The word “joy” comes from the ancient French “joie” which had the same meaning, but is also related to the word “joiels” which instead meant “jewel”. This last word in Italian is synonymous with the word "joy", meaning a precious and beautiful object whose possession can only generate the emotion of joy.
What is it?
This emotion generates pleasure, well-being and optimism, contributes to improved health and seems to be quite contagious.
The expression of joy is characterized by the lifting of the cheeks and corners of the mouth, the eyes and cheekbone muscles contracting, due to the activation of the muscle around the eyes, called orbicularis. It is precisely this contraction that gives rise to a sincere smile and not a polite one.
After smiling, laughter is the second universal marker of joy. Sincere laughter activates different parts of the body: lungs, larynx and intercostal muscles.
The fact that smiling is one of the most contagious human actions indicates how much the human being is inclined and has the desire to feel joy, demonstrating the fact that he is a social animal by nature.
Joy increases levels of creativity and problem solving, willpower is strengthened, motivation in carrying out activities increases, fatigue decreases, attention is focused. In short, all pleasant mental processes are amplified. It makes you live better and prolongs your life. Scientific studies carried out on life satisfaction, starting from elements such as the wrinkle around the eyes which indicates a sincere smile, demonstrate greater longevity in cheerful people.
What is its purpose?
The aspect that makes joy so important is its driving force. This emotion, in fact, with the energy and state of activation that it is able to arouse, pushes us to achieve our goals.
Furthermore, this emotion is important because it helps reduce the harmful effects of unpleasant emotions, such as sadness or fear, helping us to recover from their consequences. In addition, it stimulates us to broaden our thinking horizons, helps us see opportunities in obstacles and makes us more creative. It helps us understand that we are going in the right direction: if we are happy when we spend time with a person it means that that relationship is healthy and makes us feel good.
Finally, thanks to various studies conducted on positive emotions, it has been understood that joy and happiness influence mental health and longevity.
How to experience more positive emotions
Various authoritative research suggests how to learn to be happy by making small changes in your life. Here are some concrete actions that could encourage the experience of positive emotions.
- Spend more time with people we care about. Numerous studies suggest that a lot of time alone can be harmful to mood and encourage isolation;
- Observe everything you feel grateful for, grateful people also seem happier;
- Pay attention to the quality of your sleep. The quality of sleep, rather than the quantity, is particularly important for health and good mood;
- Dedicate a few minutes a day to meditation. Even just 10 minutes a day of meditation seems to improve your mood;
- Try to do at least ten minutes of exercise a day. Physical exercise promotes the release of endorphins, the substances responsible for good mood.