Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness
Please don’t tell my mom or any of the self-defense and safety experts you know, but when I go on my daily hikes in the woods, I listen to books and podcasts. (I do use a headset in just one ear so I can listen for the boogeyman or mountain lions with my other ear — so at least there’s that.)
Not only do I listen to podcasts and books while I’m hiking, I listen to them when I’m cooking, cleaning, painting, driving, when I should be sleeping and just about any other time that I can multi-task. I listen to so many podcasts and audiobooks that I’m pretty sure at least half of my stories start with, “I was listening to this podcast and…” or “Get what I just learned from the audiobook I was listening to on my hike today…”
With that said, get what I just learned from my Blinkist app which I was listening to on my hike the other day…
Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee is a newly released and delightfully thought-provoking book that all who love studying and playing with design, color, art, decorating, happiness and joy must get ASAP! I’ve also been enjoying devouring content on her blog, so be sure to check that out as well.
Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness by Ingrid Fetell Lee
I was so intrigued by the Blinkist insights from the book that I went ahead and purchased the audio and hardcover version of this book — because I’m a freak like that.
Below, I’ve included the summary from Amazon.com which will do the book justice better than I ever could, along with a link to Ingrid Fetell Lee’s Ted Talk: Where Joy Hides & How to Find it.
If you’ve read this book, let me know your take-aways in the comments. If you haven’t read it yet, grab yourself a copy and come back and comment! Also, be sure to follow @aestheticsofjoy on Instagram, and don’t forget tag your photos with #joyspotting when inspiration strikes.
THE BOOK SUMMARY…
Designer and TED star Ingrid Fetell Lee presents groundbreaking research to explain how making small changes to your surroundings can create extraordinary happiness in your life.
Have you ever wondered why we stop to watch the orange glow that arrives before sunset, or why we flock to see cherry blossoms bloom in spring? Is there a reason that people -- regardless of gender, age, culture, or ethnicity -- are mesmerized by baby animals, and can't help but smile when they see a burst of confetti or a cluster of colorful balloons.
We are often made to feel that the physical world has little or no impact on our inner joy. Increasingly, experts urge us to find balance and calm by looking inward -- through mindfulness or meditation -- and muting the outside world. But what if the natural vibrancy of our surroundings is actually our most renewable and easily accessible source of joy?
In Joyful, designer Ingrid Fetell Lee explores how the seemingly mundane spaces and objects we interact with every day have surprising and powerful effects on our mood. Drawing on insights from neuroscience and psychology, she explains why one setting makes us feel anxious or competitive, while another fosters acceptance and delight -- and, most importantly, she reveals how we can harness the power of our surroundings to live fuller, healthier, and truly joyful lives.