Unlock Daily Joy with This Simple 3-Second Happiness Exercise
Discover a powerful yet easy technique from a former Google engineer that can transform your mindset and help you experience happiness in everyday moments.
Explore the brilliant simplicity behind Chade-Meng Tan's happiness formula.
Meet the Mindfulness Expert
Chade-Meng Tan, once a software engineer at Google, has evolved into a leading self-development guru who guides employees of top IT companies in personal growth, meditation, empathy, and emotional intelligence.
He openly shares that he used to struggle with unhappiness but found a way to cultivate joy in daily life. Around the age of 25, Meng realized that negative self-feelings could be transformed through mindful effort.
The Path to Happiness
Changing your mindset doesn’t always require therapy; a simple exercise can spark small bursts of happiness throughout your day.
For example, when you quench your thirst with a cold glass of water, you experience a subtle but genuine pleasure — not a loud cheer, but a quiet “Mmm, that feels good.”
These small moments often go unnoticed: savoring a piece of chocolate, stepping into a cool room on a hot day, or receiving a long-awaited message. They bring genuine delight.
Though these joyful moments last just 2–3 seconds, recognizing them can significantly boost your mood. By training yourself to notice and appreciate these sparks, their impact grows stronger.
Chade-Meng explains, “These small flashes of happiness happen constantly. Once you start noticing them, miracles occur—you begin to see more joyful moments everywhere, every day. You can count on happiness like a trusted friend.”
Why This Works Scientifically
This technique taps into the same brain mechanisms that form habits. Basal ganglia, responsible for habit formation, memories, and emotions, make familiar behaviors easier and less mentally demanding.
The happiness flash exercise includes three key components essential for habit formation:
- Trigger: A pleasant moment.
- Routine: Noticing that moment.
- Reward: Feeling joy and happiness.
This exercise also complements meditation by helping you enter a mindful state. In fact, Chade-Meng considers the exercise itself a form of meditation, enhancing your ability to truly see your surroundings.
Scientific studies back this up. Research from Loyola University found that adults over 55 who savor pleasant moments report higher life satisfaction regardless of health or financial status. Those unable to appreciate small joys often experience poorer moods, worsened by illness.
Learning this exercise is especially valuable as we age. A 2014 study revealed that older adults easily recall enjoyable daily events, while younger people tend to focus only on major milestones like graduation or getting a license. Yet, extraordinary moments don’t guarantee happiness; what truly matters is the number of joyful days and positive experiences.
How to Practice This Daily
- Train yourself to notice and appreciate even the smallest pleasures.
- Feel the happiness these moments bring you.
- Repeat regularly until joy becomes a natural daily habit.
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