People Slowly Getting Their Capacity For Joy Back Usually Say 8 Phrases In Casual Conversation
Ekateryna Zubal / ShutterstockMany people think joy and happiness are the same thing, but joy is actually a distinct emotion someone feels when they’re content with their life, challenges and all.
Most of us go through times when we think we no longer have the capacity to feel joy, but that is rarely true. The tough times make the moments when it becomes clear something is shifting in a positive direction more special. Even if they don’t realize what’s happening right away, their vocabulary will change in a big way.
People who are regaining their capacity for joy often use these phrases in everyday conversations:
1. ‘I’ve really been looking forward to this’
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When someone feels like they’ve got no joy left, one of the first things they’ll notice is the way they don’t feel excited about anything anymore. The things they have planned that they would have looked forward to before just feel like every other obligation on their schedule.
When things start turning around, they start to feel that kind of excitement again. Anticipating something good gives people a more positive outlook, so actually being able to do that means they’re leaving some of the negativity behind.
2. ‘I haven’t felt this way in a long time’
It can feel startling to realize you’re feeling an emotion for the first time in a while, but there’s also a peace that comes with tapping into something that used to be familiar.
That’s a sign that they’re allowing themselves to heal on an emotional level, which means learning how to live with the good and the bad. The hard things they’ve faced can’t be erased, but their perspective can change as they make room for positivity again.
3. ‘I forgot how much fun that was’
It’s surprisingly easy for people to forget how to have fun when they’re going through something hard. They become so focused on serious things that it’s hard to make room for anything else.
This makes it feel like an unexpected gift when the tables turn. They went from going through the motions to actually having fun, which means their joy really is coming back. That’s what it will take to get them out of survival mode and back to living life.
4. ‘It feels like I’m moving onto something better’
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Feeling a lack of joy usually comes with a feeling of being stagnant. It’s like that person is stuck and just doing what’s necessary to get through each day on repeat for as long as it takes. This phrase shows they aren’t just getting their joy back, but also feeling themselves moving in a better direction.
According to psychologists, the active choices people make to get closer to where they want to be can simply be described as hope. It’s pretty hard to feel any hope without joy, so there’s definitely a major change happening if they have a sense of hope again.
5. ‘I want to try something new’
People aren’t usually eager to try new things when they feel stuck in a rut. It feels much more comfortable for them to keep doing what they’re used to instead of stepping outside of their comfort zone.
Trying something new is about more than feeling renewed enthusiasm for life, though. It also leads to the release of dopamine, so it’s like it’s creating more joy in the process.
6. ‘I haven’t laughed that hard in so long’
Some people will have a hard time imagining not laughing much since it feels like a reflex we don’t really control. It really is harder for anyone who feels like they have no joy left to laugh as easily and loudly, and even to genuinely smile sometimes.
That becomes a vicious cycle because people feel better after they have a good laugh. If they’re able to do that again, it’s like their body is rejecting the lack of joy they’ve been feeling. They’re finally ready to move on.
7. ‘I have so much more energy now’
A lot of people who can’t feel joy, especially to the point that they’re depressed, have much lower energy than they usually do. It’s kind of like the limited energy they do have has to go toward what’s absolutely necessary, and there’s nothing left over.
When that changes, and they feel a surge of energy they’ve been missing for a while, it means joy is coming back. They’re finally able to do more than what they have to, which leaves them feeling like they can take on all of the things they’ve had to put off.
8. ‘It feels like I’m getting my spark back’
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Different people will mean different things when they say they’re getting their spark back, but it’s always a good thing. It’s like they lost an important part of themselves that forced them to change the way they lived their life, but now the pieces are fitting back into place.
People feel this way when they choose to make joy a part of their lives. That means living in the moment and doing things that feel like they matter, not telling yourself you have to be joyful. There’s really no stronger sign that someone is getting their joy back than that.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
