Part 13: The Joy Mindset: Living It Out Daily

Welcome to The Everyday Science of Joy, a 13-part series for educators and caregivers brought to you by the ESSDACK Resilience Team and inspired by the work of Ingrid Fetell Lee around The Science of Joy. We’re diving into what brain science tells us about joy: why it matters, how it shapes our nervous systems, and how we can design classrooms, homes, and communities that help people truly thrive.

Each post, we’ll explore one joyful concept and connect it to practical, brain-based strategies you can use right away. Think of this series as a little dose of inspiration and science, wrapped up with curiosity, compassion, and maybe even a laugh or two because joy is serious business (and seriously good for us)!

After 15 years of studying joy, designer and researcher Ingrid Fetell Lee stopped asking herself, “Am I happy?” and started asking, “Am I experiencing joy today?” That one small shift in focus from something abstract and long-term to something immediate and embodied changed everything.

That’s the heart of  Joy.
It’s not about chasing a perfect life; it’s about noticing the small, steady pulses of life that are already good. Joy is daily, doable, and resilient. It’s less about conditions (“when things slow down, I’ll rest”) and more about awareness (“even in this chaos, I can breathe, laugh, and notice light”).

For educators and caregivers, that’s a radical act. We work in emotionally demanding spaces helping others regulate while holding our own stress, compassion fatigue, and exhaustion. Joy doesn’t ignore those realities; it honors them. It says:

“Joy and struggle can share the same space. One doesn’t cancel the other.”

Neuroscience backs this up. When we intentionally notice moments of joy, our brains release dopamine and oxytocin, the chemicals of connection and motivation. Over time, that builds a more resilient nervous system, one that can recover faster from stress. Essentially, joy is emotional strength training.

So what does this look like in real life?
It’s the teacher who hums during clean-up because music regulates her students…and herself. It’s the site director who pauses in the parking lot, breathing in sunrise before stepping into another full day. It’s the caregiver who lets out a deep belly laugh with a child after a hard moment, remembering that regulation doesn’t always look calm, but it can look alive.

Joy isn’t something you “achieve.” It’s something you practice moment by moment, day by day. You don’t have to earn it. You just have to notice it.

So instead of asking, “Was today a good day?” try asking, “Where did I feel joy today?” Maybe it was a smile from a student, a warm mug between your palms, or the simple act of finishing something that mattered. These moments are micro-regulations, guiding your nervous system back to safety and connection.

Joy is not the reward at the end of our work—it’s the resource that makes the work sustainable.

✨ Joy Practice Challenge: Once a day, pause and ask yourself, “Where did I feel joy today?” Write it down or speak it aloud. Let your body remember that it’s still wired for wonder and that noticing joy is a form of resilience all its own.