The Psychology of Everyday Joy: Micro-Moments and Subjective Well-Being in Positive Psychology

A notion that tends to persist among us generally is that happiness comes from the big events in life. Things like: Getting a promotion. Going on a dream vacation. Having a grand birthday celebration and buying a new house. These are things we tend to look forward to. But what if research disagrees with that notion and says otherwise? What if real and lasting happiness does not come only from such milestone moments? While these are joyful events, the fact is that real joy comes from the much smaller things in life. 

Think about that smile you shared with an old friend over something silly or the comforting smell of freshly brewed coffee. Maybe a warm hug. These small moments, also called “micro-moments of joy” or “micro-joys”, can make a big difference in our experience of happiness overall. They might be small in size, but they can be deeply powerful in how they shape our overall happiness. 

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What Are Micro-Moments? 

The simple, small moments that bring us joy, peace, or a sense of connection are called micro-moments. These are brief, positive experiences that can be found in everyday life. They do not last long, but they feel good. Not usually planned, these moments can happen at any time. Hearing your favourite song on the radio. The feeling of sunlight on your face. Laughing at a silly meme. A compliment from a stranger. Or even getting a kind text from someone. These are all examples of micro-moments. Psychologist Barbara Fredrickson (2013), a leading researcher in positive emotions, explains these moments as “positivity micro-moments”. These moments help us feel connected, relaxed, and more alive.

According to Counselling Psychologist Archana Nanduri, “There’s something quietly profound about the way joy shows up in our lives. It’s not always loud or dramatic, but in these fleeting, almost fragile moments that come and go. A shared smile with someone in traffic, the comfort of a favourite song playing unexpectedly, the scent of something that reminds you of home. These are micro-moments of joy, and while they’re small, they carry deep emotional weight.

In my work with clients, I often notice how many of us are waiting for big happiness—when we get the job, when the stress lifts, when everything finally makes sense. But life rarely gives us neat, well-timed joy. What it does offer, generously and quietly, are these everyday glimmers. When people begin to notice and lean into them, something inside shifts. It’s not a grand transformation, but a softening.

A slow re-learning of how to be present with what is good, even when everything isn’t. From a psychological standpoint, these moments activate parts of our brain linked to safety, connection, and pleasure. They help regulate the nervous system, ease anxiety, and build a sense of internal safety. But what fascinates me most is what happens emotionally: these tiny joys help us feel human again. In the middle of loss, burnout, or numbness, they offer brief, grounding reminders that life isn’t just difficult—it’s also tender and beautiful in small, fleeting ways.

In Indian culture, especially, where emotional expression is often layered with expectation, responsibility, or silence, these moments become even more important. I’ve seen clients find immense healing in things as simple as noticing the way sunlight falls on their balcony, or making time to laugh with someone they trust. These aren’t distractions from the deeper work—they’re part of it.

Tuning into micro-moments isn’t about pretending life is always joyful. It’s about making space for joy even when life is complicated. That’s what builds emotional resilience—not in the dramatic, motivational-speech kind of way, but in the soft, consistent, quiet way that lasts. And maybe that’s the most honest kind of well-being: one built not on escape, but on noticing what’s still good, still warm, still alive in the middle of it all.”

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How Do These Micro-Moments Help Us Feel Better? 

1. They Calm The Mind

Even a short moment of joy can help our nervous system slow down and become more regulated. Shifting our thoughts away from stress or fear, these moments make us feel calmer and free of thoughts by activating our parasympathetic nervous system (Cohn et al., 2009). During anxious moments, something as simple as watching birds fly or taking a few deep breaths in nature can shift our focus away from what is troubling us. 

2. They Make Us Stronger Emotionally

It has been found that people who make it a habit to notice more positive moments turn out to be more resilient and emotionally strong. This implies that they can handle stress better and bounce back faster after having faced a hard day (Tugade and Fredrickson, 2004). 

3. They Improve Our Relationships

We experience joy when we are around other people. A smile, a kind word, a thoughtful message, or a joke—these small yet significant things can create emotional bonds and automatically make us feel closer to others. Over time, these little connections add to our overall happiness by making us feel more loved and supported in our relationships (Fredrickson, 2013). 

4. They Improve Our Physical Health

Believe it or not, micro-moments of positivity can also benefit your body. Regular positive emotions have been linked to lower blood pressure, better immune functioning, and improved sleep. When we are regularly uplifted by small joys, our body responds positively by reducing stress hormones and improving overall health (Pressman and Cohen, 2005). 

Read More: How Unexpected Positive Events Influence Happiness and Mental Health

Why Do The Small Joys Matter More Than The Big Ones? 

We often make the mistake of waiting for “big happiness” to feel good. Now this may seem counterintuitive, however, research proves that it is better to feel small bits of happiness more often. The small joys we feel every day have a bigger impact than the occasional big events. The big moments may be exciting, but they are rare and temporary.

The positive emotions we feel from a vacation or promotion often fade faster than we think. This is referred to as “hedonic adaptation”, which means we tend to return to our usual level of happiness after a big high. Instead, the frequent experience of micro-joys helps build consistent, lasting well-being. This is what positive psychology calls “subjective well-being”, that is, how we perceive and evaluate our own lives.

