Cultivating Joy, Happiness, and Vorfreude
Living a happy, joyful life is a goal for many of us, but how often do we slow down and really think about what these terms mean? How often do we reflect on how our daily choices lead to joy and happiness?
In this blog, we invite you to take the foot off the accelerator and reflect on your happiness and joy as we cover some of the terms related to contentment in life. We’ll also share ideas for how you can boost your happiness, joy, and even vorfreude – the anticipation of joy.
What’s the difference between happiness and joy?
Brene Brown, a leading emotion-researcher and NYT best-selling author, defines happiness and joy as two distinct emotions in her book, Atlas of the Heart. Happiness, she describes, is a long-lasting feeling of contentment – a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction that lasts beyond the external happenings of a given day. You might experience happiness when working in a job aligned with your purpose and values, while in relationships that feel supportive and nurturing, and when things are generally going well in life.
Joy, Brown explains, is brief bursts or periods of intense happiness, often related to feelings of connection with others, oneself, or one’s spiritual life. Typically, joy is found with strong feelings of gratitude, too. You might feel joy when meeting a close friend’s new baby for the first time, walking in nature on a sunny day, or in moments of spiritual practice when you feel intimately close to your beliefs.
It’s important to note that not all therapists and researchers define joy and happiness in the same terms – some actually flip the definitions (i.e., joy is the longer lasting feeling, while happiness is experienced in bursts). At the heart of it, however, most are discussing two similar emotional experiences, just with different names: one which is shorter and externally related, versus one that is more stable and oftentimes internally sourced.
The two are inherently bound up in one another: experiencing bursts of happiness throughout life can generate more joy, and living from a joyful perspective can make it easier to experience moments of happiness.
What is vorfreude?
Recently, a few German terms have become buzzwords in the world of emotion-research. You might have heard of schadenfreude, which is finding joy in the misfortunes of others. Or, perhaps you’ve heard of freudenfreude – the opposite – finding joy in the fortune of others, even when their wellbeing has no effect on you!
However, there’s one more freude to bring into the mix: vorfreude. Vorfreude takes a different angle; it is the anticipation of (our own) joy. When we’re experiencing vorfreude, we’re excited about a future event we believe will bring us happiness. Looking forward to a date with your partner, your next summer vacation, or the taste of your morning coffee are all examples of vorfreude.
What effects do happiness, joy, and vorfreude have on my brain?
Positive psychology is a field of research focused on human wellbeing. Many researchers in this field have been exploring how emotions like happiness, joy, and vorfreude act in the brain. For instance, one study found that anticipating a positive experience (in this research, it was viewing a happy photo, such as a baby smiling), significantly increased activity in the brain’s prefrontal cortex (PFC). The study participants who had more activation in this region also had a greater sense of general well-being.
So, what does that research mean for you? The researchers showed that the PFC may be one of the brain’s major players when we experience vorfreude, and they provided evidence that folks who feel more vorfreude actually have a greater sense of well-being.
When it comes to the experiences of joy and happiness, neurotransmitters play a huge role. Neurotransmitters are chemical signalers in the brain; think of them as little messengers that different brain areas use to communicate with each other. When we’re experiencing happiness or joy, serotonin and endorphins are often released.
Serotonin is known as our mood neurotransmitter; when it’s released, we feel calm, at ease, and even creative. For some people with depression, it’s theorized that serotonin levels are too low; and increasing serotonin with the use of SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) improves depression symptoms. Endorphins help reduce stress (and play a significant role in pain management, too!) – and they’re often released in physical activities like exercise, sex, massage, and even just walking! Endorphins, too, can bring in a peaceful, pleasant, happy state.
How can I boost vorfreude, happiness, and joy in my life?
To increase your happiness, joy, or vorfreude, prioritize one or a few of the following activities:
Focus on the small details of your everyday routine that make you happy
Contrary to the saying, “Hope for the best, expect the worst,” Vorfreude encourages us to keep our expectations positive and get excited for the things on our calendar! When we do so, we can find more joy just from anticipating a positive experience. You don’t have to draw your vorfreude from your next big vacation (though that’s awesome). Even looking forward to a chat with your BFF or the morning walk with your puppy can bring on vorfreude.
To lean into vorfreude, take the time to really think about the small details you love: the shining sun on your skin, seeing neighbors on the way, the smell of the fresh air. And be intentional on applying these little details of your daily life to bring on vorfreude.
Schedule activities that can spur happiness
This seems obvious, but how many of us say, “Oh, I’ll get to that eventually!” only to insist we never could find the time. Being intentional with scheduling activities that bring you joy is necessary to cultivating vorfreude – and a greater sense of happiness, generally, in life.
You might think about scheduling your next vacation or dinner with some friends, but you can also start small in your daily life. What if you scheduled 15 minutes to watch a snippet of your favorite show after lunch as a respite from the workday? Or, what if you planned to try a new restaurant one night each week? Be intentional about planning activities – both big and small – that bring you joy and savor the excitement for the scheduled event!
Spend more time in nature to boost joy
Time in nature has repeatedly been found to increase mood and happiness, and that may be partially due to the effects of sunlight on serotonin release. Researchers have found that serotonin levels decrease in the winter, and typically increase with exposure to sunlight.
As the weather gets nicer, consider if you can go on more walks, or even work outside somewhere, especially if you work remotely. Hate the glare on your computer when you try to work outside? Invest in a laptop hood or sunshade, like one of these from Amazon!
If you’re spending time in the sun, be sure to have protective sunblock on. Check out our past blog on sunscreens if you need support finding the right one for you! Use these tips to expand your joy and happiness in big and small ways, while considering the ways you can practice vorfreude in your day-to-day life!
