How to Make Room for Joy in the New Year

by Margie DuBois, CPC

January 7, 2026

At the beginning of the new year, I routinely ask my clients what they want more of in their lives.

No matter who I speak with — or what the circumstances are — there is one response that comes up year after year:

More joy.

People want more joy in their every day lives — at the office, in their communities, and at home.

They want to feel happier.
They want to have more fun.

And yet, many continue to feel stuck and exhausted as they go through the motions of their days.

This begs the question: what is getting in the way?

From my observations and personal experiences, most people do not make intentional efforts to cultivate joy. Sometimes we don’t know how, and other times we don’t slow down enough to watch it unfold.

In order to live a joyful life, you have to make room for it. Not just every now and then, but consistently.

Here are four foolproof tips for bringing more joy into your life this year:

1 - Start with a joy audit

To build a joyful life, you first have to get clear on what you value and what genuinely brings you joy. One of my favorite ways to do this is by completing a joy audit. Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Grab your journal and a pen. Set a timer for five minutes. Reflect on the past year and think about moments when you felt the happiest, the most energized, and the most like yourself. Write down as many memories as you can — keep going until the timer ends or you run out of ideas.

Step 2: When you’re done with step one, review your list. look at the list. Notice any patterns.

Who were you with?
What were you doing?
How did you feel?

Group your memories into themes, and write down the top three. This might include spending time in nature, laughing with friends, or everyday moments with your kids.

Step 3: Look at the themes and ask yourself: what do they say about my values and where I find the most joy? Write down your reflections.

Step 4: Based on what you discovered, identify two action steps you can take this month to create more of your favorite memories in the year ahead.

2 - Build your confidence

Confidence is the practice of showing up with clarity, courage, and emotional intelligence so you can strengthen the relationships, cultures, and systems around you. The more confident you feel, the more likely you are to experience true joy.

When you build your confidence, you show up more authentically and spend your time on what matters.

Confidence is a set of observable behaviors — not a personality trait. If you want to grow your confidence this year, start with taking our free confidence quiz to learn about our 7 Habits of Confident Humans™, and identify specific habits to practice in the months ahead.

3 - Plan ahead

This one may sound obvious, but it’s something many people don’t do. We hustle through the year, look back, and feel disappointed that we didn’t prioritize what we said was important to us.

If spending more quality time with your friends matters to you this year, get it on the calendar now (note: drop the “we should hang out more” routine). Develop monthly rituals or standing plans that make connection easier.

If improving your sleep health is a priority, start crafting your evening routine and build accountability, habits, and systems that support it. Commit to practicing it for a full month — not just a few days.

If you want to take that special vacation or a longer holiday break this year, schedule the days off now — not in November. Put pen to paper and intentionally map out your year.

4 - Look for it

Perhaps the most overlooked or underrated joyful tool is actually looking for it.

In Daring Greatly, Brené Brown writes: “Joy comes to us in moments — ordinary moments. We risk missing out on joy when we get too busy chasing down the extraordinary.”

Joy is around us all the time. But when we chase after shiny object or only focus on the big things, we miss the little things that matter the most:

A beautiful sunrise.
The sound of a child laughing.
Someone dancing on the street.
Music playing in the background.

If you commit to looking for joy every day, you will find it.

. . .

Joy doesn’t require a major life overhaul. It begins with small, intentional choices. When you slow down enough to notice what brings you joy and create space for it, you are able to live your most authentic life.

My hope for you this year is simple: that you stop waiting for joy — and start chasing after it with a full heart.

"Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day." - Henri Nouwen