5 Ways To Feel More Joy

Are you having trouble expeiencing joy? You arent the only one, but here are 5 things that might help.

Joy Isn’t a Luxury — It’s Part of Who We Are

Dr. Judith Joseph, a board-certified psychiatrist and researcher, insists that joy isn’t just something we stumble upon, it’s fundamental to our nature. “We are built with that DNA for joy,” she says. For Joseph, joy is a human birthright, not a reward for productivity or success.

The Hidden Struggle: High-Functioning Depression

Joseph has spent years studying a condition that’s often misunderstood, high-functioning depression.

Those who suffer from it may appear outwardly successful while inwardly grappling with profound emotional disconnection. “Depression looks different,” she says. “You don’t have to be sad to be depressed.”

When Achievement Masks Emotional Pain

Many individuals, including Joseph herself, battle a form of emotional numbness known as anhedonia, the inability to feel joy, while maintaining demanding careers, relationships, and responsibilities. “That was me in 2020,” she shared. “Everything looked perfect, but I was struggling deeply.”

Pathological Productivity: A Silent Joy Killer

Joseph warns about the modern epidemic of “pathological productivity”, the idea that constant achievement can become a coping mechanism, masking deeper emotional issues.

This relentless drive often prevents people from recognizing or addressing their inner emotional needs.

What Blocks Joy: Anhedonia and Alexithymia

Two key barriers to joy are anhedonia and alexithymia. The former dulls the ability to feel pleasure; the latter makes it hard to identify and articulate emotions.

People with these traits can still function and even thrive on the outside, which makes them easy to overlook.

Healing Begins with Connection

Joseph says she rediscovered joy by building deeper connections with her family and community. Helping others access joy also became a source of her own healing. But, she adds, it was a gradual process one that didn’t come with instant results or quick fixes.

Try the Five V’s for Reclaiming Joy

To overcome emotional numbness, Joseph recommends practicing five “V” strategies: Validation, Venting, Values, Vitals, and Vision.

These steps are designed to ground you emotionally, realign your purpose, and nurture both body and spirit.

Step One: Validate Your Feelings

Naming your emotions is essential. “If we don’t know how we feel, we’re confused,” Joseph explains.

Accepting what you feel even when it’s unpleasant helps reduce anxiety and opens the door to clarity and healing.

Step Two: Vent, But With Care

Venting your emotions to someone you trust can be incredibly therapeutic. Just make sure to ask for emotional permission first. “Is this a good time?” can be a powerful act of mutual respect, especially if you’re not speaking with a therapist.

Step Three: Reconnect With Your Core Values

Joseph suggests asking yourself what truly matters. “I used to chase achievements, but I won’t talk about those on my deathbed,” she reflects.

Values like love, integrity, and purpose are often more fulfilling than trophies or titles.

Step Four: Check Your Vitals

Sleep, nutrition, and physical activity may sound basic, but they’re essential.

These “vitals” are often the first to be neglected under stress, yet they have a direct impact on mood and emotional health.

Step Five: Create a Vision for Joy

It can be hard to look ahead when you’re weighed down by past regrets. But Joseph urges people to plan for joy. “Vision is difficult when you’re blinded by discomfort,” she notes. Building a joyful future starts with imagining one.

Don’t Turn Joy Into Another Job

Joseph offers an important reminder: this isn’t another productivity challenge. “Don’t be high functioning,” she says of this journey.

Healing requires space, patience, and a gentler pace than most overachievers are used to.

Joy vs. Happiness: Know the Difference

Finally, Joseph draws a crucial distinction: Happiness is fleeting and often tied to external rewards, a new purchase, a promotion, a compliment. Joy, on the other hand, is internal. “You don’t have to teach a child joy,” she says. “We are built with it.”