Positive psychology explains subjective well-being as feeling positive emotions more frequently, feeling more satisfied in life, and experiencing fewer negative emotions. People with high subjective well-being are more likely to experience positive health outcomes, including better physical health and lower stress levels. Furthermore, according to researcher Ed Diener and his team, our overall happiness depends more on how frequently we feel good as compared to how intensely we feel it (Diener et al., 2009). So, it is better to enjoy the small joys every day instead of chasing the big highs. 

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According to Clinical Psychologist Nitika Kimothi, Therapists can help clients become more aware of daily joys by incorporating several strategies:

• Mindfulness Practices: Encourage clients to focus on the present moment, acknowledging their thoughts, feelings, and surroundings without judgment. Techniques like mindful breathing, meditation, and mindful observation can be integrated into daily routines.
• Gratitude Exercises: Suggest keeping a gratitude journal or reflecting on positive aspects of life daily to shift focus from what’s lacking to what’s abundant.
• Emotional Regulation Strategies: Teach clients to manage emotions effectively with techniques like deep breathing, journaling, or simple activities such as going for a walk.
• Self-Care Rituals: Emphasise activities promoting physical, mental, and emotional well-being, such as regular exercise, healthy eating, and engaging in hobbies.
• Identifying Daily Pleasures: Challenge clients to list simple, healthy pleasures and encourage them to spend time being mindful of these joys.

Incorporating mindfulness from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) can enhance these strategies. DBT’s mindfulness component focuses on being fully engaged in the present moment, without judgment. This can help clients appreciate small joys and pleasures in daily life that might otherwise go unnoticed.

To implement these strategies, therapists can:

• Encourage clients to practice mindfulness during daily activities, such as eating or walking.
• Help clients develop a daily routine that includes self-care and gratitude practices.
• Teach clients to recognise and challenge negative thought patterns.
• Support clients in developing emotional regulation strategies.

By incorporating these strategies, therapists can help clients become more aware of daily joys and enhance their overall well-being.

How Do We Notice More Micro-Moments In Our Lives? 

As humans, we can train ourselves to notice the joyful moments. Our brain has a natural negativity bias, that is, we are wired to pay more attention to threats, but with practice and conscious effort, we can pay more attention to the silver linings. Some easy and proven ways to do that are as follows: 

1. Be More Present in the Here and Now

By staying to stay in the moment, no matter what is going on, is what psychologists call the practice of “mindfulness”. Notice the taste of your food. Feel the breeze. Listen to the sounds around you. These are nothing but small chances to feel joy, which can eventually have a significant impact. Mindfulness opens our eyes to the tiny experiences we usually overlook. 

2. Savour the Good Things

When something makes you feel good, pause. Linger on the good feeling. Take a moment to enjoy it for a few extra seconds. This helps your brain remember the feeling, affecting well-being positively in the long run (Bryant and Veroff, 2007). 

3. Write Down the Joyful Moments Daily

Each night, write down any three small things that made you smile and feel good, or those that you are grateful for. It could be a cool breeze, a funny moment, or a walk. This simple daily habit helps you notice joy more easily and effortlessly. 

4. Emotionally Connect With Others

Joy often happens with people. Smile at someone. Say thank you. Make eye contact. Though these small chats may seem trivial, they can be quite effective in boosting your mood. 

5. Look for Beauty in the Ordinary

You do not have to travel to a mountaintop to find beauty. It is in the cup of tea, the way sunlight hits a wall, or the sound of laughter. Finding wonder in the ordinary is one of the simplest paths to joy. 

A Real-Life Example 

Consider the story of Meera, a young woman with a busy job and family. She used to feel tired and drained all the time. But when she started looking for small joyful moments, her life began to feel better. She enjoyed her tea peacefully each morning. Also, she noticed birds outside her window. She laughed with her child before bedtime. These little things did not fix everything. But they helped her feel more alive and less overwhelmed. 

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Thus, We Can Conclude That… 

Joy does not have to be loud or dramatic. The quietest moments are usually the richest. Happiness does not need a special occasion. It is present in the small, ordinary moments that we end up ignoring. And we can cultivate these micro-moments through practices like savouring positive experiences, engaging in activities that bring flow, and building strong social connections can significantly enhance subjective well-being.

According to positive psychology, by doing this, we can enhance our subjective experience of life and build a more positive and fulfilling existence. We do not have to wait for achieving a milestone in life to feel good. We can feel better now. So the next time you laugh, feel the sun on your skin, feel the comfort of your blanket, or hear a favourite song… Pause. Smile. Let yourself feel the moment fully. Because in the end, life is made up of many tiny moments. These many tiny moments build the foundation for happiness. They may seem small, but they can fill your life with meaning and happiness, making you feel more alive.

FAQs 

1. What is a micro-moment of joy? 

A micro-moment is a small experience that brings a quick feeling of happiness, like enjoying a breeze or hearing a kind word. 

2. Can small joys improve mental health? 

Yes. Research shows that noticing small positive moments can help reduce stress and build emotional strength. 

3. How can I find more micro-moments in my day? 

Be present, slow down, connect with others, and try keeping a daily journal of happy moments. 

4. Is it better to have big joyful moments or many small ones? 

Many small happy moments often help us feel better than just a few big ones. 

5. Can I feel joy even when life is stressful? 

Yes. Even during tough times, small joyful moments can give us hope and help us feel more balanced.