The Little Things: Finding Joy in the Everyday
We live in a world obsessed with big wins. The promotion, the bonus, the deal that changes everything. And sure, those moments matter. But they’re rare. What keeps us going in between those milestones is how we notice and celebrate the small, good things.
Think about your typical workday. Maybe you’ve been juggling back-to-back meetings, deadlines are looming, and your inbox is doing that thing where it feels like it multiplies while you’re not looking. It’s easy to fixate on the things that aren’t going well. But spending all your energy on the small negatives doesn’t make you productive. It just makes you stressed.
Here’s the thing: focusing on the small positives isn’t fluff. It actually changes how your brain and nervous system respond to challenges. A coffee that tastes just right, a colleague’s funny comment, a project that finally clicks into place, these little sparks of joy act like micro-resets. They give you energy and perspective.
Why the Small Things Matter at Work
In corporate life, it’s easy to get lost in targets, KPIs, and endless to-do lists. But leaders who take notice of the small wins—whether their own or their team’s, create environments where people feel seen, motivated, and capable. Celebrating micro-successes keeps morale high and reduces the grind-induced burnout that comes from focusing only on gaps and failures.
Even small moments of joy can shift how a meeting feels, how a project is approached, and how you respond to stress. They’re not distractions from work, they’re what make your work sustainable and your leadership effective.
How to Notice the Little Things
It doesn’t need to be complicated. A few ideas to start:
Pause for one mindful breath between tasks and notice something small that’s going well.
Keep a “small wins” journal. Write down three tiny things that went right today.
Acknowledge your team members for the small, consistent efforts they make. It costs nothing but builds trust and energy.
Celebrate your personal micro-moments too. A great walk, a perfectly brewed cup of tea, even finishing a report without losing your mind, counts!
Ask yourself ‘How are you feeling’ instead of ‘How is your day’ - it gives you the opportunity to check in with yourself a bit deeper.
Joy is a Choice
Joy isn’t something that magically appears when life is perfect. It’s a mindset, an intentional decision to notice and engage with the positive, even in the middle of chaos. In corporate environments, it can be easy to let stress, deadlines, and workplace politics dictate your mood.
Choosing joy means actively deciding to acknowledge what’s working, what’s beautiful, and what energizes you, rather than letting your nervous system get hijacked by negativity. It’s about reclaiming agency over your emotional experience.
Joy is a Skill
Just like leadership or strategic thinking, joy can be developed and strengthened. The brain is wired to focus on problems, it’s a survival mechanism—but with practice, you can retrain it to notice the small wins, the little pleasures, and the moments of ease that happen every day.
Techniques like mindful awareness, journaling gratitude, pausing to breathe, or simply naming positive experiences train your nervous system to respond differently. Over time, noticing joy becomes automatic rather than rare.
Why This Matters at Work
Leaders who practice joy consciously are calmer under pressure, make clearer decisions, and create environments where teams feel energised and supported. It’s not about being naive or ignoring challenges—it’s about developing resilience and perspective so that obstacles don’t overshadow what’s working. Joy becomes a tool for sustained focus, creativity, and connection.
In Practice
Next time you feel yourself sweating the small stuff, pause. Ask yourself: what’s actually going right right now? What small thing can I celebrate or enjoy? It might feel insignificant, but those little moments are the glue that holds everything together.
Because life, and work, isn’t just about the big wins. It’s about the small things that make the big wins possible.
Want to learn more about how Innerminx can help you rediscover your joy?
