This time around, we’re chatting with Cyndie Spiegel, a consultant and the author of Microjoys: Finding Hope (Especially) When Life Is Not Okay.

Hey, Cyndie! If you could recommend one thing we could all do to improve our mental health, what would it be?

Notice microjoys; the easily accessible moments of joy that exist around (and within) us regardless of our current circumstances.

And why is this your One Good Thing? 

Because microjoys are nearly always present and available, we can access joy when we are struggling but also within the mundanity of our daily lives. Think about the daffodils blooming as winter transitions towards spring, the beautiful memory experienced when finding pictures of loved ones or the kind gesture from a stranger at the local grocer – these microjoys exist regardless of what we are going through. 

These are my One Good Thing because recognising them is a powerful and practical way of making space for joy.

Sounds nice. How can we start benefitting from microjoys?

Without trying to change anything, move through the world as it is and notice the beautiful, ordinary and extraordinary moments that exist. That’s it; that is how microjoys work. They don’t require us to earn them, reach far to find them or do anything except to simply notice what ordinary, extraordinary and profound beauty is already around us.

How will noticing microjoys improve our lives?

Microjoys offer us moments of respite and joy regardless of what is happening inside or around us. Even when you are moving through a difficult time, you can still experience moments of joy. 

In fact, it was during the worst year of my life when I discovered this practice: one where my nephew was killed, my beloved mother passed away, my brother nearly died and I was diagnosed with breast cancer – all within a 10-month span of time. 

Microjoys won’t always change our current circumstance but instead they offer us moments of respite in the midst of the storm.

Our only responsibility is to pay close enough attention to notice them. Over time, microjoys become akin to second nature; our brains seem to rewire to notice them without actively trying to. Instead, as you move through daily life, you see the world through a lens of microjoys, despite everything else that is happening.

Is there any way we can get microjoys wrong? Any pitfalls we need to be aware of?

Paying attention to what is around us to discover microjoys sounds simple and mostly, it is. But consistently rushing through life oblivious to our surroundings or choosing technology over presence in each moment are a few of the ways that we might forget to pay closer attention to the many, many microjoys around us.

How do you personally do your One Good Thing?

Every day, I document ordinary happenings through taking pictures or writing notes on my phone (you can also do this with a notebook and camera). Rather than only photographing big moments, I take pictures of the simple things that bring me joy: everything from my morning cup of coffee to a friend’s smile over a shared joke or my cats playing with one another. These images become a library of beautiful moments, big and small, that I can always come back to when I want to. And they become a lifeline of possibility, particularly when life is most difficult.

And how has doing this changed your life?

Microjoys offered me deep respite during an incredibly unforgiving time and since then, I’ve honed a practice of recognising them everywhere, including in the most ordinary of moments. They’ve taught me to walk through the world holding joy in one hand and grief in the other, at all times. This ability to hold impermanence alongside beauty has given me a sense of grounding, stability and acceptance of life as it is. I now understand that joy will exist, despite it all.

Frame Of Mind is Stylist’s home for all things mental health and the mind. From expert advice on the small changes you can make to improve your wellbeing to first-person essays and features on topics ranging from autism to antidepressants, we’ll be exploring mental health in all its forms. You can check out the series home page to get started.

Main image: Getty; Stylist