As Marie Kondo fever enters it’s seventh week (this may not actually be an accurate representation of the trend as I am typing this from under a rock), I started to think to myself how can I find more joy in my life?

Sometimes, I find that I get stuck in a routine where weeks go by and everything is fine. Fine as in not bad but not good either, just simply fine. My SO and I go on the same date night every week, we buy the same coffee, and talk about the same things that are happening in our lives. I go through the same cycle of chores I do every week and watch the same YouTube creators. I know this might sound like complaining and I assure you I like my routine. However, if you do something repeatedly it can be very easy to miss the moments of joy.

To acknowledge the joy already in my life and to (hopefully) increase it, I’ve decided to try a few new things:

1. Acknowledge the joy that already exists. Not everything in my life is perfect but there are many good parts that I don’t take the time to appreciate like our amazing weekly movie nights. We really do go all out with snacks and cuddly blankets. In an effort to stop the good from passing me by in the time it takes to demolish my popcorn, I’ve decided to take note of it. This is not a metaphorical note taking exercise. I’m jotting down daily highlights in my planner. This way I can look back on the week and remember the good things.

2. Making time to do the things that bring me joy. I’m definitely someone that tends toward putting other’s priorities ahead of my own. Also on my list of priorities, career advancement or achieving individual goals tend to get more attention than joy. I decided to dive into the deep end with some experimental baking a few nights ago that resulted in the above orange and chocolate chip muffin recipe. It may sound strange but they taste delicious. The next time I make them, I’m considering posting the recipe in the hopes that they will bring someone else joy.

3. Pointing out the joy when it comes. Often in life, there are little things that I enjoy doing. When the SO and I go on our dates, I enjoy holding his hand but I rarely point out that I enjoy it. This may be the most challenging task that I’ve set for myself but I’m going to try to make sure to tell him and others around me when things make me happy. I’m hoping that this will help to spread the joy around.

How do you create joy in your life? What are the things that bring you the most joy? Leave them in the comments below!