A few years ago, I discovered the concept of a joy list. At the time I was struggling with the monotony of my day-to-day life and generally feeling pretty anxious and down. So, I gave the list a try. I sat down with a notebook and wrote what joyful moments came to mind: Snuggling up in bed with a good book, dancing in the kitchen with my partner, cooking soup, going on walks at my favorite beach, thrifting, sipping coffee at my favorite café. Writing it down, I immediately felt immense gratitude for those impactful yet simple moments.

“I made my moments of joy an important part of my weekly planning and made it a priority.”

And then I intentionally added items from the list to my life. I put walks on the beach on my calendar. I scheduled time to go to the thrift store. I made my moments of joy an important part of my weekly planning and made it a priority. Eventually, it started to become less something I had to consciously think about and more of a habit. I found little moments of joy in my day-to-day life. It didn’t solve all my problems, but it made life feel more special and meaningful.

Now, whenever I find myself losing that habit and needing to ground in my joy, I come back to this practice: Write down the things that bring me joy. Schedule them into my life. It’s a powerful way to notice, acknowledge, and create intentionally joyful moments in an ordinary day.

What exactly is a joy list?

A joy list is pretty simple as a concept but really powerful in practice. Write down all of the things that bring you joy, from simple moments like morning coffee to beloved traditions like going camping every summer. And then take that list and use it to integrate those items into your life.

“By actively noting the things that bring us joy, we shift our focus from what we lack to what we possess, fostering a sense of abundance and gratitude.”

– Alyssa Scolari (MA, LPC, ACS)

The practice of creating joy lists is based in positive psychology, emphasizing what makes life worth living, says Alyssa Scolari (MA, LPC, ACS), a New Jersey-based licensed professional counselor and owner of See You Through it Counseling. 

Positive psychology helps to foster happiness and emotional wellness, according to Harvard Health. It has three pillars — connecting with others, savoring pleasure, and developing a sense of gratitude. Positive psychology also emphasizes deep satisfaction and meaning in life over more temporary happiness.

Scolari explains that shifting our focus in this way has a powerful impact on our mental health. “It counteracts the tendency to ruminate on negative experiences or feelings, which can exacerbate feelings of depression or anxiety,” she says. 

“At their core, joy lists serve as a beacon, guiding individuals to intentionally recognize and cultivate the moments, activities, and connections that bring them happiness,” Scolari explains. “By actively noting the things that bring us joy, we shift our focus from what we lack to what we possess, fostering a sense of abundance and gratitude.”

How to use a joy list in everyday life

Crafting your joy list

If you’re not sure where to begin in creating your joy list, start with little things. Is there a song that every time you hear it you can’t help but dance or sing? Do you have a favorite food? Perhaps you love reading a novel or watching a TV show at the end of the day. Then think about the bigger things: Making time to see your closest friend, going to a favorite park, hosting a party. 

Whatever brings you joy, write it down. And keep writing until you fill a page (or two!).

Using your joy list

Take time to schedule those moments into your day, week, or month. And keep your joy list on hand for when you need a pick-me-up or you’re having a difficult week. 

“Making a joy list is a way to remind yourself that you don’t have to check everything off your to-do list to deserve joy.”

– Ingrid Fetell Lee, designer & author

“Joy lists can be a personalized roadmap for integrating more fulfilling experiences into our daily lives,” Scolari says. “They remind us to pause, reflect, and engage with the simple pleasures or the grand moments that bring us happiness. This conscious engagement enhances our mood in the short term and builds our resilience against stress and adversity in the long term.”

Ingrid Fetell Lee, designer, author of “Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness,” and founder of the blog The Aesthetics of Joy, suggests creating a joy list right alongside your to-do list.

“It’s easy to postpone joy,” Fetell Lee says. “We have this culture where it feels like we never feel like we deserve joy. We always feel like we have to keep working. And if we’re not productive enough, we haven’t earned joy. Making a joy list is a way to remind yourself that you don’t have to check everything off your to-do list to deserve joy.”

Think seasonal and slow

Fetell Lee thinks of her joy lists seasonally, offering examples like making sure she gets a good cup of hot cocoa in winter and planting her garden or getting a beautiful bunch of tulips in spring. Her joy list also has things like adding color and art to her environment, making it part of her everyday life. “What’s powerful about when you add joy to your surroundings is that you get to experience it again and again and again.”

“Joy lists allow us to cultivate meaning and fulfilling experiences in our lives.”

Scolari says it’s more than just about adding more activities to our to-do lists though. “It’s about changing our relationship with ourselves and the world around us. It’s about recognizing that joy is not a luxury but a necessity for mental health and well-being,” she says. 

For me, a joy list isn’t something I made once years ago and now refer back to every once in a while. It’s become a regular practice of checking in with myself and what’s bringing me joy in different seasons of my life. I love discovering the new things that I enjoy over the years and being able to invite and encourage them in my daily life. Joy lists allow us to cultivate meaningful and fulfilling experiences in our lives. They help us do so with intention and thoughtfulness, but they’re also a powerful way to find gratitude for the act of experiencing joy and to feel grounded and present in those precious moments.

Brianna Schubert is a writer and editor living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. When she’s not writing about books, lifestyle, and culture, you can find her cooking up a new recipe, reading and recommending books, or finding hidden gems at vintage and thrift stores. Say hi on Instagram!