
In our constant search for happiness – something social media often tells us we should be chasing – it’s easy to forget that a good life is made up of a full range of emotions. Happiness is beautiful, but it feels even richer when it follows sadness. Calm is nourishing, but we often appreciate it most after stress. Real life is a mix of highs, lows, in-betweens, and many pleasantly ordinary moments in between.
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or worn down, that search for happiness can feel completely out of reach. Our minds tend to filter what we notice: when we tell ourselves we’re stressed, we find endless signs to confirm it. So how do we begin to turn this around?
One simple step is to start looking for microdoses of delight, wonder, or awe. It might be pausing to watch a bee collect nectar, noticing a dog stretching into the patch of sun on the carpet, or spotting the first buds appearing in the garden. Small, fleeting things — yet powerful reminders that joy is still threaded through the day.
If you set yourself a gentle goal to notice just one or two of these moments each day, you begin to balance out the negative messages of stress and overwhelm. You train your brain to see beyond the weight of what feels hard. Recording them – with a quick note, a photo, or even a mental bookmark – can give you a pause, a recharge, a moment of breathing space.
This doesn’t take away life’s difficulties, but it does loosen the grip of those heavy emotions. It reminds you that you’re not always stressed, and helps break the cycle of feeling stuck in those unhelpful patterns.
So, how will you look for your microdoses of delight today?
About the Author
Theresa is a Clinical Hypnotherapist and Strategic Psychotherapist based in Canberra, working with clients both in person and online through her practice, Navigating Calm. She helps people create lasting positive change by breaking free from unhelpful patterns and reconnecting with calm, clarity, and confidence. If you’re ready to take the next step towards lasting change in your life, get in touch today to book an appointment.


