Joie de vivre

Unravelling the simplicity of finding moments of life in the everyday

Whether we take the measures to acknowledge this or not, life is forever and always passing through us. We can view this as an overwhelming experience, a reminder of everything we have to accomplish within our day to day lives, or we can merely sit in the tranquility and joy of just being. Many of us experience this feeling of unease every day—when our plans, our friendships, or our expectations don’t go the way we want, we feel unsatisfied or frustrated. However, the reality is that life is going to happen regardless of our plans. Finding moments to let go and soak up life for all of its goodness or its idiosyncrasies prompts delight. Having this consciousness to ‘take joy in life’ allows living to wrap us in all of its bounty. Unravelling this concept is the key to finding your joie de vivre, an ability which is fundamentally important to adopt in any stage of life. 

The French term joie de vivre was resurrected in 19th-century literature, and is translated as the “exuberant enjoyment of life.” It is a term that encourages one to find delight in life through art, food, culture, nature, or presence with oneself and others. This philosophy engages the enjoyment of and gratefulness for simple pleasures. In a world overwhelmed with overconsumption, lust, greed, and the never-ending feeling of discontent with the state of everything and anything, we’re being robbed of the beauty of being utterly and unapologetically filled with happiness. Le joie de vivre is an ability we all have. Nevertheless, we tend to wait for the ‘perfect’ moment to let it absorb us. 

We have every reason to be in a constant state of misery; with our grievances and the current state of the world, feelings of hopelessness and sadness can often be too heavy to carry. Though this truth remains steadfast, wasting precious life on worry and want ruins the essence of our lives. Making the active choice to find joy in obscurity alters our perception of the people and events that weave into our lives. This is so much more than trying to be a positive person: it is finding joy despite the things that may diminish it. It is rebelling against society’s conventions—finding passion and little states of happiness regardless of social norms or other people’s perceptions. 

We spend our lives diminishing our joy based on futile conditions. Too often we hear “I can relax once I finish this,” or “I can’t be happy until this is over.” By this logic, we will only be truly happy less than 15 percent of the time. If we only allow ourselves to enjoy the beauty life offers us if a, b, and c are accomplished, then we are actively restricting our joie de vivre. This is not to say that we should disregard our tasks for the sake of finding joy; rather, we need to find joy and privilege in doing our tasks. For example, many find studying or completing assignments an absolute drag, especially if they have already been procrastinating. One way to find the joie de vivre in these tasks is to first reflect on the privilege one has in having access to education, and then fill your study time with little things that reinforce the joy in doing so, such as finding or creating a lovely atmosphere and listening to music that is good for the soul. Waiting for five o’clock or until Friday to do your work is sure to take away your excitement of everyday life. A vital step in finding your joie de vivre is to implement it into your daily life, as a way to romanticize and find happiness in mundane tasks. 

Joie de vivre is also tied to passion for art. To quote Robin Williams’ famous line in Dead Poets Society: “We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. Medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.” A life without connection, music, art or culture, is a life without joy—a life of wasted potential. Archaeology is the study of artifacts about  human life, beliefs, and connections—often demonstrated through artwork. It is proof of civilizations before we created  art as part of culture. Art is what ultimately connects us to each other and helps us find ourselves in times of chaos and trouble. It is the collective consciousness of feeling through song, word, picture or action. Without a personal and unique connection to art, we cannot bask in life’s joys or understand others’ perceptions of it. 

Eventually, with enough practice, the joie de vivre will consume your way of thinking, as it pushes one to defy their expectations of themselves. To enjoy life is to find joy and happiness in the moments comprising it. Every breath and moment is a gift, and the best way to show gratitude for such a blessing is to be joyful.