Beyond just feeling good, studies show experiencing other people's joy makes us more compassionate and satisfied with life.
Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/kycnk4ca
How to Do This Practice:
- Find a comfortable position to begin this practice, focusing on your breath.
- Visualize a person or situation that brings you a sense of joy or happiness. It might be a child laughing, the success of a friend, or even a dog wagging its tail.
- Connect with their joy and happiness, wishing them well.
- Expand your focus to larger groups of people, like a team winning a match, wishing them well.
- Consider repeating this practice when you want to connect your sense of happiness with others.
Today’s Happiness Break host:
Anushka Fernandopulle is a Buddhist meditation teacher and leadership coach.
Learn More about Anushka: https://www.anushkaf.org/about/
Follow Anushka on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anushka_dharma/
Follow Anushka on Twitter: https://twitter.com/anushkaf
More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
Happiness Break: Wishing Others’ Well, With Anushka Fernandopulle: https://tinyurl.com/jrkewjs8
What Is Sympathetic Joy and How Can You Feel More of It? https://tinyurl.com/yuzmykct
How to Overcome Stress by Seeing Other People’s Joy: https://tinyurl.com/4csukyd5
Can Little Steps Lead to Big Joy? https://tinyurl.com/3e5yt3hp
Why Experiencing Joy and Pain in a Group Is So Powerful: https://tinyurl.com/3trjtzfm
We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience of appreciating others’ joy. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
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We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day.
