being the perfect weight, or someone letting you go first in line, those all count too.

You’re allowed to have hard days. You’re allowed to not be okay. But you’re also allowed to feel joy. The small, unearned, quiet kind that asks nothing from you in return.

And sometimes, that’s exactly what gets us through.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. The author and publisher make no guarantees or warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information provided in this article, and any reliance on the information is strictly at your own risk. You can find our full Disclaimer here.