Starting a Delight Practice: A Small Step Toward Greater Joy
When was the last time you felt Real delight?
When I watch kids play, I sometimes wonder how we lost the playfulness and joy we all had as children. The kind of delight that came easily when we were kids can often feel so distant as adults. In the midst of busy lives, responsibilities, and challenges, it’s easy to get stuck focusing on what’s hard or stressful. When was the last time you intentionally sought out moments of delight? Starting a delight practice can help you reconnect with the beauty in everyday life and rediscover how small moments can have a profound impact on your mental health and well-being.
Our Houston therapists we believe that finding joy doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right mindset and a little intention, a delight practice can help you shift your focus, reduce stress, and cultivate a greater sense of happiness. In this blog post, we’ll explain what a delight practice is, how to start one, and why it can be a game-changer for your mental health.
What Is a Delight Practice?
A delight practice is the intentional act of noticing and savoring small, everyday moments that bring you joy.
These moments could be anything—the warmth of your morning coffee, a friendly conversation, or the sunlight filtering through the trees. The goal is to pause, acknowledge, and fully experience these moments. It’s about retraining your mind to focus on the good, even in the most ordinary parts of life.
This practice stems from the idea of mindfulness and gratitude but emphasizes playfulness, wonder, and lightness. You aren’t searching for life-changing epiphanies—you’re simply noticing the little things that make you smile. Try seeing the things that land for you. It’s in seeing that you start to systematically permit yourself to enjoy the small moments in your life. It also tells your brain that life can be good and you can feel good in your life.
Why Start a Delight Practice?
You may be wondering: Can something so small actually make a difference? The answer is yes. A delight practice works because it changes the way you see the world. Instead of getting bogged down by stress or negative thoughts, you become more attuned to what’s good and beautiful.
Here are some proven benefits:
Reduces stress and anxiety: Shifting your focus to moments of delight can calm your nervous system and break the cycle of stress.
Builds gratitude: By noticing joyful moments, you naturally cultivate a sense of thankfulness.
Improves your mood: Small bursts of joy release dopamine, the “happy chemical” in your brain.
Strengthens resilience: A delight practice helps you find positivity even during tough times.
Promotes mindfulness: It grounds you in the present moment and encourages you to slow down.
Over time, this simple practice can help rewire your brain to be more positive, open, and calm—and who doesn’t want that?
How to Start a Delight Practice
Starting a delight practice doesn’t require any special tools, and it can fit into even the busiest day. Follow these steps to get started:
1. Set Your Intention
Begin by deciding that you will look for delight each day. Whether you choose one moment or five, your intention will help shift your focus toward joy.
Tip: Start your day by saying, “I will notice something delightful today.” It primes your brain to be on the lookout.
2. Pause and Notice
When you experience a moment of delight, pause for a few seconds. Fully notice the details—what do you see, hear, smell, or feel? Allow yourself to savor the moment. Pause for 10 seconds longer than you might normally do.
Examples of delight might include:
The sound of laughter nearby.
A delicious bite of food.
A dog happily wagging its tail.
Finding a song you love on the radio.
The feeling of clean sheets on your bed.
The leaves changing color on the trees
Squirrels playing on a tree
Your child giggling
Here are more examples of delights in each category. Use these as jumping-off points to spark what might give you a sense of delight and wonder.
Sensory Delights
Warm sunlight on your face
The first sip of coffee or tea
Clean sheets at the end of the day
A favorite scent (soap, candle, rain)
Stretching your body without rushing
Emotional / Relational Delights
A song that instantly shifts your mood
Inside jokes or shared laughter
Watching your pet do something completely unnecessary and charming
Feeling understood in a brief moment
Slow, Ordinary Delights
Watching clouds, birds, or trees move
Flipping through a book or record store
The first bite of ice cream as it hits your taste buds
Looking up and seeing your kids getting along or playing together
Tiny Wins & Comforts
A text that makes you smile
Putting on clothes that feel good on your body
The feeling of soft sheets on your skin
Letting yourself rest without explaining why
Delight is everywhere if you’re paying attention.
3. Document It
To deepen your practice, try keeping a Delight Journal. At the end of the day, jot down the moments that brought you joy. This helps you reflect on the good and trains your mind to look for more. This journal can also be a list on your phone. It can provide you with delight to write down what landed for you, and then it can provide additional delight to read the lists later.
Tip: Use photos or voice notes if you’re not a fan of writing. I like to take pictures whenever possible because I find that it engages the senses and because it allows me to share the pictures with others I love.
4. Share Your Delight
Sharing moments of delight with others can amplify the joy. Tell a loved one about something that made you smile or encourage them to notice their own moments of joy. In our family, we agreed to share delights with a picture over text of the things that give us delight. I feel like this allows me to multiply delight because I experience the delight when I see or feel something, I experience it again when I share it, and I experience delight when my loved one shares their delight.
It is a delightful feedback loop that pays dividends!
Example: “I saw the prettiest flower on my walk today, and it made me smile.”
5. Be Playful and Curious
Don’t overthink your practice—delight is meant to be lighthearted. Stay open to small, unexpected moments. Allow yourself to feel childlike wonder and curiosity as you notice joy in new places.
How a Delight Practice Supports Mental Health
Life can feel heavy at times, and it’s easy to let the hard parts overshadow everything else. A delight practice is a gentle but powerful reminder that joy, wonder, and delight still exist, even in the small things. Our brains are wired to notice risk and plan around that for survival. That can be good at times, but it’s toxic for you if you engage with the hard stuff all the time.
You have the power to rewire your brain to feel delight!
By intentionally noticing moments of joy:
You break the habit of negative thought patterns.
You interrupt stress by engaging in lightness and play.
You feel more connected to the present moment and to others around you.
This practice is particularly helpful for those struggling with anxiety, depression, or burnout. While it’s not a replacement for therapy, it can be a beautiful complement to the work you’re doing to care for your mental health.
Delight Is a Skill You Can Build
At first, noticing delight may feel unfamiliar. That’s okay—it takes practice. The more you engage in your delight practice, the easier it becomes to spot these moments naturally. You’ll begin to notice how even the smallest joys can add up to make life feel brighter and more hopeful.
Final Thoughts: Embracing the Joy Around You
Starting a delight practice doesn’t require big changes or grand gestures. It’s about slowing down, paying attention, and choosing to focus on what makes you smile—even for just a moment.
At Wilson Counseling, we know how powerful these small shifts can be for your overall mental health and happiness. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed or struggling to see joy, our team is here to help you navigate those challenges and find the tools you need to thrive.
Ready to rediscover delight in your life? Start today by noticing just one small thing that brings you joy. You might be surprised at how quickly these moments add up.
OTHER THERAPY SERVICES WE OFFER IN HOUSTON, TX
We have other mental health services that we offer at our Houston, TX counseling office. Our services are available for adults, children, and teens. For individuals, we offer Anxiety Treatment, Autism Therapy Services, ADHD Therapy, Couples and Marriage Therapy, Divorce Counseling, Infertility Counseling, Perinatal and Postpartum Treatment, Teen Counseling, Parenting Counseling, and Family Therapy. As well as Eating Disorder Therapy, School and College Counseling, Trauma Therapy, PTSD Treatment, EMDR Therapy, Chronic Pain Therapy and LGBTQ+ Counseling. Our caring therapists also offer Career Counseling, and LPC Supervision. All of these services are also available through Online Counseling throughout Texas.