How Does a Scientist of Happiness, Practice Joy?
By Edie Higby, M.A. in Happiness Studies
My mantra is, “Being Happy Takes Courage, and Having Joy Takes Practice”
Joy isn’t always sunshine and butterflies. In fact, it’s rarely what we expect it to be. Instead, Joy is a living skill — something we learn, nurture, cultivate, and strengthen the way gardeners tend to soil and seeds. As someone who has spent years studying Happiness Health — not as an abstract ideal but as a designable condition — I can tell you this: the way a scientist of happiness practices Joy is both rooted in evidence and shaped by intention.
For many, Joy is thought of as spontaneous. A beautiful sunrise, a compliment from a friend, a moment of laughter. But what happens on the days when nothing feels particularly joyful? For most women I work with, that’s where the struggle lies.
That’s why I created Joy By Design, a book, and leadership program, Introducing Happiness Health Model & Joy Literacy Framework, grounded in both science and lived experience. At the heart of my work is the HHI: Happiness Health Intelligence INSPIRED Model, a holistic system designed to help people notice, nurture, and expand their Joy across eight connected dimensions of life.
Live Life INSPIRED:
- Inspirational (Hope, Meaning, Vision)
- Neurological (Presence, Regulation, Attention)
- Spiritual (Connection, Values, Transcendence)
- Physical (Body Awareness, Energy, Care)
- Intellectual (Curiosity, Learning, Meaning‑Making)
- Relational (Connection, Belonging, Love)
- Emotional (Awareness, Expression, Resilience)
- Developmental (Growth, Becoming, Forward Movement)
Each of the 8 Joy Principles represents a unique facet of Joy — because real Happiness Health is always multidimensional.
Being Happy Takes Courage, Having Joy Takes Practice
The word practice is a clue. In fields like music, meditation, sports, or art, we don’t wait for talent or mood to strike. We practice. We structure habits, reflect on progress, and we learn. Joy is no different.
Here’s how I practice Joy, and how any woman can too:
- I Begin with Awareness
Most of us live on autopilot — reacting, not noticing. True Joy begins with awareness. Before I can grow Joy, I need to see it, feel it, and name it. This is what I call Joy Literacy: the ability to recognize Joy when it is present and when it is absent.
Every morning, I take a few minutes to ask:
- Where is Joy showing up in my life today?
- Where does it feel absent?
This isn’t self‑criticism — it’s simple data gathering. Like a scientist noticing patterns, not judging them.
- I Engage My Nervous System
Joy isn’t only a mental state; it’s rooted in our nervous system. When my nervous system feels safe — regulated, calm, present — Joy can flow more freely. So I practice small habits that support regulation:
- 3‑minute breathing exercises
- Brief mindful pauses throughout the day
- Gentle movement that feels nurturing, not punitive
Joy is embodied. It lives in the body as much as the mind.
- I Connect with Meaning
A joyful life feels purposeful. For me, this means aligning daily actions with values — not obligations. One of my favorite prompts is:
“What action today aligns most with who I want to become?”
Not who I should be. Not who others expect me to be. Who I choose to be.
Designing Joy with Intention & Present Moment Awareness
One of the most transformative practices I teach in the Joy By Design program is the Happiness Health Reflection Assessment Tool. Participants rate themselves across the INSPIRED Pillars — not to judge, but to notice patterns. This helps pinpoint where Joy is abundant and where it might need more attention, practice and care.
Here’s a sample of what that looks like:
- Does your body feel cared for, or merely tolerated?
- Are your relationships sources of support or drains on energy?
- Is your spiritual or inner life nurtured or neglected?
- Do you allow space for curiosity, learning, and mental expansion?
These questions sharpen self‑awareness and invite intentional action.
Joy in the Everyday
Joy isn’t always big moments. Often, it’s subtle:
- A deep breath before a meeting
- Laughing with a friend
- Drinking coffee without scrolling social media
- A walk outside, noticing light on leaves
It’s micro‑moments of presence, stitched together with intention over time.
My own practice looks like this:
- Morning reflection journal
- Movement that feels like love, not punishment
- Conversations that awaken connection
- Stepping away from screens
- Saying “no” to what drains and “yes” to what nurtures
Joy Is Serious — And Serious Work
You might think Joy sounds light or frivolous. But Joy is serious work. It’s resilience. It’s emotional intelligence. It’s clarity in relationships. It’s the ability to bounce back after setbacks, not by ignoring difficulty — but by integrating it.
Women, especially, are socialized to prioritize others first: kids, partners, careers, responsibilities. Yet research on wellbeing consistently shows that self‑care, emotional regulation, and meaningful connection are protective factors for mental health — not luxuries.
Joy doesn’t compete with responsibility — it supports it. And practicing Joy, like any skill, becomes more effective with intention, repetition, and reflection.
You Don’t Have to Wait for Joy — You Can Practice It Now
The good news is, anyone can improve their Happiness Health! Starting today. What I offer through Joy By Design is more than INSPIRATION; it’s a framework, a vocabulary, and a lived practice. The HHI INSPIRED Model gives women a context to understand where their Joy is thriving — and where it’s asking for more attention. It’s all about balance.
Joy isn’t luck. It’s not something you stumble into. It’s not a thing or something you get. It’s inside of you. It is something you build, brick by intentional brick, through awareness, action, kindness and compassion.
And yes — even a Scientist of Happiness, uses the INSPIRED Model to Practice Joy.
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